Phuentsholing

Introducing Phuentsholing

The small, sweltering border town of Phuentsholing sits opposite the much larger Indian bazaar town of Jaigaon, separated only by a flimsy fence and a much-photographed Bhutanese-style entrance gate. Coming from India you will notice an instantaneous change in the degree of cleanliness and organisation. Coming from Bhutan the new air is thick with the smells of the subcontinent. There’s not a great deal to do here but keep cool and soak up the border atmosphere, as Bhutan blurs into India.

Just to the west of town is the wide flood plain of the Torsa Chhu, which in its upper reaches is known as the Amo Chhu and has its headwaters in Tibet’s Chumbi valley. Several hours’ walk away, on the opposite side of the Torsa Chhu, is the home of the Doya minority group.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009