Buddhist Site
Gom KoraAn extraordinarily picturesque temple, Gom Kora is located 13km north of Chazam. The lush green fields, the monks' red robes and the temple's yellow roof…
Eastern Bhutan
Intrepid travelers venturing to the wild and rugged east of Bhutan will be rewarded with fascinating villages and towns little influenced by tourism, group-free dzongs and temples, beautiful silks and amazing embroidery. Most of the population lives in tiny settlements secreted high above roads or in isolated valleys. The remote east is home to minority ethnic groups, some comprising fewer than 1000 people, and is unrivalled in traditional arts and crafts.
Many travelers to the east are lured by the magnificent bird-filled forests – wilderness havens for rare and unique wildlife. While birdwatching is extremely popular here, the east is opening up to other forms of tourism with new hotels and trekking routes being developed. The east of Bhutan sees fewer tourists than the western regions and remains a frontier for travel in Bhutan – reason enough to go!
Explore Eastern Bhutan
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Eastern Bhutan.
Buddhist Monument
Chorten KoraChorten Kora is large, but not nearly as large as the stupa of Bodhnath in Nepal, after which it was patterned. It was constructed in 1740 by Lama Ngawang…
Buddhist Monastery
Drametse GoembaThe biggest and most important monastery in eastern Bhutan, Drametse is an 18km, hour-long drive on a dirt track off the main road at Thungari. The rough…
Buddhist Monastery
Trashigang DzongThe dzong is on a thin promontory overlooking the confluence of the Drangme Chhu and the Gamri Chhu. It was built in 1667 by Mingyur Tenpa, Bhutan's third…
Buddhist Temple
Yakgang LhakhangA short drive southwest of town is this little-visited but interesting lhakhang, founded in the 16th century by the son of Pema Lingpa. As you enter the…
Buddhist Monastery
Lhuentse DzongLhuentse Rinchentse Phodrang Dzong, as it is correctly known, sits high on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Kuri Chhu valley, with near-vertical drops on…
Buddhist Monument
Guru Rinpoche StatueInside this enormous and highly decorated statue are three levels of chapels. The statue of Guru Rinpoche on the entrance floor has an open mouth and…
Arts Centre
National Institute for Zorig ChusumThis arts and crafts institute south of town was opened in 1997 to provide vocational training opportunities for those who aren't continuing in the higher…
Buddhist Monastery
Mongar DzongThe Mongar Dzong was established in 1930 to replace the original Shongar Dzong, although the original utse (central tower) dates from an earlier age. It's…
Buddhist Site
Prayer WheelThis large prayer wheel and the pedestal on which it spins sits in the centre of Trashigang's tiny town square, and doubles as a meeting point and taxi…
Buddhist Site
Prayer WheelThe large prayer wheel under the clock tower usually shelters a few of Mongar's old-timers shooting the breeze.
Landmark
Clock TowerThe forlorn clock tower, with one clock face telling the wrong time and three clock faces missing, overlooks the small park near the old part of town.