Punakha Revisited

by sjsonnenbergmd
Punakha Valley with the Puna Tsang Chu
(Photo not retouched!)

Our first overnight visit to Punakha was documented in our post of October 1st. It was great but there was still plenty left to see and do. This time we arrived in the late afternoon to our hotel after a cordial and informative visit to the Punakha District Hospital and spent two nights, visiting the suspension bridge at the Dzong, the longest in Bhutan, and viewing the confluence of the the Mo Chhu (female) and Pho Chhu (male) rivers as the merge around the Dzong to form the Puna Tsang Chu. We then visited a nunnery and a monastery, and concluding a packed but surprisingly relaxing day, we hiked down from the monastery, past remote farm houses, through rice paddies, buckwheat terraces, corn and grazing land, to return at nightfall to our hotel. The amazing view above is from our balcony.

Punakha Dzong
One of the oldest suspension bridges in the world, the Punakha suspension bridge was believed to be built in the 15th century by the Buddhist Monk, Thangtong Gyalpo, famous for building many iron bridges as well as temples. The bridge spans 160 to 180 meters over the Pho Chu and connects the Dzong with the rest of the valley. Draped with prayer flags flapping in the fragrant wind, and gently swaying as you walk, it is a multi-sensorial experience.
The bridge felt remarkably stable.
Punakha Dzong with cantilevered bridge over the Mo Chuu. Possibly the longest cantilevered bridge in the world, it has flooded many times with heavy monsoon rains and glacial runoff. It was last reconstructed in 2011 with funding from ProBhutan, a German organization. Historically, it had a drawbridge component to deter Tibetan invaders, but his was not reproduced.
The confluence of the Mo Chhu and Pho Chuu to form the Puna Tsang Chu
Wild poinsettias along the river bank.

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