Bhutan
Bhutan
Famous places in Bhutan with fascinating tales

With Bhutan’s reopening of its doors to tourists, many travelers are preparing to visit some of the best places to visit in Bhutan. After all, this small landlocked kingdom is engulfed in captivating mystieries and folktales that are unique to Bhutan!

Tourists, especially culture enthusiasts, who visit the world’s happiest country will be amazed by the exotic beauty of numerous well-preserved historical sites and fascinating tales, which provides authentic Bhutanese highlights.

Bhutan has something for everyone, from adrenaline-pumping outdoor activities to exploring well-preserved historical sites.

So, if you’re love exploring beautiful places in Bhutan that are surrounded by unique and fascinating tales, be sure to book your Bhutan trip with Norbu Bhutan. We have decades of experience in planning customized itineraries that are filled with exploring famous places in Bhutan! 

1. Aja Nye In Mongar

Bhutan
One of the most famous places in Mongar : Aja Ney

The well-known Aja Ney is one of the most beautiful places in Bhutan as well as a popular spiritual location in the Mongar district Bhutan.

The sacred holy place of Aja Ney, which is more than 3,500 meters above sea level, is attributed to Guru Rinpoche.

The sacred Aja Nye holds a plethora of religious locations and symbols, including Guru’s foot and body prints, Guru Rinpoche’s 108 retreat caves, and the footprint of Lam Karma Jamyang, who discovered the hidden sacred site. 

Many tourists visit these beautiful places in Bhutan to soak in the Menchu (hotspring) because it is thought to heal 18 ailments, including tuberculosis, bodily pains, ulcers, and whooping cough.

You will also see a pair of Jachungs (birds), and it is thought that the wings of Jachungs contain 108 butter lamps and 108 lakes.

The most prominent sacred location is a little cave on Aja Chhu, where Guru Rinpoche meditated for three months. 

2. Aum Jomo In Trashigang

Bhutan
Best places to visit in Bhutan : Trashigang

According to legend, Boe Ralung in Tibet is where Aum Jomo, the deity of Radhi Gewog, originally came from. 

It is said that Aum Jomo traveled from Sekteng to Bhutan and blessed the land. She is also believed to have named Radhi after seeing a herd of goats when she arrived (which translates as “Land of Goats”). 

Radhi natives pray to her and make various offerings to her in hopes of blessings and protection. 

3. The Burning Lake In Bumthang

Bhutan
Best places to visit in Bhutan: The Burning Lake

The iconic burning lake in Bumthang is one of the most famous places in Bhutan, with an even more interesting folktale associated with it. So, visiting this famous site is a once in a lifetime!

While traveling to Bumthang, you will hear one of the most popular folktales among the locals, “Mebar Tsho,” which translates to “The Burning Lake,” located in Bumthang’s Tang valley. 

Legend has it that a deity named Terton Pema Lingpa dreamed of precious treasures hidden in the lake.

As expected, the townspeople were skeptical. So to prove that he is the great treasurer, he jumped into the lake holding a lit butter lamp. To everyone’s shock and awe, he arose, holding a chest and a scroll of parchment along with the shining butter lamp in his hand. Following that, the lake was named Mebartsho (The Burning Lake). 

4. The Abominable Snowman In Phobjikha

Bhutan
Famous places in Bhutan : Gangtay Monastery

As fantastical as the yeti may appear to a westerner, it exists in Bhutan. In Bhutan, they are known as ‘Migyo,’ and Bhutanese people consider seeing one unlucky, often an omen of death.

Reinhold Messner led the first expedition in the summer of 1987. With a small group of friends, he trekked deep into the Bhutanese Himalayas. 

On his journey, one of the routes took them to Phobjika Valley. A young lama presented a key to the Gangtay Monastery in Phobjika, and the door of the tantric room was opened. 

The hide of a massive animal, with bones, still attached, was tacked on the wall. Except for a long, black hank of hair dangling from the back, its head was mostly hairless. 

Messner asked the monk what beast the hide belonged to, and the young lama said it belonged to a yeti cub that had been killed 400 years ago.

Now and then, giant footsteps are often spotted by the wayward traveler in Bhutan. 

But, whether it’s just a myth or an elusive reality, the belief in the yeti’s existence persists. Therefore, the search will not end, now or ever.

5. Chendebji Chorten

Bhutan
Famous place in Bhutan: Chendenji

A Nepali-style chorten was built in the 18th century to suppress demons and evil spirits.

The Buddhist Lama Ngesup Tshering Wangchuk built Chendebji Chorten in the 18th century to ward off evil spirits and demons. 

This chorten—a shrine to a famous Buddhist monk—is styled after Nepal’s Bouddhanath Stupa, having distinctive eyes looking towards the four cardinal points. 

A relic is housed within the chorten, as is traditional. It is the skull of Tenzin Lekpai Dhundrup, a powerful figure who is the reincarnated keeper of Tibetan Buddhist teachings. 

One of the legends surrounding Chendebji Chorten claims that the chorten was built on top of an enormous snake-like evil spirit, which was then crushed and dislodged.

Another tale holds that the monument was positioned exactly where the three sky borders meet. Another legend has that the chorten was created to tame a demon that used to haunt the area. 

These traditions are not seen as contradictory but rather as mutually reinforcing, all pointing to the supernatural nature of this holy spot.

Bhutan is an ideal travel destination for a holiday. This small kingdom has everything you want on your trip; a pleasant atmosphere and breathtaking landscapes with exciting folktales. 

It is also home to numerous historic forts and monasteries that are one-of-a-kind in many respects. 

Travelers also enjoy the breathtakingly steep mountains and valleys, which delight the eyes. Tourists are drawn to the area by the exhilarating activities and adventure sports.

Now that you’ve discovered some of the most famous places to visit in Bhutan, you must keep up with the latest  travel information before planning your Bhutan trip with Norbu Bhutan!

So, don’t hold back on your trip to Bhutan, and contact Norbu Bhutan Travels, your one-stop-shop tourism in Bhutan!

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