Bhutan

Paro Taktsang, known as Tiger’s Lair, is the most photographed landmark in Paro and the most sacred Buddhist site in Bhutan. Clinging dramatically to a sheer cliff 900 metres above the valley floor, it is accessible only on foot and ranks among the top attractions in Paro. According to legend, Guru Padmasambhava, the 8th century saint who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan, flew here on the back of a tigress to subdue local spirits and meditated in a cave for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours. The present monastery was completed in 1692 around that cave, destroyed by fire in 1998 and carefully rebuilt by 2005. The uphill walk, one of the most iconic things to do in Paro, takes two to three hours through pine and rhododendron forests before descending stone steps and crossing a footbridge to reach the monastery.

Rinpung Dzong, meaning Fortress on a Heap of Jewels, is the commanding 17th century fortress monastery that overlooks the Paro valley. This five storey complex of whitewashed walls, narrow windows and golden tiered roofs rises above the Paro Chu river and is counted among the top attractions in Paro. Built in 1644 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, founder of Bhutan’s unified state, it serves both as a monastic residence for around 200 monks and as the administrative centre of the district. The inner courtyards are adorned with intricate Buddhist murals depicting the wheel of life, guardian kings and bodhisattvas in traditional style. Frequently highlighted in every Paro travel guide, the dzong also appeared in The Last Samurai and plays a central role in Paro tourism during the annual Paro Tshechu festival, when masked cham dances fill the main courtyard for five days each spring.