Punakha

Punakha is where rivers meet and kings are made—Bhutan's former winter capital at the confluence of the Pho Chhu (Father River) and Mo Chhu (Mother River), where every coronation since 1907 has sanctified monarchical succession. The 'Palace of Great Happiness' (Punakha Dzong), built in 1637 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, remains the second-largest and second-oldest dzong in the kingdom, its position at the river junction both strategically defensive and spiritually resonant. Until 1955, Bhutan's rulers migrated seasonally: winters in warm Punakha at 1,200 meters, summers in cool Thimphu at 2,300 meters. The Central Monastic Body still maintains this transhumance, moving hundreds of monks between the two capitals as climate dictates. The valley's subtropical warmth—unlike anywhere else in Bhutan—enables rice cultivation that sustains the kingdom: Punakha harvested 8,321 metric tons of cereal in 2023, ranking first nationally. Both red and white rice flourish along alluvial soils that support two annual harvests, earning the district its 'rice bowl of Bhutan' designation. The confluence geography creates microclimate effects: mild winters that made Punakha attractive to rulers, while elevation gradients within the district support diverse cultivation from subtropical orchards to temperate crops. By 2026, Punakha's role shifts from political capital to agricultural anchor and tourist circuit stop—visitors en route to Wangdue Phodrang pause to photograph the dzong floating between two rivers, an image that defines Bhutanese architectural harmony with landscape.