Hot times in a cool valley

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This was published 12 years ago

Hot times in a cool valley

Punakha Dzong at the convergence of two rivers Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu, Punakha, Bhutan.

Punakha Dzong at the convergence of two rivers Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu, Punakha, Bhutan.Credit: Getty Images

Ute Junker steps off the trail to discover the kingdom's sub-tropical heart.

IN BHUTAN, your fleece is your best friend. High in the Himalayas, the air is thin and the chill factor high but waking to thick mountain mists framing snow-capped mountains, and crunching frosty grass underfoot, is all part of the experience.

The Punakha Valley, however, is different. There, my guide Tschering explains, balmy breezes ruffle the leaves of banana trees while in the orchards, mangoes and oranges hang from laden branches. I'm sceptical - a subtropical paradise in this mountain kingdom? Tschering assures me we'll be there in a couple of hours and I'll see for myself.

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The road to Punakha, the country's former capital, is downhill all the way. A series of switchbacks takes us from high, snow-speckled ridges where silver firs shiver under furry coats of moss down to a fertile river valley that seems to sparkle in the sunlight. Tschering was right: Punakha is another world.

At 1200 metres above sea level, Punakha is about as low as you can go in Bhutan, which is why the climate is so mild: time to swap the fleece for a T-shirt.

With the country's two main rivers, the Mo Chhu and the Pho Chhu, supplying plenty of water, farmers are able to grow not only red and white rice but also peaches, pears, bananas and the ubiquitous chilli - to which we'll return later.

Bhutan, the mere vision of a holy thangka or thongdrel (traditional painting on fabric) is supposed to wash away the sins of a lifetime.

Bhutan, the mere vision of a holy thangka or thongdrel (traditional painting on fabric) is supposed to wash away the sins of a lifetime.Credit: AFP

Punakha may lack the dramatic mountain scenery that makes Bhutan a photographer's dream but there are still plenty of reasons to get your camera out. For many years the town served as the royal winter capital, so it's home to some of the country's most dramatic structures.

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Most impressive of all is the Punakha dzong. Of the dozen grand dzong, or fortresses, scattered throughout the country, Punakha's is the most imposing. Protected by a curve of the fast-flowing Mo Chhu river, the dzong is reached via a cantilevered, covered wooden bridge. While its whitewashed exterior is plain, the interior of the dzong is decorated with intricately carved wooden window frames and balconies in vivid shades of orange, red, yellow and blue.

Even more colourful are the sacred murals. Bhutan is a deeply Buddhist country but its religious imagery has been influenced by neighbouring India. The murals depict the various levels of heaven and hell - universes filled with a bewildering range of deities and demons with skin tones ranging from blue and green to orange.

Young monks learning religious texts in the Temple of the Divine Madman in the Bhutanese town of Punakha.

Young monks learning religious texts in the Temple of the Divine Madman in the Bhutanese town of Punakha.Credit: AFP

These deities are not merely decorative but remain part of everyday life. The nearby village of Nobgang, for instance, is guarded by the goddess Udem, who apparently likes to ensure that women under her care find good husbands. She certainly did right by four local sisters, who all married King Wangchuck, the father of Bhutan's current king. Yes, all four. Wangchuck presumably thought he was getting the good end of the deal but, given that he later introduced a law ensuring his successors could marry only once, one suspects things didn't turn out quite as he had envisaged.

Our hotel counts as another Punakha landmark. Amankora Punakha is one of five Bhutanese lodges run by Aman Resorts. Aman is known for its five-star tropical hideaways but in Bhutan it has taken a different approach, with guests immersing themselves in Bhutanese culture while still enjoying a luxurious base.

To reach Amankora Punakha, we cross a suspension bridge covered in gaily coloured prayer flags that dance in the light breeze. The eight guest suites combine clean, dramatic interiors with a relaxing orchard setting. But the heart of the resort is a two-storey traditional Bhutanese farmhouse that opens on to a terrace fringed with fruit trees - an ideal spot for breakfast and lunch.

We've seen the glorious produce on our visits to the local markets, where farmers display baskets bulging with glossy eggplants, rotund cauliflower, thin-skinned onions - and basket after basket of red chillies.

Chilli is more than just a favoured garnish in Bhutanese cuisine: it's an essential ingredient. The Bhutanese are chilli addicts and their ability to handle the hot stuff makes the neighbouring Indians look like lightweights. You can't say you've been to Bhutan until you've gasped your way through a Bhutanese banquet.

On my second night in Punakha, I grab a pitcher of water and face up to the ultimate Bhutanese experience - dinner.

The country's cuisine is similar to India's in its veneration of curries and the belief that there is little point serving one dish when you can offer up half a dozen or more. A bewildering array of bowls and plates is placed in front of me. Along with soup and dumplings, the dishes hold curries, including pork and bean, and an endless choice of vegetables: eggplant served with tomato, onion and chilli, and cabbage served with chilli and cheese - a Bhutanese favourite.

Cautiously, I start with the dumplings, which are delicious. The soup is delightfully more-ish; the vegetables bursting with flavour; and the curries, while hot, don't send steam out of my ears. Before I know it, I've finished every bowl. I've done it - I've made it through a Bhutanese dinner.

I'm feeling invincible, which may explain what happens the next morning. I head to breakfast on the terrace, enjoying the warmth of sunlight on my T-shirt-clad shoulders, and decide that the best way to follow up a Bhutanese dinner is with a Bhutanese breakfast.

I even know what I'm going to order: emma dazit, a morning meal that is as beloved in Bhutan as Vegemite is in Australia.

Emma dazit is a mix of chilli and cheese, and the resort serves it on toast. I expect something like ground chilli in a cream cheese but my toast arrives piled high with chillies. Each has been roughly sliced, covered with cheese and grilled. My eyes water just looking at the dish.

I consider caving in and ordering a waffle instead but notice the guests at the next table are watching me surreptitiously. It's too late to back out. Trying not to wince, I take a bite - and find it's utterly delicious and not at all hot.

I munch through two slices, basking in the admiration of my fellow diners, and afterwards have a chat with the chef, who asks whether I enjoyed my breakfast.

"I love it," I say nonchalantly. "Those chillies weren't hot at all."

"You're lucky," he replies. "We get the chillies from a local farmer and they vary in heat. Sometimes they're mild and sometimes they take your head off."

With a shudder, I realise I've been extraordinarily lucky in the Bhutanese equivalent of Russian roulette. When my guide asks if I want to visit a nearby temple, I sign up straight away. It's time to give thanks to the local deity who has protected me from the wrath of the chilli.

Trip notes

Getting there

Drukair (drukair.com.bt), Bhutan's national airline, is the only carrier to fly to the country. There are two flights a week from Bangkok to Paro, with return fares from $900.

Staying there

Amankora rates are $US1300 ($1235) a night for a single and $US1400 for a double. Includes all meals, car and driver and a range of treks and activities. The lodges are exclusive and many have no more than eight rooms per lodge (amanresorts.com).

Amankora's other lodges include:

Gangtey Located in the Phobjika Valley, 3000 metres above sea level. Highlights include the chance to encounter the elegant, endangered black-neck crane and enjoy a traditional hot stone bath.

Bumthang The most remote of Aman's lodges offers plenty to see and do, from visiting a 7th-century monastery to trekking through a valley filled with orchards and pine forests.

Paro The closest thing Bhutan has to a tourist hub. Visitors flock to Paro to see the national museum and climb the spectacular Eagle's Nest nearby.

Thimphu Bhutan's largest city and the only capital in the world without traffic lights.

More information

tourism.gov.bt.

Three other things to do in the Punakha Valley

1 Get a new perspective by rafting or kayaking the Mo Chhu and Po Chhu rivers. Whitewater and beginners' options available.

2 Trek through rice fields and wooded slopes to reach Khamsum Chorten, a riotously decorated temple built by the queen mother to protect her son, the king. Built on a hill, the four-storey temple offers spectacular views.

3 Discover a different side to Buddhism at the Temple of the Divine Madman, regarded by locals as a fertility shrine — which partly explains all the ritual phallus decorations.

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