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Mongar & Lheuntse
 Arriving in Mongar is a great relief from turns and heights of
the journey over the pass. The town is small with a sprinkling
of shops. Mongar Dzong is modern compared to the others in the
Kingdom. It was reconstructed by the order of the Third king.
No drawing and nails have been used. A visit to the Dzong
gives visitors an impression of how traditional architecture
has continued to thrive through the centuries. Lheuntse is 77
kms. from Mongar and is one of the most isolated districts in
Bhutan. The landscape is spectacular with stark cliffs and
gorges and dense coniferous forests. The region is notably
famed for its weavers & special textiles & fabrics, generally
considered to be the best in the country. The Kurtoe region of
Lheuntse is also the ancestral home of the Royal Dynasty.
Trashigang
Trashigang lies above the Gumri river and is the largest
district in Bhutan. It is much busier than other Bhutanese
towns due to its proximity to Samdrup Jongkhar in the south
which has enable it to grow as center of commerce. Trashigang
is used as the market place for the hill people from Merak &
Sakteng, who are known for their exceptional features and for
their costume made of Sheep skin and Yak wool. The hat they
wear is unusual but has a significance of its own. It is very
different from customary Bhutanese clothing. The 17th
century Dzong is built on top of a cliff and serves as an
administrative center.
 Tashi Yangtse
 Tashi Yangtse was formally a subdivision of Trashigang and is
one of the new districts. Yangtse Dzong is half an hour walk
from the road. A town has developed around Chorten Kora, one
of only two Chortens (Stupas) built in Nepalese style and a
spot where Guru Padmasambhava is believed to have had a vision
that a temple and a Chorten would be built. The area is also
known for its exceptional woodcraft. Another temple lies on
the banks of the Gumri river known as the Gom Kora dedicated
to Guru Padmasambhava, where he supposed to have subdued a
demon in form of a Garuda. A festival takes place every year
at this temple.
Samdrup Jongkhar
The
road from Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkhar was completed in the
early 1960s. This town is small and busting and acts as a
commercial hub and entry and exit point in the south east.
Phuntsoling
 Phuntsoling is a border town to the south bordering the Indian
State of West Bengal. It is a hub of commercial activity.
Jaigaon, a small Indian town is located near Phuntsoling and
one can make road connections from Jaigaon or Phuntsoling to
the airport in Bagdogra or the railway station in Siliguri,
both in the state of West Bengal (169 kms, a drive of about
4-5 hours) of India. There are also convenient connections to
Nepal, border at Kakarvitta or Indian hill stations of
Kalimpong, Gangtok & Darjeeling.
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