National Museum of Bhutan

Constructed in 1646.

You can watch the locals playing/practicing a different kind of dart game (called kuru) during the evenings at the river bank near the Bhutan Telecom office.

Precariously perched on the edge of a 1,200-m cliff, this monastery creates an impressive sight, and is the unofficial symbol of Bhutan. It is about a 2-to-3-hour, totally uphill hike from the parking lot to the monastery, though there is a cafe on ridge across from the Taktsang (about 90 minutes into the walk) that provides a welcome opportunity to take a rest and purchase refreshments and snacks. Taktsang was established as a sacred place for meditation by Guru Rinpoche, who visited the site on his second visit to Bhutan in 747 CE, though the first monastery was not constructed until 1694. In 1998, a tragic fire destroyed most of the original buildings, but these have since been painstakingly restored to their former glory. An entry fee of Nu1,000 is levied on all foreign nationals. The ticket office is in the parking lot at the foot of the mountain. It is open until 1PM, and entry will be denied if a ticket from this office is not produced at the monastery gate.

This dzong (fortress) was built in the 16th century to commemorate a victory over the invading Tibetan forces. The fortress today lies in ruins, the elements and a fire in the 1950s having taken a toll on the site. Drukyel dzong is about 15 km from Paro.