Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [144]
A few kilometres further, Lingmethang (650m) has a large Public Works Department (PWD) station, some small rough wooden shops, a pig farm and a big sawmill.
The road turns north at a chorten that marks the junction of the main Kuri Chhu valley. At Kuri Zampa (570m) you finally hit the valley floor with a bump – an amazing descent of 3200m from the pass. Step out of your vehicle and breathe in the thick syrupy air before frantically stripping off three layers of clothing. On the east side of a prayer flag–strewn Bailey bridge is a large concrete chorten that is patterned after Bodhnath in Nepal; it is said to contain relics from the original Shongar Dzong. Beside the bridge is a deserted factory that used to extract oil from lemongrass, before the funding ran out.
A secondary road leads downstream to the new town of Gyalpozhing and the Kuri Chhu power project. The government is in the process of building an entire town similar to Khuruthang here, including a 64km-long road down the Kuri Chhu valley to Nanglam on the Indian border.
Kuri Zampa to Mongar
25km / 45 mins
The road to Mongar climbs through chir-pine forests up the eastern side of the Kuri Chhu valley. To the north you can see the road to Lhuentse traversing the side of the valley. This road leaves the Mongar road at Gangola, 12km before Mongar, and travels 65km to Lhuentse (Click here).
The Mongar road climbs up and up through cornfields towards a cluster of houses on top of the hill. A final switchback leads into Mongar.
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MONGAR
04 / elev 1600m
Most towns in the west of Bhutan are in valleys. In eastern Bhutan most towns, including Mongar, are on the tops of hills or ridges. A row of large eucalyptus trees protects the town from the wind.
There is little of real interest to see in Mongar, but many people spend a night here before continuing to Trashigang. It takes about 11 hours to drive from Jakar to Trashigang. This often means driving at night, which is a waste in such interesting countryside.
The pleasant main street is lined with traditionally painted wooden Bhutanese buildings decorated with colourful potted plants. Archers sharpen their aim on the football ground most afternoons.
Orientation
Mongar was redesigned in 1997 when a bypass road was constructed and a large part of the bazaar razed and rebuilt. The dzong is on a ridge above the town.
Information
Bank of Bhutan (Map; 641123; 9am-1pm Mon-Fri, to 11am Sat)
Bhutan National Bank (Map; 641495)
Hospital (Map; 641112) Eastern Bhutan’s new main hospital should open here in 2007.
Sights
MONGAR DZONG
The present Mongar Dzong was rebuilt in 1953; unusual because it has two entrances and because the monk and administrative bodies share the same courtyard. The dzong was established here in 1930 to replace the original Shongar Dzong, although the original utse (central tower) dates from an earlier age. There are 250 monks in the dzong, many of them young boys aged eight to 10 years old. The week-long Mongar tsechu is held here in November. The main Sangay Lhakhang is probably the only chapel in Bhutan equipped with comfy sofas!
Sleeping
Several new tourist hotels should have opened by the time you read this, including the top-end Wangchuk Hotel (Map) and Druk Sherig Hotel (Map), and these will be the hotels of choice.
Druk Zhongar Hotel (Map; 641587; fax 641590; r Nu 1800, ste Nu 2200; ) Until the new hotels open, this well-run modern hotel is easily the best place in town. Rooms are excellent, with a balcony and satellite TV, though some are larger than others. The Phuntso Delek Restaurant here is also good and a steam room is planned.
Zhongar Guest House (Map; 641107; s Nu 500-1200, d Nu 800-1400) This government guesthouse is in a charming traditional-style