My Bhutan, with Sonam Wangchuk

Here, the General Manager of COMO Uma Paro and COMO Uma Punakha shares his country through his eyes, from its natural beauty to the devout spirituality that permeates everyday life.

I was born in Paro, a valley town in Western Bhutan located in the shadow of one of the country’s most spectacular sites: the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, soaring 3,000 metres above my home. With a childhood surrounded by such beauty, I think it was inevitable that I would grow up wanting to share that with others. Guests at COMO Uma Paro or COMO Uma Punakha often ask me if I can distill the essence of Bhutan into one word. But there’s no way — three words, maybe: nature, happiness, Buddhism. 

All three are interlinked. Bhutan’s landscapes are breathtaking, from the monastery-pricked hillsides of Paro to the rich rice terraces of Punakha. You won’t travel more than a few miles without seeing ribbons of prayer flags strung between trees or across bridges, or the white stumps of stupa — small Buddhist shrines — along the roadside. That’s evidence of our Bhuddist faith, deeply ingrained in everyday Bhutanese life. Then there’s happiness — a banner of Bhutanese pride — shaped by our religion, our nature, and by government policy that prioritises the metric of Gross National Happiness (GNH).

For guests of COMO Uma Paro or COMO Uma Punakha, I always recommend a five-day itinerary at minimum. Bhutan is a country that invites you to slow down and reflect. It’s not somewhere to whip through ticking off ‘bucket list’ items. It’s a place for long hikes and slow suppers, meditative monastery visits and flashes of adventure — white water rafting or archery (Bhutan’s national sport)  —, for instance. The country is particularly beautiful in spring and autumn — the seasons of change when the valleys bloom green or transition to rich golds and browns. But there’s no ‘bad’ time to visit — our summers are temperate, and our winters are cold, with our restaurants warmed by open fires to ward off the chill. 

Bhutan’s logistics are less complicated than is often assumed by foreign visitors. Visas can be arranged through COMO Hotels and Resorts, who will also manage your Sustainable Development Fee, flights, guides and drivers, and curate an itinerary tailored to your interests. Among other highlights, I often recommend the hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery — the 17th-century perch above the Paro Valley, where Buddhism is first said to have originated in Bhutan when Guru Rinpoche swooped in on the back of a flying tiger. Then there are more offbeat recommendations, such as a traditional farmhouse lunch with a local family, where guests will have the chance to try specialities such as chillies and cheese, red rice, dumplings and butter tea.

In a country where wellness is so important, our COMO Shambhala treatments are a carefully calibrated complement — from our signature COMO Shambhala Massage, a 60-minute full-body rejuvenation, to a therapeutic hot stone bath, using stones from local rivers. At Bukhari restaurant — situated both at COMO Uma Paro and COMO Uma Punakha — guests can round-off the wellness experience with nutritious meals from COMO Shambhala Kitchen. As with everything COMO Hotels and Resorts does in Bhutan, we’re driven by the destination, serving meals made using local ingredients and following a seasonal farm-to-table concept. 

If there’s one thing I want guests to experience in Bhutan, it’s total tranquility. Whatever we do here is done through the heart, not just for the sake of doing it. Every experience a guest has resonates with good intention. I think that’s very powerful — and rarely encountered in this fast-moving modern world.

Please contact our property teams for more information, or to arrange a stay in Bhutan at COMO Uma Punakha or COMO Uma Paro.