There goes a saying that ‘the closest place one might ever get to heaven on earth is Bhutan’. Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, is situated in the eastern edge of the Himalayas, it gives us a glimpse of monks, monasteries, Buddhism, yaks, arts, and much more. Though the country has become far more than what it was during the olden age, they have managed to maintain and preserve their culture and traditions in everything they could.

With urban life in place, the happy quotient of Bhutan is that the touch of modern life has not affected them or changed them and you can still feel the experiences of rural life. Bhutan is different in its own ways and is also uniquely charming. Upon landing into Bhutan, the chilly breezes, and a calm feeling inside you prevails welcoming you to the country. One would say it’s the trick of Buddha Dordenma, a mighty 54metres tall golden statue, located exactly at the Thimphu valley.

Sitting Buddha, Buddha Dordenma — Image credit: Pixabay

About Buddha Dordenma

The Shakyamuni Buddha is one of the largest sitting statues of Buddha in the world and the location is called the Buddha Point. The statue is entirely made out of bronze and is coated with gold colour. The face of Buddha emits serenity. The statue was built to celebrate the 60th anniversary of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck and also fulfilling two prophecies, one being that another ‘Buddha would arrive to restore peace’ and the second one being ‘to bestow blessings, peace, and happiness on the whole world’ was constructed by outsourcing it to the Chinese with a budget of $100Million. The giant golden statue can be seen anywhere from the city of Thimphu.

What to do there?

Relax your inner self, after all, you are in the land of Buddha
Try your hands in meditating. Meditation can be done by anyone to attain peace and calmness. What better place than the meditation hall right below the statue
Take a look at the different forms of Buddha statues and his manifestations in paintings at the meditation hall
Take a stroll at the coronation park next door which has a good picnic spot surrounded by lush green bushes and vines and a 45feet tall Buddha

How to get there?

The Buddha point is roughly 7kms away from the town of Thimphu. You can either take a cab or hire a bicycle and cycle your way to the point whilst enjoying the view and the climate.

Entry Fee

Following the practices of Buddhism, the place does not charge you for anything. You can visit the Buddha point, the meditation hall, and the coronation park for free of charge between 9 AM – 5 PM every day except on Mondays and National holidays.

General Information

The Buddha point gives you one of the best views to click pictures while nature is being in its purest form
Photography is strictly prohibited inside the meditation hall
The best time to visit the Buddha point would be in the mornings and evenings

Struggling too much to meet the demands of others or constantly in a battle with yourself, head to Buddha Dordenma with Pickyourtrail and get lots of good luck and inner peace and surround yourself with happiness at this beautiful destination.