Monggar

Monggar lies in eastern Bhutan, a district of steep forested ridges and deep valleys on the lateral highway that crosses the country. It is a place most travellers pass through on the long journey across eastern Bhutan rather than a headline destination in itself — but it has its own quiet appeal and a notably modern dzong with an interesting story.

Monggar Dzong is unusual among Bhutan's fortresses: built in the 20th century, it nonetheless follows entirely traditional methods and design, and offers a chance to see how these great structures are made. The district town is a useful staging point in the east, set among hills famous for lemongrass, which grows wild across the slopes and is distilled into oil — a characteristic scent of the region.

Monggar suits travellers crossing eastern Bhutan: a comfortable stop on the eastern circuit, with a traditional dzong and the green, lightly visited landscapes of the east.

Eastern Bhutan's valleys are warmer than the west, and the best seasons in Monggar are spring (March–April) and autumn (October–November), with mild, settled weather and clear skies — autumn especially for the clarity of the air after the rains.

The lower valleys grow hot in late spring and summer. The monsoon (June–September) brings heavy rain to the east, with the risk of landslides on the long mountain roads — the season to avoid for travel through the region. Winter is cool but generally accessible at the district's main elevations. Monggar's observances follow the local Buddhist calendar, with tsechu masked-dance festivals at the dzong on the regional schedule.

Monggar sits on the lateral highway, the main east–west road of Bhutan, and is a key junction in the east — roads run west toward central Bhutan and Bumthang, east toward Trashigang, and north toward Lhuentse. It is therefore a natural stop on any eastern itinerary.

Travel within the district is by vehicle on steep, winding mountain roads, with most visitors moving by their tour operator's driver and guide; journeys across the east are long and measured in hours of switchbacks. The small Yongphulla airport, in neighbouring Trashigang district, provides air access to the east from Paro, shortening the long overland journey. The district town is compact, and Monggar Dzong, set above it, is easily visited.

• Monggar Dzong — a 20th-century fortress built entirely in the traditional manner, on a forested hilltop.
• Monggar town — a hillside town and a useful staging point on the eastern circuit.
• The lemongrass hills — slopes across the district where wild lemongrass is harvested and distilled.
• Drametse — site of an important monastery, home of a renowned masked dance, in the wider district area.

Monggar shares the national cuisine of Bhutan with the character of the eastern valleys. The national dishes are the foundation — ema datshi (chillies cooked with cheese), red rice, and potato and mushroom datshi — and as throughout the east, maize is a particularly important grain, eaten as kharang (cracked maize) much as rice is elsewhere.

Buckwheat, millet and foraged forest foods — ferns, mushrooms, wild vegetables — feature in local cooking. The district's hills are famously a source of lemongrass, distilled for its aromatic oil rather than eaten, but a signature of the region's identity. Visitor dining is in the town's hotels and lodges, where Bhutanese set meals are served; the chilli-heavy local food can be ordered milder, and suja (butter tea) and ara are the traditional drinks.

Monggar's culture is that of eastern Bhutan, where Tshangla (Sharchopkha) is the main language and the eastern districts share a distinct regional identity. Weaving is important here as across the east, with the district's looms producing handwoven textiles for both use and trade.

The Buddhist festival calendar is observed at Monggar Dzong and the district's lhakhangs, with tsechu masked-dance festivals held according to the local schedule. The wider eastern region is associated with the famous Drametse Ngacham, the drum dance of Drametse — a masked dance recognised internationally as a masterpiece of intangible cultural heritage, originating from the monastery of Drametse in the district area. The national dress, the gho and kira, and the national festivals are part of civic life.

• Visit Monggar Dzong — a fortress built in the 20th century yet entirely traditional in method and design.
• Travel the eastern highway — the long, scenic mountain road through the heart of eastern Bhutan.
• Discover the lemongrass hills — the aromatic slopes that scent the district.
• Learn of the Drametse drum dance — the eastern masked dance recognised as a cultural masterpiece.