Paro Tshechu

When: March - April; dates move each year and are set by the Bhutanese lunar calendar.

Where: in the valley town of Paro, Bhutan, centered around the dzong and main square.

Cost: free to attend the performances, but foreign visitors must travel on a prearranged licensed tour with the standard Bhutan entry/visitor arrangements.

Don’t miss: the pre-dawn unveiling of the giant thongdrel and the colourful masked cham dances performed by monks.

Paro, Bhutan’s tshechu is a district religious festival held to honor Guru Rinpoche and to transmit blessings to the community; tshechus are rooted in Himalayan Vajrayana Buddhist practice and local monastery calendars. Paro Tshechu has long been the most prominent spring festival in the valley and draws both residents and organised visitors.

The festival takes place in and around the dzong and adjacent assembly grounds, with a mix of formal monastery rites and open-air performances. Expect tightly choreographed masked dances (cham), processions, devotional music and the dramatic, ceremonial unfurling of the huge thongdrel banner on a hillside or building above the gathering - a moment many locals treat as a major blessing for the year.

Paro, Bhutan stages the tshechu in March - April; because dates follow the Bhutanese lunar calendar they change each year and are published in advance by district authorities. The event generally runs several days: afternoons are given to cham dances and theatrical sequences, and the festival culminates in an early-morning thongdrel unveiling on the final day, followed by prayers and blessings.

The nearest international gateway is Paro International Airport in Paro - Bhutan’s only international airport - with a short drive into town to the dzong and festival grounds. Flights and hotels fill quickly for the tshechu; arrive at least a day early to allow for weather delays and arrange travel and visa approvals through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator well before you travel.

• In Paro, Bhutan expect high elevation (around 2,200 m): allow a day to acclimatise and avoid strenuous activity on arrival.

• Dress modestly and in layers; mornings and evenings in March are cold while daytime sun is strong - bring sunscreen, a hat and warm outer layers.

• Respect religious rules: remove shoes when required, do not touch monks or ritual objects, and follow local guidance on photography (some rites and the thongdrel may be off-limits to cameras).

• Arrive early for the best viewing spots for cham dances and the thongdrel; crowds are dense and movement can be slow.

• Book flights, accommodation and your licensed tour operator months in advance and keep travel plans flexible - Paro flights are weather-dependent.

• Carry some local cash (Ngultrum or Indian rupees) for small purchases and donations, as not all stalls accept cards.