One of the three entry points to Bhutan, Samdrup Jongkhar steals the show for being the oldest town in the Land of Thunder Dragons. Sharing border with the Indian state of Assam, this bustling town is a melting pot of ancient cultures and modern mindsets. Also, as the town connects Eastern Bhutan with Western Bhutan, and is located within a proximity to India, it showcases a mix of cultures and thinking among the youths.
Seated at an altitude of 200-3,500m, Samdrup Jongkhar is quite a bustling town overwhelmed with countryside shops, tiny and narrow lanes, hawkers from the Indian side invading the marketplaces, and local shoppers. The town’s pleasant ambience and resemblance to the Phuentsholing town has gained it the nickname ‘Littler Sister of Phuentsholing’.
Owing to the town’s geographic location, it also serves as a major trade route for the entire country; the locals here even trade with India. A part of the Indian citizens residing in Assam also frequents to Samdrup Jongkhar to enjoy Hindi movies that are being screened in the oldest theatre in Bhutan, which is located right in the heart of Samdrup Jongkhar.
