Western Bhutan

• — now called Mebisa
• — the small administrative headquarters of Chukha district

• - a valley famous for black necked cranes.

The predominant ethnic group in Western Bhutan are Ngalops, who are generally followers of the Kagyu tradition of Buddhism and tend to be taller than people in other parts of the country. Another characteristic of Western Bhutan is that the cities and towns are built besides rivers in wide valleys.

Dzonghka is the predominant language of the area, though English is common in Thimphu and Phuentsholing.

• Gantey Monastery in Phobjikha - an important monastery in the Nyingma sect of Buddhism and the main seat of the Pema Lingpa tradition.
• Paro Taktshang Monastery (Tiger's Nest) in Paro - one of the most important Buddhist sites in the country, and Guru Rinpoche visited here on his second visit to Bhutan. The temple is built on a 1,200 meter cliff in the Paro valley and is Bhutan's most well known sacred site.