Punakha River Lodge

Set in rice terraces on the bank of the mother river, a short walk from the suspension bridge, the lodge is a scatter of canvas and timber suites with the sound of water beneath every bed. Punakha Dzong is a ten-minute drive downstream.

Days are warm here even in winter. There is a pool among the paddies, a riverside deck for supper, and a bath house where the hot stones are heated on a fire of pine. The kitchen is proud of its Bhutanese menu and happy to make it mild.

The lodge anchors the central stretch of the lodge circuit and our wellness retreat, with yoga on the deck at dawn.