Punakha

Bumthang is the most recent of five lodges from Six Senses to open in Bhutan’s western and central valleys, forming a collection of properties called Six Senses Bhutan — the others are known as Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey and Paro — that enable visitors with the time and money to valley-hop through the kingdom.

After an outing to the town of Punakha, where the pair mingled with locals at an annual festival, Hewitt could barely walk from the car to a cafe for a cup of tea.

But I had come to Punakha not just for penis imagery, but also to visit what Phuntso and my other guide and driver, Kinga Tenzin, said was the best dzong, or fortress in all of Bhutan.

I told him about my day at the Punakha Dzong, and how I had looked around and hadn’t seen another Westerner in that sea of Buddhists.

Three — Thimphu, Paro and Punakha — will open in November while the other two — Bumthang and Gangtey — will open in March 2019.