The Popular Dunmang Natural Hot Spring and Bird Watching

Dunmang Tshachu – Many many years ago around this part of the world two huge mega pieces of the Earth’s crust called the tectonic plates collided against each other giving birth to the towering Himalayas. This powerful force resulted in forming a network of natural hot springs in the Himalayas and Bhutan located in the eastern part of the interior Himalayas has numerous such hot springs all over the country.  The Gasa, Chubu and Koma (Tshachu) hot springs in Punakha, Dunmang Tshachu in Zhemgang, Dhur Tshachu in Bumthang, Tatopani in Gelephu, Khempa Jong Nye in Lhuentse are among the more popular ones in Bhutan.

While Bhutan is known by many names, the most relevant is “The Land of Medicinal Herbs’ as coined by the Tibetan traditional doctors as there are numerous medicinal plants and herbs grown and many not identified yet. The herbal plants/soil and the mineral rocks combine to give the hot-springs a powerful natural healing of various medicinal values which is considered to cure many diseases and ailments. Back in the old days when there were no hospitals or modern doctors and very few traditional doctors, the Bhutanese people heavily relied on the hot springs and traditional hot stone baths as an alternative curative therapy. 

The Dunmang Tshachu/Hot springs is very popular for numerous healing and curative benefits such as migranes, gastritis, piles, body aches, joint aches and healing fractured/dislocated joints. There are 4 outdoors ponds with water temperatures ranging from 10 degrees to 53 degrees and blends in perfectly with the forest and the Mangde Chhu / river flowing alongside. 

For all guests’ accommodation there is a 2-storied guesthouse and a VIP room with proper washrooms andtoilets pumped with the hot spring water. People from all walks of life including few tourists come to this hot spring for therapy, relaxation and adventure. It is a one and half hour walk down from the Zhemgang – Panbang Highway at the Gomphu zero point. Since the Dunmang hot spring is located inside the Royal Manas National Park, on the way to and from the Hot Spring you can spot many different birds including the endangered Great Hornbill and various wild animals.

You can therefore combine this adventure with bird watching and wild life viewing along the path to and from the hot spring early in the morning or by evening.