Gasa Hot Springs (Tshachu)

Bhutan

Families arrive with rice, bedding and a week to spare, then settle into stone pools beside a glacial river and simply stay.

Description

Gasa Tshachu sits at roughly 2,100 metres on the bank of the Mo Chhu, below the ridge that carries Gasa Dzong. Mineral water rises warm into a set of walled bathhouses and open pools of differing temperatures, and Bhutanese have come here for centuries believing it eases arthritis, rheumatism and stomach complaints. What makes it worth the difficult journey is the culture around the water rather than the water itself — pilgrims from across the country camped for days, conversation drifting between pools, steam lifting off the surface while the river runs cold and loud a few metres away. Of all the hot springs in Bhutan, this is the one people actually travel for.

Best time to visit

Late autumn to early spring, when the cold air makes the pools most welcome and the road from Punakha is passable; avoid the monsoon months entirely.

Traveller tip

Soak the way locals do — short sessions of fifteen to twenty minutes, repeated across a couple of days, rather than one long one. Bathe in modest clothing rather than swimwear, and don't use soap or shampoo in the pools; the water is treated as sacred. Facilities are basic, so bring your own towels, slippers and drinking water, and plan an overnight stay at Gasa rather than trying to fit the Gasa hot springs Bhutan visit into a day trip from Punakha.

For permits, route access and the Sustainable Development Fee, check the official Bhutan tourism portal: bhutan.travel

Best combined with Gasa Dzong and a night in the valley — BreakBag Holidays can build the springs into customised Bhutan tour packages as a northern extension from Punakha.

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