Pemako Punakha: A hidden paradise

Witness the alchemy of Bhutanese culture and architecture

05 Jul 2024

“Close your eyes and make your wish. When you plant a prayer flag, it grants you whatever you wish for,” said lama-ji at Pemako Punakha in Bhutan. I thought hard. A flurry of ideas fleeted my mind. I remained indecisive with a million prospects.

The lama-ji smiled at me, as though reading my mind, “Do you realise the privilege and power that you have right now? Think of all those who are in need but may not have the means. Those who are not as blessed, those who need a miracle.” I watched the Mo Chhu River run its gentle course, a gentle breeze blew in my face as I planted the prayer flag. I won’t disclose my wish, but it was definitely a moment of clarity. I’m at Pemako Punakha, a 60-acre luxury experience tucked away in the Bhutanese Himalayas.

Bhutan has always fuelled a curiosity amidst those who know the land. So, to spend four days in its ethereal company at Pemako Punakha was nothing short of spectacular. Conceptualised by Bill Bensley in accordance with Buddhist theology, the concept of Pemako is a hidden paradise on earth waiting to be discovered. Although it is positioned (and rightfully so) to offer the pinnacle of luxury and hospitality, to bracket or limit the intent and experience would be an injustice.

Staying true to one’s roots and embodying the essence of a nation’s values is a remarkable achievement. At this point, I am aware that I sound like a hopeless romantic, but so be it. It’s a scenic three hour drive with a short lunch break at Pemako Thimphu to reach Punakha. We abandoned our cars to cross a wooden bridge over the Mo Chhu River.

bhutan pemako punakha — The Five Nectars Bar offers unparalleled views with handcrafted cocktails; Photographs courtesy Pemako

We entered a wooden structure crafted like the Bhutanese homes and dzongs. And we don’t spot a single room or telltales of a resort. Only mountains meet my eye till I am led to my tented villa upon a winding road. On this expansive hillside, hidden away from plain slight are 21 luxury tented villas. The design borrows cues from traditional Bhutanese architecture and symbols.

There are hidden metaphors and symbols across the property, some indiscernible, some obvious. For example, most stairways are oriented around a stupa-like structure in their atrium so as for the user to circumambulate around it. Most trees were retained on site, and the parcels of ploughed land navigate themselves around these trees to locate themselves.

A couple of pockets by the river, some on hilltops are converted into picnic areas or a date spot, however you’d want to spend the day. Or simply stay put in the room with private heated infinity pools overlooking the river and hills. Some structures like Alchemy House, the Bhutanese restaurant are finished in black since traditional homes were black owing to smoke emanating from firewood. The tented accommodation camouflages with the forests but the interiors are mostly black.

Food options were unlimited, but I chose to eat the same meal everyday much to the dismay of our hosts who tried to egg us to sample other offerings. But the ema datshi, fiddlehead fern, aubergine stir-fry, pork with radish and mustard greens had my heart. A meal I ate on repeat even on our pit-stop back at Pemako Thimphu. Even with these seemingly unlimited avenues of luxury, food, space and nature, there’s something so grounding about Pemako. I still cannot put my finger on it. I have always been in awe of Bhutan, the country that measures success through happiness. A terrain that has never been invaded or colonised. A small parcel of land that is the world’s first carbon negative country nestled between two world powers.

Whatever be your point of reference to Bhutan, Pemako will leave you happy, humble and grateful all unequivocally.

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