Haa Valley

Haa Valley in western Bhutan is a quiet, uneventful town. The Indian Army has a large base there to check intrusion by the Chinese military. It is said that the Indian Army used to call the valley High Altitude Area, hence Haa Valley. But this story could be heresy because Haa Valley existed long before the army set up shop there.

The main market wears a deserted look most of the time. A couple of shops selling Chinese blankets and sandals are all that tourists would find. A parking lot that can easily accommodate some hundred cars would be occupied by only a handful.

Part-III of a four-part series on Bhutan. Links to Part-I, Part-II and Part-IV.