Wangdue Phodrang is the last western town on the central highway to the far east. The town is no more than an enlarged village with a few well-provided shops. Located south of Punakha, the higher reaches of the Wangdue Phodrang valley provide rich pastureland for cattle. This district is also famous for its fine bamboo products, slate and stone carvings.
Sitting on top of the hill at the confluence of Puna Chhu and
Tang Chhu rivers, 
Wangdue
Phodrang Dzong is the town's most visible feature. The Dzong is open for visitors
during the annual festival celebrated in autumn. When Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal
was scouting for a place to build a dzong at this strategic place, he came across
a boy building sand castles by the river. On enquiring his name the boy replied,
Wangdue. Shabdrung took this as a good omen and built the dzong naming it Wangdue
Phodrang Dzong.
Approaching Wangdue across the Puna Chhu, it once had an impressive cantilever cum drawbridge, which was washed away in flood a few decades ago. You can still see the main support tower of the old bridge in the middle of the river.
East of Wangdue Phodrang, the great monastery of Gangtey dates
back to the 
17th
century. Since the western part of country is predominantly Kagyu School of
Buddhism this monastery holds the unique position of being the only Ngyingma
monastery in the west. The present lama, Gangtey Trulku is an incarnate of the
famous Terton Pema Lingpa of Bumthang. A few kilometers past the monastery,
on the valley floor is the village of Phobjikha. This place is the winter home
of black-necked cranes that migrate from the arid plains of the north to escape
the harsh winters.