As noted scholar Francoise Pommaret writes "the festivals offer Bhutanese an opportunity to become immersed in the meaning of their religion but they are also occasions for seeing people and being seen. People bring their finest clothes, their most beautiful jewels; they take out picnics rich with meat and alcohol. Men and women joke and flirt. An atmospheree of convivial, slightly ribald good humor prevails."

Some trips focus on a particular festival while others incorporate a festival into a longer itinerary. Attending a festival can be an interesting way to observe Bhutanese culture as they are joyous and very colorful occasions. The larger festivals in Paro, Thimphu and Wangdiphodrang are now attracting larger numbers of foreign and local visitors than in the past. If you visit Bhutan when these festivals are taking place, you should expect to see many other travelers. If you visit a smaller village festival or travel to Bhutan when a festival is not taking place, the atmosphere tends to be more relaxed and the tourism infrastructure is not operating at it's maximum capacity.

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