The distinction of being the oldest town in Bhutan belongs to Samdrup Jongkhar. This border town is a humming small community crammed to the gills with merchants and hawkers from the other side.

Samdrup Jongkhar, the entryway to eastern Bhutan, is found in the country’s southeast and shares borders with the Indian state of Assam. In all of eastern Bhutan, it is by far the biggest urban area. It is located between 200 and 3,500 meters above sea level. Previously, British Political Officers stationed in Sikkim entered Bhutan via Samdrup Jongkhar. Historically, the Gyadrung stationed at Dewangiri was in charge of overseeing the area. The 1960s-completed route from Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkhar now links the country’s eastern and southern areas.

This makes it possible for them to profit from commerce, particularly trading over the Indian border. Samdrup Jongkhar, which is currently a handy departure point for visitors planning to travel to the nearby Indian state of Assam, was formerly the primary commerce hub for the Bhutanese.

There are several tourist attractions, including Samdrup Jongkhar Dzong and the Mithun Breeding Farm. This farm provides farmers in the six eastern districts of Bhutan with mithun cattle, which are largely regarded as the greatest breed of cattle in the country.

One of the most recent Dzongs to be constructed in the nation is the Samdrup Jongkhar Dzong. The Samdrup Jongkhar Dzong is erected on a level, comparatively open terrain, in contrast to other Dzongs that are situated in advantageous sites atop mountains or between rivers.

Other notable locations that travelers may visit are the Samdrup Jongkhar Dratshang, the Zangdo Pelri, the nearby town, and Dewathang. One of the oldest towns in Eastern Bhutan, Samdrup Jongkhar has seen progressive growth through time. It is a busy tiny town where vendors and store owners travel from Assam’s border to market their items. Additionally, it has the nation’s oldest movie theater, which is well-known among Assamese who cross the border for the Bollywood movies it shows.