Samtse occupies the south-western corner of Bhutan, a warm, subtropical district of gentle plains, farmland and forested foothills along the Indian border. One of the least-visited parts of the country, it offers a very different face of Bhutan from the temperate central valleys most travellers know.
The district is largely agricultural, with a diverse population and a patchwork landscape of paddy fields, orchards and cardamom plantations. Connected to the rest of the country by highway only in recent years, Samtse remains firmly off the usual tourist trail and retains a quiet, unhurried character.
For travellers curious about southern Bhutan's Lhotshampa culture, subtropical nature and everyday rural life, Samtse is an emerging, authentic destination well away from the crowds.