The Gelephu Tshachu are hot springs located a short drive north of town, in a forested valley where the Himalayan foothills begin to rise. Hot springs (tshachu) have deep cultural significance in Bhutan — they are believed to have curative properties and are associated with the activities of Guru Rinpoche, who is said to have blessed the waters in the eighth century. The springs at Gelephu are popular with locals who come to bathe and relax.
The setting is pleasant — there are covered bathing pools fed by mineral-rich thermal water, surrounded by forest and the sounds of the hills above the flat border plains. The water temperature varies by pool. It is a good place to spend an afternoon if you are waiting for a permit or transit connection, and gives a sense of the lowland Bhutan that most visitors never experience.