Palpung Sherab Ling Monastery is the seat in exile of the Tai Situpa, and the grandest structure in the Bir area by a wide margin. The sprawling complex hides in rolling pine forest along the lane between Bir and Baijnath — you round a bend and suddenly a colourful gateway and rows of prayer flags appear from the trees. The main assembly hall is vast and ornate, housing a magnificent golden Maitreya statue that rises through two storeys, surrounded by detailed thangka paintings and rows of butter lamps.
A smaller Tara shrine on the upper floor is quieter and easier to absorb than the main hall. Behind the monastery a line of white stupas marches along the road toward Baijnath, making for an excellent walking route. The monks are generally welcoming to respectful visitors, and the monastery offers meditation courses and Buddhist philosophy teaching for longer-term visitors. The walk from the Tibetan Colony in Bir takes about ninety minutes; taxis run the same route in fifteen.