Ruled by the royal family of Sikkim all the way till 1975 when the President of India finally ended the monarchy, Sikkim was added to the republic of India on May 16 as its 22nd state. Sikkim is surrounded by West Bengal to its south, Nepal to the north, and Bhutan and Tibet to the east and west respectively. Sikkim is also home to the world’s third-highest peak, the Khanchendzonga, along with a variety of food, differences in climate, and a lot of exciting things to do, Sikkim also offers cultural diversity. The Buddhist monasteries of Sikkim take you through a spiritual experience like none other. From the prayer bells to hundreds of monks chanting in synchrony, Sikkim is home to 75 monasteries. While a lot of them date all the way back to the 18th century, these six monasteries are certainly worth a visit.

1. Lachung Monastery

The Lachung Monastery in north Sikkim is the last monastery on the highway that leads to the Indo-Chinese border. It was established in 1880 and is famous for customary dance performances hosted at the monastery each year. Lachung stands for Small Mountain and the monastery is located near the LachunRiver, a tributary of the Teesta.