Phodong is a small village north of Gangtok along the North Sikkim Highway. It’s an important landmark for Buddhists, especially of the Kagyu sect. Phodong almost falls midway between Gangtok and Mangan and hence it is a convenient stop for visitors for light refreshment.
One of the six premier monasteries of Sikkim, Phodong monastery is situated 38 kilometres from Gangtok. This monastery belongs to the Karma Kagyu sect and was built by Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal in 1740. This monastery is well known for its annual Kagyed Dance, a harvest thanksgiving festival held at the onset of winter - sometime between November and January. Near to this monastery is the Tumlong Palace Ruins which was the third capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Sikkim. The capital was shifted from Rabdenste to Tumlong in the beginning of the nineteenth century, where it remained for almost ninety years.