Why everyone loves Bhutan

Bhutan has been having a moment in recent years. One of the core things surprising and fascinating all of us around the world is the country's philosophy and national policy of Gross National Happiness. Linked to this policy is a preoccupation with protecting the nation's natural resources and conserving Bhutanese culture and traditions. This focus on gross national happiness is one of the key reasons why everyone loves Bhutan.

One of the dozen offering goddesses surrounding the Buddha Dordenma statue in Thimphu

It's unsurprising, given Bhutan's unique trajectory, that seemingly everyone wants to visit this small mountain kingdom! We can all certainly learn something from the Bhutanese and how they choose to navigate the twenty-first century.

A traditional homestead in the district of Punakha

So let's talk Bhutan ...

Bhutan is a landlocked country in Asia, and it is the smallest state located entirely within the Himalaya mountain range. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it is bordered by China (in the north) and India (in the south). Bhutan is geopolitically in South Asia and is the region's second least populous nation after the Maldives. Thimphu is its capital and largest city, while Phuntsholing is its financial centre.

The map below should help you to understand the geography of Bhutan.

Map of Bhutan showing some of its most popular attractions

Bhutan is traditionally known as Druk Yul, a name that translates as 'Land of the Thunder Dragon'. The nation's flag (adopted in 1969) depicts a druk (dragon) against a yellow and orange-red background. The dragon holds a jewel in each of its claws – these symbolise the wealth and security of the nation.

The Bhutanese flag shows the legendary dragon

The three cities and towns in Bhutan that we encourage every traveller to visit are all in the west, the most easily accessible half of the country. We suggest visiting:

Thimphu sits tucked in a valley

There are of course many other wonderful towns and villages to visit, including some that are very remote. There's the valley farming village of Ha in the west that trades with China, and the historically notable towns of Trongsa and and Jakar in central Bhutan, both of which have large dzongs to visit.

If you head to the east or south of the country, you're treated to a different side of Bhutanese culture. Lhuentse in northeastern Bhutan, for instance, is one of the most ancient, remote and untouched parts of Bhutan, and home to many sacred pilgrimage sites. 

A street scene in Ha, a village in western Bhutan

Bhutan has so many well-preserved historic sites, that it would be impossible to discuss them al here. Instead, we'll settle for highlighting three of our favourites, which are within easy access to the visitor:

Monks walk across Punakha Bridge, which is festooned with countless prayer flags

But perhaps the most famous landmark in all of Bhutan is:

Tiger's Nest is the country's most iconic landmark

The Bhutanese are a spiritual people who care deeply about the land and nature. Tradition and religion inform much of their daily lives, especially those dwelling in rural areas.

In our Discover Bhutan itinerary we also include a lunch at a rural homestead so you can encounter a traditional way of life.

The independence of Bhutan has endured for centuries, and the territory was never colonised in its history.

Situated on the ancient Silk Road between Tibet, the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia, the Bhutanese state developed a distinct national identity based on Buddhism. Headed by a spiritual leader known as the Zhabdrung Rinpoche, the territory was composed of many fiefdoms and governed as a Buddhist theocracy.

In 2008, Bhutan transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, and held its first election to the National Assembly of Bhutan, which has a two-party system. The King of Bhutan is known as the Dragon King, and is much beloved and respected, both at home and abroad.

Buddhism has heavily influenced the development of Bhutanese culture

Buddhism is by far the most dominant religion in Bhutan. Roughly 75% of the population are Buddhists. The remaining 25% – largely southerners – are mostly Hindus.

Buddhist monks are easily identifiable by the long, red robes

The country's landscape ranges from lush subtropical plains in the south to valley farmlands to the snow-capped mountains that stretch across the north. These mountains are part of the Himalayas and are a harsh, beautiful and adventurous environment.

The highest mountain in Bhutan is the Gangkhar Puensum (7,570 m) on the Tibetan borer. It's a strong candidate for the highest unclimbed mountain in the world!

Trekkers in the district of Paro

Bhutan has many large national parks preserving its natural heritage. Three of the best parks, which are all very different from one another, are:

The magnificent Mt Jichu Drake as seen from Tshophu Lake on the Jomolhari trekking route inside Jigme Dorji National Park

Bhutan has a fantastic array of animals, and the country works hard to protect them through a series of parks and reserves. Some of the rarest and most notable carnivals in Bhutan are:

Red pandas are one of the treasures of Bhutan

Some of the most intriguing and special of the country's herbivores are animals that any of us would never have seen or heard of before are, like:

Golden langurs are endangered Old World monkeys

Given its mountainous terrain and many untouched and well-preserved parks and wildernesses, Bhutan is an adventure-lover's mecca! The most popular activities are:

We're happy to organise any and all such activities for you!

The scenery along Taktsang Trail is beautiful and rewarding

The Mo Chhu (River) is a wide river with a 10 km stretch that you can raft. You'll get to navigate more than 10 rapids that are class 2 and above. As seen in the picture below, you paddle past Punakha Dzong, giving you another great viewpoint of this magnificent structure!

Rafting past Punakha Dzong

To reach Tiger's Nest you must tackle a nearly 9 km roundtrip hike off the Taktsang Trail. The ascent usually takes three or four hours. And the hike is certainly part of the adventure, offering wonderful views over Paro and the countryside. Once you reach Tiger's Nest, you can explore this Buddhist complex, which is a working monastery.

The hike up to Tiger's Nest is very beautiful and rewarding

Archery is the national sport in Bhutan. It's almost what you'd expect from a land so happily different to the rest of the world! You can have a go at it yourself in both Paro and Thimphu. Visitors are also welcomed to watch archery tournaments if one is going on.

Scene at an archery tournament in Lhuentse

This six-day, strenuous trek in northwestern Bhutan takes you into deep wilderness where you see beautiful lakes as well as many magnificent peaks of the Himalayas, including Everest, Jomolhari, Masang Gang. During your trip you pass through remote Bhutanese villages, and get to see many wild animals and beautiful birds. The best time to tackle the Dagala Thousand Lakes trek is between April and June, or during September or October.

Bhutan has many wonderful markets and shops selling local produce and handmade goods.

We recommend wandering around a Bhutanese market or two to sample local foods, chat to the stall owners, pocket a few yummy souvenirs, maybe purchase some handwoven fabric ... well, you know how markets work!

The two markets we most recommend visiting (and which are very different from one another) are:

Colourful local fabrics being sold at market

While in Thimphu, we can also recommend popping into a couple of shops like:

A student at work at Choki Traditional Art School in Thimphu

The most well-known type of Bhutanese festival is probably the tshechu, an annual springtime festival. Each of Bhutan's 20 districts holds its own tshechu, with the dates decided by the lunar calendar.

The snow lion is one of four venerated animals in Bhutanese mysticism believed to help bring you happiness

Some of the best festivals in Bhutan are:

A masked dance held at Dochula, which overlooks Thimphu

Our past Bhutan trips have been wonderful experiences, with everyone gushing about their time spent there. Would you perhaps like to be the next to head on over? Please drop us a line and we'll get back to you soon!

Discover Bhutan with Follow Alice