The name ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’ sums up the magic and mystery of Bhutan; its remote mountain location ensuring it remains an untouched Himalayan Shangri-La.
"Unique is too small a word for a country known as the ‘last Shangri-La’: this is a country that measures prosperity by Gross National Happiness rather than Gross National Product "
There are places where you really can get away from it all. There are those where you feel you’ve gone back a few decades. And then there’s the Kingdom of Bhutan. No ordinary place, this devoutly-Buddhist, tiny, remote Himalayan Kingdom has remained largely unaffected by outside influences, and intends to stay that way. Although economically important, tourist numbers are strictly controlled and monitored to maintain the country’s culture, traditions and environment. And Bhutan straddles the ancient and modern perfectly.
It’s the ancient you’ve come to see, though: the centuries-old monasteries, temples, and fortresses or ‘dzongs’ clinging to mountainsides in Bumthang; the traditional arts and colourful religious festivals.