Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon

I have been home from Bhutan for almost a month and Bhutan has stayed with me more than most other destinations.  The entire country has a population of less than 800,000 people and about 75% of the population practices Buddhism.   Bhutan is the only carbon negative country in the world, largely because it is mandated that a minimum of 60% of the land is covered in forest in perpetuity (they currently have about 70%).  Instead of measuring gross domestic product, they measure gross national happiness.  That doesn’t mean the Bhutanese have no problems or concerns to worry about, but the government factors in the citizen’s happiness when making decisions.  Bhutan has been known as a leader in sustainable tourism sector almost since they started welcoming tourists back in 1974.   Yes, you read that correctly…tourism has only been possible for 51 years.  From the start, Bhutan focused on a high value, low volume strategy----essentially meaning their structure discourages budget travelers.  Travelers that spend more money tend to leave a smaller footprint in the country.  Agree or disagree, that is Bhutan’s philosophy.   To enter the country, most people need a visa and to pay a daily sustainable development fee (SDF) of $100 per adult (children are free or a reduced price depending on their age).  The SDF doesn’t include any services---this fee is simply to enter and remain in the country.  The SDF goes back into the community to help mitigate the impact of tourism and to help the Bhutanese with daily needs (education, health care, etc.).  

I just gave you some facts about Bhutan, but what made the trip memorable weren’t these details, it is how Bhutan makes you feel.  Being a small country, much of the country has a small town feel---I can’t tell you how many times our guide ran into people he knew.  Not just in the tourist sector, but also random farmers or people in markets. People were very welcoming and said hello, even though we were strangers.  The country follows many of the principles of Buddhism so there is a sense of community and taking care of one another.   There is also time for prayer, reflection or meditation---not prescribed, simply taking time to be spiritual.    
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We traveled at the end of August, which is the end of the rainy season and before most of the famous festivals begin.  Festival season equals high season in Bhutan.  We had gorgeous weather and only a couple of evening showers in our 10 days.  We also had the country to ourselves.  That isn’t an exaggeration.  We were the only guests at one of our hotels, on our flight from Paro to Bumthang there was 1 other person on the plane (I can almost say I took a private plane!) and there were several occasions at Dzongs (roughly translated as fortress) and temples where we were completely alone (or with only the head monk).  It was surreal.  This is to say that Bhutan has plenty to offer even outside of peak season---I loved my visit even without seeing a festival and I loved feeling like I had the country to myself (which may not always be the case, but it almost certainly won’t be as crowded as peak season).

 I could go on, but I will move on the specifics of where we visited.  We were in Bhutan for 10 days, but the flight out was early on day 10, so it was more like a 9 day itinerary.   I felt like we needed every day and I could have added on a few additional days with plenty more still to see.

The international airport is in Paro. This airport is here and not in the capital of Thimphu because of geography----there is a flat area to land in Paro where Thimphu is more mountainous.   The drive to Thimphu takes around an hour.  The roads were very good in Bhutan and in keeping with the Buddhist way of life, there were many road signs reminding people to be kind to others on the road and to drive safely. Thimphu is one of the smallest capital cities in the world and doesn’t even have a traffic light (there aren’t any traffic lights in Bhutan). The officer shown in the gallery below manages traffic at the busiest intersection. The main governmental offices are here, along with the stock market. There is also the Buddha Dordenma---a recent addition on a hillside outside of the city (it was completed in 2015). This Buddha is 52 meters tall and lit up at night so you can see it from most places in Thimphu.  
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We saw the local farmers market, the national textile museum and the traditional school for arts and crafts which aims to keep artistic traditions alive.

Our next stop was Bumthang which can be reached by road or plane.  We headed back to Paro and took a flight (the almost private one!) and then slowly drove our way back to Paro during the rest of the itinerary.   Bumthang is part of the sacred valley of Bhutan.  We visited several temples and become proficient in the protocol of prostrations…. a physical practice of bowing to the ground that symbolize deep respect for the Buddha and are performed to express gratitude, repent wrongdoings, purify negative karma, and cultivate humility. 
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A highlight here was visiting Pema Choling Nunnery for a private ceremony.  There were about 200 nuns in residence---ranging in age from small children of 6 or 7 up to elderly women.  We sat in silence as the nuns chanted and used drums as part of the ceremony.   Photography isn’t allowed in nunneries or monasteries, so you will have to use your imagination ☺  The ceremony lasted about 1.5 hours and although I didn’t understand the words, I felt moved. Before we left, I needed to use the restroom and one of the nuns showed me to the toilet and when I came out, I had a bit of a fan group of nuns asking my name and where I was from and how I enjoyed the ceremony.  The blonde hair will give me away every time ☺ I enjoyed chatting with the young nuns.

​We visited Wangduechhueling Palace which is set to open as a museum this December (we got a sneak peek).  This is the palace of the first king of Bhutan and does a good job of explaining the history of Bhutan.

We also had a traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath at the spa at Six Senses (where we were staying).  A special type of river rocks are heated for hours and then used to heat the water.  Local plants are also added to the water for therapeutic benefits.   My husband and I did a couples bath and while I initially thought I was entering a tub of boiling water, he didn't think it was that bad :)  You typically soak for 45 minutes to 1 hour and they can add in additional rocks to keep the water warm (we had them add in stones after about 30 minutes).   They also serve cooled drinks and granita (fruit flavored crushed ice) during the bath to keep you cool and hydrated. 

Our next stop was the Phobjika Valley which was about 4.5 hours away by car and at a higher elevation (over 10,000 feet).  Others had told me that this is the most beautiful part of Bhutan and I can’t disagree.  The scenery is stunning.  We hiked though the forest and through small farming communities.  My husband was raised on a farm and is always curious---our guide asked some of the potato farmers if my husband could come see how they were harvesting the potatoes which was a really impactful part of the trip for my husband.  The farmers were also excited to talk to a visitor.   I stayed on the other said of the barbed wire fence and a very friendly cow decided to keep me company.  They seem to know I am a vegetarian.   Cows do graze pretty freely in Bhutan like they do in other parts of Asia (especially India).  Cows are in the middle of the road and on walking trails, but in much smaller numbers.  The cows also are in better shape than most other countries.  Bhutan also has a law that no sentient being can be killed for food in Bhutan, so all of the meat and fish are imported (with few exceptions even catch and release fishing isn’t allowed).  Some Bhutanese are vegetarian but there is meat on every menu, so I would say most Bhutanese aren’t vegetarian. 
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One morning we sponsored breakfast at a local monastery and were welcomed inside for morning prayers.  On this particular morning there were also two funeral blessings so we learned a bit of how that works.  Most Bhutanese (nearly all) are cremated and monks bless the body at the monastery or at the cremation location. 

Moving on we headed down quite a bit in elevation to Punakha.  It was in the low 60s when we left Phobjika Valley and was around 90 when we arrived in Punakha….a big temperature swing in just a couple of hours.  En route we stopped at Chimi Lhakhang Temple, a temple devoted to fertility.    Pilgrims come here to be blessed with a baby or to bless a baby (or perform a naming ceremony).  There are quite a few phallic symbols all around the temple and rows of gift shops outside the entrance sell all sorts of phallus with various designs on them in all sorts of sizes (from tiny key chain ones to ones that must have been 3 feet tall!).  
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We saw the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan and visited the Punakha Dzong whose artwork has been compared to Michelangelo.  It is quite impressive.

Our last stop was back in Paro.   We hadn’t really spent any time here other than the airport.  We were here now to see Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in Bhutan and to hike up to the famous Tigers Nest.  The main temple at Tigers Nest (officially called Taktsang) was constructed in the 8th century.  I have no idea how---I can’t imagine bringing up all of those building materials day after day.  The temple is about 2000 feet up but the trail climbs and descends so that my husband’s watch said we had gained over 5000 feet in total across the nearly 10 miles we walked.  The trail isn’t technical---it is well maintained hiking path with steps along the way.  About halfway up there is a cafeteria where there is often a view of the temple (it was completely clouded in when we hiked up so we saw nothing at that point).  You can also have a donkey/mule/horse take you up to the halfway point, but I do not recommend that.  It can be unsafe and I believe cruel for the animal.   My biggest challenge of the hike was the change in elevation---the temple is over 10,000 feet so you are at a pretty high elevation (you start around 8,000 feet).  ​

Once you arrive at Tiger’s Nest, you must place your backpacks and phones (and hats) in a locker.  You can then visit several of the temples, including one of the original temples located in a cave.   We were the first visitors to enter the temple that day that had walked all the way up (one couple took a donkey to the halfway point and beat us by about 5 minutes).  We had most of the temples to ourselves as the other couple visited other temples.  How special and peaceful to be the only visitors for a short time.  By the time we were leaving, the line to enter Tiger’s Nest was probably 100 people deep.   Moral of this story is to get up early….even if it is cloudy and a little rainy.  The peacefulness is completely worth it.  We didn’t see anyone else on the trail up other than two workers headed to the cafeteria.  We saw more dogs than people ☺  In total, the hike up with a short tea break, time in the temples and the hike down (with a break to hang prayer flags) took us about 6.5 hours. 

After hiking, we went to a wonderful little restaurant in Paro and ate our body weight in Momo….and other wonderful Bhutanese dishes (there is more on Momo in my Nepal blog).  The photos below are of some of the wonderful dishes we ate in Bhutan....including the famous chile and cheese (very spicy!)....although the spinach with chile is what did me in :)  They had to bring me curd (yogurt) so my tongue wasn't on fire!

​Bhutan was the 95th country I’ve visited and it is one of my top 3 favorite places in the world.  Planning a trip to Bhutan requires expertise and is logistically more complicated than many destinations, but I am here to help you and I would love to plan your journey to see Bhutan for yourself.  For all trips to Bhutan planned in 2025 and 2026, mention promo code “dragon” for extra amenity included in your trip.