Let’s play a game. What is the only country in the world without traffic lights, first allowed television in the 1990s, and prioritises gross domestic happiness over gross domestic product?
The answer is, of course, Bhutan, an isolated kingdom in the eastern Himalayas with a reputation for being a modern-day Shangri La. I learn all of this while skimming an in-flight magazine as we prepare to land in the last Buddhist state on Earth.
Landlocked between India and China, tiny Bhutan – with its cliff-hanging monasteries, verdant valleys and eastern mysticism – is a playground for eco-conscious travellers. The world’s first carbon-negative country, Bhutan’s constitution requires at least 60% of the country to be covered with forest; plastic has been banned since 1999.
On my trip in 2024, I discovered a place – and a people – grounded in contentment. Of the 10 places I visited last year, nowhere was more unique.
A holiday in Bhutan is notoriously expensive; there’s a daily tourist tax of $100 (£82) and that’s before you’ve paid for a guide, which is mandatory outside the capital, Thimphu, and the Paro Valley. Hotels are staggeringly priced, with five-star resorts in the capital charging £1,815 per night.
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But high costs keep tourist numbers low, helping to preserve the culture of the ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’ which only opened its borders to international visitors in the 1970s.
Landing at one of the world’s most dangerous airports
Embraced by the mighty Himalayas, Bhutan is about 97% mountains with snowcapped peaks that soar more than 23,000 feet.
Because of the challenging landing conditions at Paro International Airport, only a few dozen pilots are authorised to navigate the narrow 2,265-metre runway.
As the wheels touch down, I scurry out to inhale clean Himalayan air. There is no time to hang around; I have an astrology reading with a Buddhist monk in the capital, Thimphu, and I can’t be late.
How to get to Bhutan
There are no direct flights to Bhutan from the UK or Europe. Most flights have a stopover in neighbouring India. Bhutan is served by two national airlines: Drukair, which has plenty of connections from Kolkata and New Delhi, and Bhutan Air, which flies into Paro.
The most straightforward route from the UK is with EVA Air, followed by a connection with Bhutan Air. Return fares from London Heathrow to Bangkok start at £715.59 in Economy Class, and £3104.59 in Royal Laurel (Business) Class, including all taxes and charges.
EVA Air flies from London Heathrow to Bangkok year-round, with daily flights seven days a week.
Metro insider travel tip: On the last leg of your journey to Bhutan, snag a seat on the left of the Bhutan Air plane to watch it drop right between the mountains, avoiding clusters of monasteries in the green valley of Paro.
Ensconced in lush green forest, Pangri Zampa Astrology School is the only place in Bhutan where monks are trained in the ancient art of astrology, a combination of Buddhist and Tibetan traditions with elements of astronomy, mathematics and ancient wisdom.
I am asked for my date of birth. Minutes pass as the monk meticulously sifts through an astrological chart, calculating something about astrology’s 12 ‘animal signs’ and the five elements, earth, water, fire, wood, and iron.
Good news: I am expected to live a long and healthy life.
Apparently, I was a demigod in my past life (which tracks), but in my next life, the monk tells me, I will be reborn as a tiger, one of the four mythical animals in Tibetan Buddhism which represents confidence, discipline and modesty.
Astrology is part of the fabric of this spiritual enclave. In 2021, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck even used it to tackle misinformation around Covid vaccines.
The roll-out was delayed for several months while senior astrologers from the Pangri Zampa Astrology School calculated the best time for the jabs to be administered. Nearly 472,000 people – 94% of the population – were vaccinated in the space of two weeks, a coverage the UK had still not achieved 12 months later.
The pursuit of happiness in Bhutan
From Thimphu, it’s a four-hour drive up a rocky road to the 400-year-old Gangtey Monastery.
Our driver introduces himself as ‘Captain’ as we travel deep into the Bhutanese countryside, golden-roofed temples whizzing in the minivan’s rear-view mirror. Captain dodges herds of cattle like he could do it with his eyes closed.
As we pass an altitude of 2,600 metres, I’m grateful to have swallowed a motion sickness pill before the journey.
Home to 270 monks, the Gangtey Monastery sits on a craggy ridge in the Phobjikha Valley, a sacred pilgrimage site in the Buddhist religion. Many say they leave the region with a deeper connection to their faith.
Inside the timber-framed pagoda, young monks dressed in crimson robes chatter, their laughter echoing against the stone slabs of the courtyard.
A hiker’s paradise
The surrounding Phobjikha Valley is a paradise for adventure tourists.
Nicknamed the ‘Switzerland of Asia’, Bhutan is roughly the same size with only 10% of the population. With abundant opportunities for hiking, it feels like there are more mountains than people.
Beginning near the monastery, the Gangtey Nature Trail is one of the country’s most popular treks, with fresh mountain air that keeps tiredness at bay.
Here, hills blanketed by pine trees remain untouched by modern development. Enhancing the meditative setting is the flutter of Bhutan’s colourful prayer flags, flown as symbols of happiness, peace and prosperity.
Preserving tradition
Away from the hiking trails is Passang Om Homestay, one of the farmhouses that accommodate tourists eager to immerse themselves in the rhythm of rural Bhutanese life.
Inside the living room, our host, Aum, serves Bhutan’s famous butter tea, made of black leaves and salty butter, with zao, crunchy puffed rice roasted with butter, and khabzey, biscuits referred to as ‘knots of eternity’.
Over the course of the evening, Aum patiently teaches us how to make momo, a steamed, filled dumpling.
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Photographs of Bhutan’s Royal Family watch over us as she kneads the dough and stuffs it with cabbage and peppers.
We sip ara, a local alcohol, and discuss the state of gross national happiness — despite such emphasis, when Bhutan was last ranked in the World Happiness Report in 2019, it came a lowly 95th out of 156.
But this village homestay encapsulates the core principles of Bhutanese philosophy: sustainable development, environmental and cultural preservation, and good governance.
Where to stay
Over the course of a week, my group and I stayed at a range of residences to suit every budget.
In Thimphu, the ultra-luxe Six Senses boasts panoramic mountain views and a world-class spa. Aptly referred to as the ‘palace in the sky’, rates start from $2,325 (approx. £1,814) per night, based on two people sharing on a full board basis.
In rural Gangtey, accommodation is more modest. The traditioal Passang Om Homestay offers rooms from $30 (£25) per person per night, including breakfast and dinner.
In Paro, the five-star Zhiwaling Heritage Hotel starts from $845 (£700) based on double/twin occupancy, including breakfast, dinner and 20% taxes.
For a layover in Bangkok, the upscale Anantara Riverside Bangkok has double/twin rooms from approx. $170 (£140) per night.
For more information on visiting Bhutan, visit https://bhutan.travel/
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Gergana Krasteva was a guest of Bhutan’s Department of Tourism, as well as Six Senses, Zhiwaling Heritage Lodge, Passang Om Homestay, Anantara Riverside and EVA Air.
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