Meaning “The Land of the Thunder Dragon” in Bhutanese, Bhutan lives up to its mythical name. With temples high in the Himalayas and shrines sprinkled throughout forests, the land feels like an enchanted realm. There’s also a sense of tranquility, aided by meditating Buddhist monks and a government that was the first to focus on happiness as a goal, instituting a Gross National Happiness (GNH) Index.
Bhutan opened its doors to foreigners for the first time only about 50 years ago. The peaceful Buddhist nation doesn't want droves of visitors either, focusing instead on high-value, low-impact tourism to preserve its cultural heritage. Most foreign visitors have to pay a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of $100 a day, which goes toward environmental, cultural, and infrastructural improvement projects.
The Trans Bhutan Trail (TBT) is a highly appropriate way to experience Bhutan—slow, steady, and mindful. The TBT is a 250-mile mountainous trek from Haa in the west to Trashigang in the east. This ancient trail was how people (monks, soldiers, monarchs, and traders) crossed the country before a separate main road was built in the 1970s and the path fell into disrepair. Cleared, rebuilt, and reopened in 2022, the new trail passes chortens, stupas, and monasteries veiled by cotton-wool clouds, all scattered amid thick woodlands, as 70 percent of Bhutan is forest.
The Dochula Pass, home to the country's fairy tale–like meditation caves, harbors some of the best views along the way. And in Punakha Valley, homes are covered in colorful phallic symbols to ward off evil spirits. There's also a fertility temple, Chimi Lhakhang, which was once blessed by the “Divine Madman” Drukpa Kunley, a legendary sex-positive poet and lama who brought tantric Buddhism to Bhutan.
Elsewhere, crowds watch archers participate in the national sport at the Changlimithang Archery Ground in the country’s capital, Thimphu, the only capital city in the world without a single traffic light. A short drive away, families of takins, the peculiar-looking national animal, wander the Motithang Takin Preserve. However, Bhutan's most famous sight is Paro Taktsang, or the Tiger's Nest. This picture-perfect gold, red, and white 17th-century monastery sits on a knife's edge at 10,236 feet above the Paro Valley. To cap off a tired hiker’s journey, red-robed trainee monks might occasionally offer sweet milk tea upon arrival at the temple.
— Adam Turner
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Get ready for an adventure! Delta Airlines and Atlas Obscura will soon unveil the top 24 destinations for 2024. Stay tuned!
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