Nestled high in the Himalayas and sandwiched between India and China, this tiny kingdom is roughly the size of Switzerland and yet has only 1.6m inhabitants.
Since opening its doors to tourism in the 1980s, it has continuously strived to maintain its cultural identity by resisting western influences. This included limiting the number of foreign visitors to 7,000 per year, making it expensive to visit, and restricting entry to groups of four. Until recently, even television was banned.
Whilst Bhutan does not offer the breathtaking views of the Himalayas that you have in Nepal, you are able to travel through a country where the culture has been preserved at least for the moment and where a house is judged not for its size or decoration but by the hospitality it offers.
Until this year, travel to Bhutan was the preserve of the more dedicated traveller as the standards of hotels left much to be desired. However, with the opening of luxury lodges, owned by the Aman Resorts and Como Hotels, holidays to Bhutan have taken on a totally different aspect.
Sadly entrance to many of the monasteries has been restricted due to the stealing of ancient artefacts by visitors, a concept so alien to the monks that few steps were taken to counter it. Nevertheless, Bhutan is a truly remarkable country and one which should remain at the top of anyone's wish list.
Bhutan Holidays
Our Travel Expert, Sally, has recently visited Bhutan. Read about her experience in
On Location.
Call us for more ideas on 01285 651010
Start by visiting
Darjeeling and Gangtok in Sikkim before driving into Bhutan. Spend a few days driving east and exploring the country before flying out and back to Delhi.
Spend a few days in Kathmandu in Nepal before flying onto Bhutan.
Spend a week in Bhutan before flying to
Thailand and relaxing in one of the many luxury resorts.
Best time to visit: Oct to May
Flying time: 13hrs 15mins to Kathmandu
Local time: GMT +6
Visas: At time of writing UK passport holders require visas, which can be issued on arrival.
