10 reasons why Bhutan is so
popular with tourists across the world
Aug 25, 2015 Shriya
Agarwal IBN
“Kuzoozangpo La” (‘Hello’, in Bhutanese)
The tranquil
‘Kingdom of Bhutan’ as Bhutan is officially called is a South Asian
country, which lies at the eastern end of the Himalayas and shares
its borders with China in the north and with India from its
eastern, western and southern sides. The serenity of Bhutan’s
capital, Thimphu, which is also the largest city of the country, is
extremely calming and will help you get a breath of fresh air far
away from the bustling of the metropolitan cities around the world.
Bhutan is one of the best places to visit if you’re looking for an
unperturbed and rejuvenating holiday. Here are 10 reasons why
Bhutan will prove to be a blissful experience.
Religious
beliefs/Buddhism: Buddhism is a
religion to about 300 million people around the world. More than
two-third of the Bhutanese citizens follow Vajrayana Buddhism (also
the state religion) and around one-third follow Hinduism, which is
the second most dominant religion in Bhutan. People from all over
the world come to visit the Bhutanese monasteries.
Landscape/Biodiversity: While you
travel through Bhutan you will find steep and high mountains
crisscrossing by networks of swift rivers. The extra-ordinary
geographical diversity and the diverse climate conditions play an
important in contributing to Bhutan's outstanding range of
biodiversity and ecosystems, which are worth seeing.
Weather: Bhutan experiences five
prominent seasons namely summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and
spring. The western part of Bhutan experiences heavier monsoon
rains whereas the southern part undergoes hot humid summers and
cool winters and the central and eastern Bhutan remain temperate
and drier than the west with warm summers and cool winters. Bhutan
hence gives the flexibility for you to choose the location and the
time of the year to visit, depending upon the preferable climatic
conditions.
Tourist
attractions: Thimpu has one of the
largest statues of Buddha made of bronze and gilded in gold
towering over Thimpu in Bhutan and the National Memorial Chorten
nearby, where Buddhists circle clockwise while reciting prayers and
whirling prayer wheels. The there is the Tiger’s Nest (Taktsang),
which is a beautiful monastery located in the cliff-side of the
upper Paro valley, in Bhutan. Punakha Dzong, Zuri Dzong Hike,
Gangtey Valley and Bumthang Valley are some other breathtaking
destinations in Bhutan.
Cuisine: Ema datshi, the national
dish of Bhutanese is a very spicy dish made with cheese and chilies
and take great pride in it and you must try it too. The people also
take great pride in asserting that Bhutan is the first country in
the world to have banned the sale of tobacco under its Tobacco Act
of 2010, hence you can ensure clean and fresh air.
Culture and
society: Bhutanese tradition is
deeply steeped in its Buddhist heritage, be it the dress (The
national dress for Bhutanese men, Kho and for women Kira), the
language (Bhutanese or Dzongkha), the cultural activities
(including masked dances, dance dramas accompanied by traditional
music at festivals) or its national sport archery, which you may
have a feel of when you visit Bhutan. Also, you may get to see a
convention in Bhutanese families where inheritance is generally
passed through the females rather than the males i.e. the daughters
inherit their parents' house and the man is expected to make his
own way in the world and is asked to move to his wife's home.
Another distinct feature includes polygamy. Though rare, it is
accepted in order to keep property in a contained family unit
rather than dispersing it.
Feeling
royal: Bhutan made the transition
from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy and held its
first general election in 2008. The current king is Jigme Khesar
Namgyel Wangchuck who wed Jetsun Pema on 13 October 2011. And it
may come to you as a surprise that spotting/meeting the King of
Bhutan is not as difficult as you may think.
Transport: Paro Airport is the
only international airport in Bhutan. And though Bhutan did not
have any railways earlier, it has entered into an agreement with
India to link southern Bhutan to India's vast network. Coming to
the connectivity through road, the Lateral Road acts as Bhutan's
primary east–west corridor, connecting Phuentsholing in the
southwest to Trashigang in the east and also conncets the capital
Thimphu to other major population centres such as Paro and
Punakha.
Economy: Bhutan's currency is the
‘ngultrum’. Its value is fixed to the Indian rupee, which is also
accepted as legal tender in the country. Though Bhutan's economy is
one of the smallest economies of the world, it has grown rapidly in
recent years. Agriculture used to be more instrumental in managing
the economy earlier than now Bhutan established itself as the first
country in the world, with 100 percent organic farming, which is
creditable.
Souvenirs: Hand-woven textiles,
Yatras or Yethras (colorful strips of wool cloth, dyed with natural
colors, which are used to create blankets, jackets, bags and
carpets, specially those produced in Jakar, Bumthang), Buddhist
paintings (usually made of cloth), stamps (as Bhutan is said to be the "philatelist
paradise") with detailed images, bright and lively colors and with
a high numismatic value, Dzi stones, brass statues of various
Buddhas, saints, Vajra bells, Dorje bells used for religious
rituals, cymbals, Bhutanese violins, Tibetan trumpets and prayer
wheels (which are a popular choice amongst the tourists) are the
various souvenirs that you may pick up from the markets of
Bhutan.
Tashidelek!
(Goodwishes)