On the Himalayas’ eastern edge, Bhutan is a Buddhist kingdom, neighbouring Nepal, India, Tibet and China. Once Asia’s best-kept secret, it now holds the crown for Lonely Planet’s top place to visit in 2020.
The landscape ranges from the Himalayan mountains in the north, with year-round snow, to the rich, subtropical plains of the south. It’s steadily making its way to the top of our bucket list. Here’s why…
1). You can head away from the crowds
We love to get off the beaten track at Rickshaw. But Bhutan takes it to another level – it’s one of the least-visited countries in the world, with only around 70,000 international tourists each year.
This means you can really make the most of the low seasons (December to February and June to August) and have the temples, trails and museums mostly to yourself. Word is slowly spreading about the Dragon Kingdom, however – so get ahead of the curve!
2). The stunning Tiger’s Nest Monastery
This incredible monastery is reason enough to visit. The legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery or Taktsang Goemba is one of the most sacred sites for Buddhist pilgrims, perched on the side of a vertical cliff at 3000m. It’s believed that Guru Rinpoche flew to this cliff on a flaming tigress and meditated here. As you can imagine, the treks up and views are simply magical.