Bhutan- The Land of Mountains Happiness

Bhutan is a unique country both culturally and environmentally. It is the world’s last remaining Buddhist Kingdom and only country that has developed the philosophy of Gross National Happiness; where development is measured using a holistic approach of well-being, not just based on gross domestic product. In fact, it is a great choice for an Indian’s first foreign trip.

Getting there

We drove our Royal Enfield’s aka Bulls all the way from a city named Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh. A brief itinerary of our day wise journey is as follows:-

Photo of Bhutan- "The Land of Mountains & Happiness" 2/2 by Yash Saxena — Travel itinerary

Currency

The currency of Bhutan is Ngultrum having same value as INR. Bhutanese accepts and offers Indian currencies at every place. However, I would like to advise you not to carry the 2000 INR currency as this note is not widely accepted in Bhutan.

The hotels that we stayed in Bhutan

Thimphu:- Hotel Droelma Residence is a medium budget hotel. Phone No. +975 – 17684815. It is near Hotel Le Meridian and in the heart of the city. In the main road of Thimphu, Norjim Lam (Norjim Road. Lam means road in Bhutanese and Norjim Lam is Thimphu’s main road though it is a one way. Many roads in Thimphu are one way. Keep a watch out for road signs) there is one signal where police man gives hand signals. Take a left at the junction and after 50 mtr on left is the hotel.

Paro:- Hotel Sonam. It is at the end of the Paro town on left towards the Tiger’s Nest and Drukgyel Dzong road. Room tariff are about 2-2.5K but negotiable to 1.5-1.8K per night. Rooms are clean and spacious. You can email them at hotelsonamparo@gmail.com. Contact number: 17004434 / 08274444 /08275555.

Dining in Bhutan

Bhutanese Cuisine is different from India. Their staple food is Red rice which is different from our rice and a must try.

Their daily home food are National Dish – Ema Datshi (Tomato, Cheese, Chillies), Keva Datshi (Potato, cheese, Chillies), Sumo Datshi (Mushroom, Cheese, chillies), Jasha Maru (Chicken spicy), Fish Maru and Fish Paa. Momos are also common here and tastes excellent.

Rice and Daal with potato curry and vegetable curry are staple food in most of the restaurants. Puri & Potato curry, Bread toast, Egg Omlette, Tea, Coffee is available for breakfast in every restaurant.

“Bhutan is the only Carbon-Negative nation in the World”

Thimphu

Thimpu (capital and largest city of Bhutan)

Over A hill is a massive golden Buddha sitting over a meditation hall. The statue is made of bronze and is gilded in gold. 125,000 smaller Buddha statues have been placed within the Buddha Dordenma statue; 100,000 statues of which are 8-inches-tall and 25,000 statues of which are 12 inches tall.

“This means that in Thimphu, which has a population of around 100,000, there are more Buddhas than there are human beings.”

The gigantic statue of Shakyamuni Buddha erected on a mountain top is considered one of the largest statues of Buddha in the world. Most of the tourism in Bhutan is around Buddha and Buddhism.

Photo of Bhutan- "The Land of Mountains & Happiness" by Yash Saxena

Paro

Paro

In the drive from Thimpu to Paro you will experience the beautiful views, it’s a good idea to stop by to admire the nature. Depending on how many stops you take, you will possibly reach Paro within 3 to 4 hours. The market here is quite busy and might be good way to pass an evening as all sightseeing spots closes by 17:00 Hrs.

Taktsang Monastery

Tiger’s Nest Monastery

It is worth making the climb to reach Bhutan’s most majestic site.

Photo of Taktsang Monastery, Taktsang Trail, Bhutan by Yash Saxena

Taktsang Monastery, famously known as Tiger’s Nest Monastery, is located in Paro district on the side of a cliff, 3,120 m above sea level. Tiger’s Nest Monastery is not the easiest place to reach — but is well worth the effort. The monastery is home to a wealth of Buddhist history. Legend has it that Padmasambhava, the ‘Second Buddha’, meditated here for three months when he brought Buddhism to Bhutan. He’s said to have arrived on a flying tiger; for those without such transportation, a steep two-hour climb is the only way it can be reached.

The monastery is home to a wealth of Buddhist history. Legend has it that Padmasambhava, the ‘Second Buddha’, meditated here for three months when he brought Buddhism to Bhutan. He’s said to have arrived on a flying tiger; for those without such transportation, a steep two-hour climb is the only way it can be reached.

Travelling in Bhutan is an awesome experience; the clean & green country teaches you how to be happy in small things, and that to be grateful for all that you have.