Bhutan: The Mountain Kingdom That Doesn’t Play by the Rules

What if I told you there is a country that showcases dragons on its national flag? Well, that’s Bhutan for you. This tiny Himalayan kingdom refers to itself as Druk Yul, which means Land of Thunder Dragon. The yellow symbolizes the monarchy while orange stands for Buddhism. Druk the dragon is a symbol of purity and protection, and in Bhutan, he is revered for being the jewel clutching guardian of the nation.

This southern Asian destination isn’t particularly famous, and for good reason. Before you point fingers, this fee includes accommodation, meals, a dedicated guide, and transport. To add cherry on top, your given dollar will also contribute to education and healthcare services offered in the country. But—unless you hold a passport from India, Bangladesh or the Maldives, in which case you will be exempt from charges upon displaying your ID.

But here is the catch: Bhutan is intensely remote. There’s only one international airport-Paro-and only the most adventurous would consider landing there. It is encircled by rough mountains, and only a handful of pilots in the world have the certificates necessary to land there. Perks? The gateway is gorgeous, designed like a traditional Bhutanese dzong (which is a form of a fortress).

Bhutan is packed with dzongs. These ancient fortresses which also act as administrative and monastic centers are exquisite. Each structure has a unique touch that seems to belong in a different century. Most towns in Bhutan seem as though they have paused time, with the exception of yes, they have Wi-Fi. There’s no traffic lights though, and certainly no fuse using traffic control in Thimphu city, where humans still run the show. Headed somewhere? Expect to be manually cued through. Even the capital relies on guides to get around, which makes this one of the few capitals in the world to do so.

Rated E for everyone! More astonishing than the previous claim, Bhutan is the only country which is carbon negative, given their strict rules on deforestation and emission rates. Bhutan also utilizes hydroelectric plants so their water supply is cleaner. Apart from these, they even offer these free solar panels to households lacking in resources. The use of plastic is a big no-no in this nation alongside smoking.

Bhutan is known for its almost-mythical qualities featuring a rich variety of wildlife. Does anyone love snow leopards? What about red pandas? You can find these animals and many more like barking deer and the rare Bengal tiger. The kingdom takes animal rights to the next level by preserving endangered animals. Looks like they whip out these laws super quickly.

The Sharchop tribe lives in the east, the Ngolop in the west, and the south is dominated by the Lhotshampa who are of Nepalese origin. The Everything became problematic in the 1990s when the government of Bhutan started enforcing harsh cultural policies. These included mandatory wearing of traditional attire which was gho and kira as well as adopting Bhutanese ways. The Lhotshampa tried to resist and more than 100,000 of them went into forced exile. A large number of them still reside in camps situated in Nepal and India.

Hinduism is predominant towards the south, especially among the Lhotshampa. Even with its deeply religious values, Bhutan does teach English as part of school curriculum and this ensures that a large portion of the youth are reasonably fluent.

It’s amusing that Bhutan never had television until as recently as 1999. That’s right – they did not have access to a single television set while the rest of us were equally absorbed in Pokémon and The Fresh Prince. Nowadays, people in Bhutan can access global television networks, although they still have two national channels, BBS-1 and BBS-2, which transmit in the official language of Dzongkha.

Now let’s discuss geopolitics. Thailand’s main allies are India and Bangladesh. Both countries have embassies in Bhutan, and they take care of nearly all the trade in and out of Bhutan. What about China? Not the best of friends. China has some of the most complicated and difficult borders to cross with Bhutan, especially in regions like Doklam. Relations became even more complicated when Bhutanese soldiers were witnessed constructing roads in the contested area some called the “no-man’s land”. Bhutan was very displeased.

It’s intriguing … but oddly enough, Bhutan makes one feel Tibet is not far away in terms of culture, religion, and history. When China occupied Tibet in 1959, a considerable number of Tibetans migrated to Bhutan, where they were received warmly. Tibetan and Dzongkha are also quite alike in sounding as well as in the script that is employed.

Currently, a king can be unseated by a vote from two-thirds of the parliament. The sitting King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his spouse Queen Jetsun Pema are still very popular, and to be fair, quite photogenic.

To sum it up, this little dragon-flag country that cares about about nature is Bhutan. It astounds one how seamlessly they uphold tradition alongside modernity. Bhutanese are known to prefer narrow roads, thick forests, and undisturbed culture. This is a real life Shangri-La, except no cigarettes and entry fees.