Bhutan, a tiny Kingdom with a population of under a million people wedged between two gigantic neighbors, China in the north and India in the south, is the most sought after destination for high-end international travelers.
Happiness
Bhutan is the only country which is pursuing happiness as a state policy. The philosophy of Gross National Happiness has recently received international recognition and the UN has implemented a resolution “…recognizing that the gross domestic product […] does not adequately reflect the happiness and well-being of people,” and that “…the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal”.
Values
The country believes in a society where values are considered to be the soul and identity of a ntaion. Thus the thrust on preserving and promoting the ancient mores, customs, culture, traditions, and etiquettes are given the highest priority. Yes, modernization is imperative but what good is it if, on its own and at the end of the day, all you have is a social fabric that is in tatters, a community bereft of vitality, and people who struggle to define and forge an identity for themselves?
Faith
Bhutan is a society which believes in a strong spiritual anchor because it is believed that it gives people the strength and conviction to live a constructive and meaningful life. Buddhism is a philosophy, a way of life, the ultimate refuge for Bhutanese. In Bhutan, the strength of the Buddhist faith is evident in prayer flags, monasteries, temples, stupas, and sacred places that dot the country all over. From the chimes of monastery bells and the chanting of prayers to the surrealistic daily rituals, Buddhism indeed is a living faith.
Environment
Protecting and preserving the natural environment completes strong identity derived from culture and pro-happiness approach to things. It’s disheartening to see a place where – as someone wrote – no birds sing, no streams flow, and no flowers bloom. Bhutan is a champion of earth, one of 10 global environmental “hotspots”, it has 70% of land under green cover, and one that has unilaterally declared to the world to be a net carbon sink in perpetuity. Bhutan is truly an environment paradise.
Peace
So serene and tranquil that one could stop over anywhere in the Kingdom, Bhutan is truly the “Land of the Peaceful Dragon.” It is the perfect choice to meditate, contemplate and reinvigorate. It is a land of awe-inspiring castles and fortresses, of people renowned for their simplicity and hospitality, of saints, kings and yetis, of majestic Himalayan peaks that reach for the sky and of a breathtaking natural beauty that is not found anywhere else.