Your Next Vacation - Bhutan

If you're anything like us, you like to explore some of the roads less travelled when on vacation (this is a PC and wordy way of saying we hate crowds). That being said, getting off the beaten track is getting increasingly difficult in a world that is seemingly getting more and more well travelled. If you want to go somewhere where there has not been a great deal of westerners before you, or you simply want bragging rights among your friends, may we suggest Bhutan. What is a Bhutan you ask? Well...the Kingdom of Bhutan, nestled neatly in the Himalayas between India and China, has been a country closed to outsiders for almost ever, and recently, has decided to change that. Their beloved King, Jigme Singe, decided that for the betterment of the country he would abdicate his throne for his forward thinking eldest son, and turn the country from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, which held it's first general election in 2008. All this was surprisingly done against the populaces wishes, as they loved their king dearly...but the decision to modernize and join the world was made. Now you can go to Bhutan (visa required of course) and enjoy a country that looks more like a Shaolin monk kung-fu movie set than an actual, functioning place. What sold us, besides the miles and miles of unspoiled Himalayan wilderness and a population of less than 700,00...how about a capital city (Thimpu) that has so little traffic it only needs one traffic light. As far as places to stay, hit the jump for some pics of the Amankora in Thimpu. It pretty much looks like the best place to stay...ever!