A Buddhist monk in colorful costume at the annual Paro Tsechu. Image credit: mbrand85/Shutterstock
Prayer flags at Tiger’s Nest Monastery are hung in windy areas so the prayers will dance with more blessings. Image credit: Apisak Kanjanapusit/Shutterstock
Bhutan
Destination: Bhutan
December 2022 (Volume 20)
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Few destinations capture travelers’ imaginations as much as Bhutan. Nestled between India and China, this tiny Himalayan kingdom remains virtually untouched by commercial tourism, rewarding those who venture here with an authentic, unforgettable experience.
This is a land of mist-enshrouded monasteries perched impossibly on clifftops, of fluttering prayer flags on flower-strewn hillsides, of a kind, hospitable people who still wear traditional dress for school and work, and a rich traditional culture steeped in Buddhist values.
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By Sarah Notton
Bhutan is also a global beacon of sustainability — a carbon-negative nation thanks to a decades-old policy of protecting its forests, which cover at least 70% of the land mass. In short, more carbon is taken out of the atmosphere than the country produces. Add to this an emphasis by the King on Gross National Happiness rather than Gross Domestic Product, and this is a country that cannot help but inspire and delight in equal measure.
Set in a steep valley at 7,700 feet above sea level, Bhutan’s capital Thimphu is often the starting point for travelers’ explorations. Architectural wonders include the Buddha Dordenma, the world’s tallest seated Buddha, and elaborately decorated fortresses or dzongs such as Tashichho Dzong, which houses the throne room of the King.
Traditional crafts and pursuits still feature prominently in Bhutanese daily life. The National Textile Museum in Thimphu offers a comprehensive primer into stunning handwoven and embroidered textiles. Don’t miss the opportunity to catch a tournament of the national sport, archery, or even try your own hand at hitting the target.
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By Fiona Rose
Dotting the Pacific Ocean some 600 miles from the mainland, the Galápagos archipelago is out of this world. How these volcanic islands became home to the world’s most unique and unusual assemblage of creatures that represent both polar and tropical latitudes is a wonder.
Cold-water species such as sea lions, penguins, and fur seals live incongruously alongside iguanas and turtles more typical of warmer climes. Millions of years of isolation have seen many evolve into island endemics; and with most having no fear of people, it feels as idyllic as when Charles Darwin arrived in 1835.
Darwin’s Galápagos sojourn helped to develop his theory of evolution and the species he studied — finches and mockingbirds — are easily seen here still. More impressive are giant tortoises — most often seen on Santa Cruz — and the likes of land iguanas and stubby-winged flightless cormorants. Among the pinch-me moments one might expect from meeting such iconic animals are the sea lions reclining on waterfront benches in the main town of Santa Cruz, Porto Ayora, or marine iguanas sunbathing beside a busy dock. But the most magical of encounters are so often the unexpected: snorkeling with penguins, looking a blue-footed booby in the eye, or watching short-eared owls hunt under golden hour’s glow.
The roots of tequila are in the agave plant. The Indigenous people of Mexico made alcohol from agave thousands of years ago, fermenting its sap into a low-octane drink known as pulque.
When Spanish colonization began in the 16th century, Europeans brought knowledge of distillation. By the early 1600s, large-scale distilling was taking place, eventually growing into one of Mexico’s biggest and most profitable industries. Today, tequila production – like Champagne in France and Scotch whisky in Scotland – is geographically limited to certain parts of Mexico and is governed by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT).
By law, only the blue agave can be used for tequila. It takes five to seven years for the plant to mature before it can be harvested. Nearly all blue agave is farmed, which helps the farmer and distiller better ensure the plant’s quality. Although some tequilas, called mixtos, start as a combination of agave and other fermentable sugars, the best tequilas are made only with agave and showcase the pure notes derived from the plant.
Mezcal is a cousin of tequila, produced in several Mexican states, and also made from agave – but not blue agave. Mezcal distillers may use more than 30 varieties of agave, many of which are wild grown. Artisanal mezcaleros use traditional methods, such as cooking the piñas (the heart of the agave plant) underground, grinding them with a stone wheel called a tahona, and fermenting with wild yeast in wooden tanks. Ancestral mezcaleros go even further, distilling the spirit in clay pot stills rather than copper.
Mezcal is often, but not always, smoky, and showcases an even wider array of flavors than tequila, thanks to the diversity of agave it can use. Nearly all mezcal is decidedly non-industrial, making it more limited and usually more expensive than tequila. Mezcal may be offered in blanco, reposado, and añejo variants, as well as the far less common, but intriguing, pechuga, which is distilled with fruits, herbs, and meat such as rabbit, chicken, or iguana.
Some well-regarded mezcal brands include Del Maguey, Montelobos, Ilegal, and Rey Campero.
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A selection of tequila brands. Image credit: Monticello/Shutterstock
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The 108 chortens (stupas) at Dochula Pass in Punakha stand in memorial of lost Bhutanese soldiers. Image credit: Wantanee Chantasilp/Shutterstock
Nowhere is the sheer diversity of Bhutan showcased more than the journey from Thimphu to Punakha. Traversing the Dochula Pass at 10,000 feet, you are greeted with mesmerizing views of the snowcapped Himalayas on a clear day. After a few hours, you descend into the lush, subtropical Punakha valley where farmhouses dot the terraced rice fields. Set where two rivers converge, the Punakha Dzong is a picture-postcard fortress where the kings of Bhutan are coronated.
Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche, who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan, flew on the back of a tigress to subdue a demon at the monastery of Taktsang Goemba, before spending the next three months in meditation. Tiger’s Nest, as it is more commonly known, is an iconic highlight of any journey to Bhutan. The walk up through beautiful pine forests is well worth the effort as you are rewarded by regular glimpses of the monastery clinging to the sheer cliff as well as spectacular views of the Paro valley below.
Paro International Airport. Image credit: Pema Gyamtsho/Shutterstock
Visiting
How to get there: Drukair flights to Paro depart from New Delhi and other Asian hubs. Landing in Bhutan is part of the adventure, as planes must take a steep dive and level off.
Altitude: Some destinations such as Paro are at high altitude, so allow time in your itinerary to rest and acclimatize.
Festivals: Try to coincide your trip with one of Bhutan’s spectacular festivals, tsechus, where you can admire the stunning local dress and witness Bhutanese archery – the national sport.
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A Buddhist monk in colorful costume at the annual Paro Tsechu. Image credit: mbrand85/Shutterstock
Bhutan is also a global beacon of sustainability — a carbon-negative nation thanks to a decades-old policy of protecting its forests, which cover at least 70% of the land mass. In short, more carbon is taken out of the atmosphere than the country produces. Add to this an emphasis by the King on Gross National Happiness rather than Gross Domestic Product, and this is a country that cannot help but inspire and delight in equal measure.
Set in a steep valley at 7,700 feet above sea level, Bhutan’s capital Thimphu is often the starting point for travelers’ explorations. Architectural wonders include the Buddha Dordenma, the world’s tallest seated Buddha, and elaborately decorated fortresses or dzongs such as Tashichho Dzong, which houses the throne room of the King.
Traditional crafts and pursuits still feature prominently in Bhutanese daily life. The National Textile Museum in Thimphu offers a comprehensive primer into stunning handwoven and embroidered textiles. Don’t miss the opportunity to catch a tournament of the national sport, archery, or even try your own hand at hitting the target.
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