Bhutan: The Last Shangri-La on Earth

Located at the eastern end of the Himalaya Mountains, South Asia, the Kingdom of Bhutan is a picturesque landlocked country covered with forest. It is one of the most isolated countries in the world. Separated by snowy mountains with poor transport facility, this small alpine country is viewed as inaccessible, mysterious, and remote by many Chinese. Since the highly hyped wedding ceremony of two famous Hong Kong showbiz stars Carina Lau and Tony Leung held there in July 2008, Bhutan has become a favorite destination for more and more Chinese tourists.

I recently toured Bhutan.

The 46,500-square-kilometer country is 1.3 times larger than Taiwan, but it has only a population of 800,000. Although on the other side of the Himalayas and a next door neighbor to China’s Tibet, Bhutan does not have a gateway to have tourists fly in directly from China. We travel first to India and then access the small country via Nepal.

Leaving the capital airport behind, I find myself ride through a Shangri-La of stunning scenic sights. A fairytale town is nestled at the foot of a mountain: verdant hills standing far away, turquoise grassy slopes undulating, red cabins basking with blooming flowers on the windowsills, murmurous brooks running, and herds of cattle and sheep grazing in pastures.

With a subtropical climate, the weather in Bhutan is wet and humid all year round. 72% of the country is under forest cover. Photographing around a hill, I see rhododendron woods ready to bloom at any moment and hear nameless birds chirping noisily and happily. Now and then I spot a rabbit or a fox rushing past into thick bushes.

And I am given an opportunity to take a stroll in a primitive forest. Standing among towering trees, I feel totally dwarfed. Looking up, I see nothing but exuberant leaves of small trees and shrubs. The treetops of the giant trees are completely blocked by them. It is a great pleasure to walk on the ground which is carpeted with a thick and comfortable layer of fallen leaves. We are busy taking deep breaths and taking photographs when we suddenly hear a loud roaring of animal. I turn and just have time to catch a glimpse of a black creature not very far from us before it vanishes into the woods. The guide tells me that it is a black bear. It is said that in Bhutan black bears are harmless unless they become angry with you.

Bhutan abounds with fauna and flora species. No wonder the small landlocked country is the only country on earth where tigers and elephants inhabit the south central forest while snow leopards in the north. Thanks to the country’s effective conservation policies and measures, Bhutan remains a paradise of wild animals and plant species.

I learn from the guide that the country adopts strict laws to protect its environment and natural resources. Woods are the biggest natural resource in the country. A villager needs to get a government permit before he is allowed to chop down a tree. State-run forest farms also need government approval before any tree can be felled.

The village of Gangtey at the Phobjikha valley at 3,000m above sea level is a habitat of black-necked cranes which fly in from Tibet in the winter. In order to protect the habitat and the endangered species, the government bans power lines in the land. The villagers now all use solar energy equipment provided by the government free of charge. To honor Bhutan for its successful protection of its natural environment, the king and the people of Bhutan became the first laureates of Champions of the Earth, an honor set up by the UNEP in 2004.

Religion

Bhutan is a state of religion. About 75% of the Bhutanese population follow Vajrayana Buddhism and the rest are disciples of Hinduism. Architecturally, many Buddhist temples in Bhutan resemble those in Tibet. Some of them are among the most beautiful temples in the world.

I visit Paro, a city in the west of Bhutan. In the history, it was the center of the two of the most important trade routes to Tibet. It used to be the political center of the state. Bhutan’s only international airport is in Paro.

Taktsang Monastery in Paro is a must for me. Also known as Tiger’s Nest, the monastery is precariously perched on the edge of a 1,200-meter cliff. The foot of the cliff is more than 1,000 meters above sea level.

To get there, one needs to get a special permit and walk for about two hours. A visit pass is a must because the temple does not want to be disturbed by crowds of visitors. With the accompaniment of a monk, I set out to visit the monastery. The narrow path is a great adventure. Sometimes it hugs the cliff and it zigzags up through sunshine and shadows. Looking from afar, the temple and the rocky peak are one.

On our way we pass a cypress woods. The huge cypress trees tower. Mosses hang from the thick tree trunks. In front of the Tiger’s Nest is a waterfall cascading hundreds of meters down a valley. Above the waterfall is a deep pool that receives water flowing over rocks.

At the temple I visit a string of caves where monks used to contemplate. These caves emit a rich aroma of Tibetan incense. Distant peals of bells and lamas’ recitation of Buddhist sutra reach me now and then through winds. For a moment I have the vision again: I am in Shangri-La far. Far from the madding world, I experience a kind of purity that has long since vanished from urban life.

With the arrangement of a friend, I visit a villager at his home. He is one of the poor people that account for about 3% of the national population. He lives in a 12-m2 house. In the narrow space between the two walls in the inner room is a large Buddha altar. The altar occupies the most conspicuous position in the room. Draped with a yellow cloth, the altar has a golden statue of Buddha on it. The man prays there a few times a day.

Growing up under the nurture of Buddhist doctrine, Bhutanese are peaceful, generous, and happy. They live in the country ranked as the safest and cleanest place in the Himalaya Mountains. No theft happens in this land, not to mention those vicious crimes such as murder, robbery, or rape. Local people don’t even use keys and locks.

Bhutanese also have strong environmental awareness. In Bhutan, the use of foam boxes and plastic bags is forbidden. Even in those remote villages, I do not see rubbish anywhere.

In order to protect the country’s ecology, the government exerts strict control on the number of inbound tourists and their residence time. Only 10,000 foreign tourists are allowed into the country per year.

Economically, Bhutan ranks the 134th of the 192 countries and regions in the world, but the people there are happiest in Asia, according to a UN survey in 2009. The country does not have railways. Television was first introduced there in 2009. CCTV News is available in Bhutan.