Planet Travel offers trips to Bhutan, the 'last Shangri-la'
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Taktshang Monastery, built on a crag 3,120 meters above the Paro Valley, is among the many spectacular sights in Bhutan. Photos provided to China Daily |
"Where is Bhutan and why go there?" are likely questions.
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| City of good karma |
But the answers are equally clear.
Bhutan is a small, mysterious landlocked country in the Himalayans. Its nature is pristine and its forests untouched. It is said to be the last Shangri-la on earth.
The reclusive kingdom first allowed the world a peek inside in 1974 when it opened to just a handful of tourists.
Planet Travel, a Beijing-based agency that mostly serves foreign tourists, recommends tour packages to Bhutan.
The agency notes why trips are rare - the government of Bhutan still strictly controls the number of foreign tourists to preserve the unique environment.
Inconvenient transportation is another barrier. Paro Airport, the only international airport in the country, is deep in a valley carved by the Paro Chhu River. Only planes flown by Royal Bhutan Airlines can land there.
One of the world's least financially driven countries, Bhutan follows an economic development doctrine known as "Gross National Happiness" that balances financial gain with the well-being of its 720,000-some citizens.
