Bhutan, the last shangrila

Some of the best books about Bhutan

" Lonely Planet is unbelieveable! They continually pump out the HIGHEST quality guidebooks, and they've done it again with this edition covering Bhutan. I have spent a good portion of my life researching, and hording information on Bhutan, and have found Lonely Planet's guidebook to contain everything "
-Greg Ford (Boulder, Colorado United States)
Lonely Planet Bhutan (Country Travel Guide)

"As engaging and magical as Bhutan itself, written with heart and insight, Married to Bhutan is a wonderful memoir and a great journey."
- Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid Theif
"Married to Bhutan is wonderfully wise and endearing, much like the Himalayan kingdom that is its subject. Leaming's graceful, witty prose captures the magic of Bhutan, a place where happiness is more than just a nice idea. It is a way of life. "
-By Eric Weiner, author of The Geography of Bliss.
Married to Bhutan: How One Woman Got Lost, Said "I Do," and Found Bliss

"The entire book is about the life and times of Lisa Napoli when she decided to leave her public radio job in Los Angeles and go work for a radio station in the tiny Asian kingdom of Bhutan. There she regales us with stories about the people there, gives us comparisons and contrasts with Bhutan and the Western World, shows us how the country is rapidly changing and becoming Westernized (for good and for bad) and most of all, we see her fall in love with this obscure, almost unknown country. You also get to see the madness that ensues when one of her Bhutanese friends comes to visit her and the drama that unfolds there. "
-Alexander Lucard (Arlington, VA)
Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a sovereign nation, located towards the eastern extreme of the Himalayas mountain range. It is sandwiched between two larger countries: People's Republic of China on the north and northwest and the Republic of India on the south, southwest, and east. The Kingdom of Nepal to the west, the People's Republic of Bangladesh to the south, and the Union of Myanmar to the southeast are other close neighbours.

Bhutan lies between 88° 45' and 92°10' longitude east and 26°40' and 28°15 ' north covering total area of 38,398 sq kilometers, approximately the size of Switzerland.

The Himalayas dominate the north of the country, where mountain peaks can easily reach 7,000 metres and such mountains remains covered by snow forever. Beautiful high mountain peaks, breath taking waterfalls and fascinating valleys covered with green nature can be found all over the country. One will rarely find plain areas.

Physically, Bhutan can be divided into three zones: Alpine Zone (4000m and above) with no forest cover; the Temperate Zone (2000 to 4000m) with conifer or broadleaf forests; and the Subtropical Zone (150m to 2000m) with Tropical or Subtropical vegetation. Ensuing from its wide range of altitude and climate, compounded by its 72 percent forest cover, the flora and fauna of Bhutan is diverse and rich.Forest types in Bhutan are Fir Forests, Mixed Conifer Forest, Blue Pine Forest, Chirpine Forest, Broadleaf mixed with Conifer, Upland Hardwood Forest, Lowland Hardwood Forest, and Tropical Lowland Forests. Almost 60% of the plant species that is found in the eastern Himalayan region can be found in Bhutan as well.

Different part of country experiences different type of climate. Climate also changes with change in season. Extreme north of the country remains cold throughout the year with heavy snow fall in the winter. Southern Bhutan experience warm weather in the winter and summer will be little hot with temperature ranging from 25 degree to 35 degree. Weather in the capital, Thimphu will be adorable in summer with bright sunshine. It sometimes experiences rainfall but not that heavy. Thimphu sometimes gets snow fall in the winter which people enjoys a lot. Government offices and schools remains closed on the first day of snowfall . Thimphu will be little cold in winter.

Bhutan's former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck (right side in the photo), who has opened Bhutan to the age of modernization, soon after the demise of his father, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk was the brainchild of the term "Gross National Happiness". Gross National Happiness measures quality of life by trying to strike a balance between the material and the spiritual.

The Four Pillars of GNH
Equitable and equal socio-economic development,
Preservation and promotion of cultural and spiritual heritage,
Conservation of environment and
Good governance which are interwoven, complementary, and consistent.

They embody national and local values, aesthetics, and spiritual traditions. As a result, we can see that the concept of Gross National Happiness is now being taken up by various other countries, following footsteps of Bhutan.Further, the concept of Gross National Happiness has greatly enabled her in the pursuit of development, at the same time promoting happiness as the core philosophy of life. Now the philosophy, Gross National Happiness is broadly discussed in each and every time of the world.

Excellent DVD on GNH Gross National Happiness and the Kingdom of Bhutan. This is a superbly produced DVD on a little known part of the world, the remote and spectacular Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan, which deserves to be much better known. This is because its national development policy is a model for global sustainable development. Years ago the King of Bhutan declared he was more interested in the GNH, the Gross National Happiness of his people than the GNP, gross national product of the economy.
-william mckeever "norbu"
Bhutan - Gross National Happiness

Bhutan's National language is Dzongkha and it is spoken almost by all Bhutanese. The word "dzongkha" means the language (kha) spoken in the dzong, - dzong being the fortress-like monasteries. Given the geographic isolation of many of Bhutan's highland villages, it is not surprising that a number of different dialects have survived. Three major languages spoken are; "Tshangla kha" also known as "Sharchop kha" spoken by the people in the east, "Nepali" spoken by the people in the southern Bhutan and finally "Dzongkha" also known as "Ngalong kha" spoken by the people of western Bhutan. Learn few important and interesting words and sentences by visiting surprise Bhutanese, the host.

English is also well spoken by those who have studied in school and who are studying in school as English is considered one of the important language by Bhutanese. It is a surprising fact that almost all the people in west and central Bhutan can understand and speak Hindi, the national language of India.

Great Movies of Bhutan
Note: Dzongkha with English subtitle.

It would be churlish, to say the least, to find fault with a movie written and directed by a revered Buddhist lama who's recognized as the reincarnation of a great Tibetan master. Fortunately, Kyentse Norbu's Travellers and Magicians is a lovely film that's easy to like. -Sam Graham
Travellers & Magicians

This film offers an interesting look at a people confronting and balancing the forces of modernization and economic development with spirituality and a desire to preserve traditional culture. The subject matter aligns with this larger modern search for happiness and fulfillment in an increasingly material and impersonal world. In addition, this philosophy of "Gross National Happiness" falls in line with the very real global need to adjust behavior and mindset to account for responsible environmental practices and to live more in harmony with nature. -T. Endetti "Traveler"
Bhutan: Taking The Middle Path To Happiness

Bhutan is blessed with rich flora and fauna and Bhutanese people value it a lot. It has been tactically preserved that you can even see endangered and rare species which are at the verge of extinction. The flora and fauna of Bhutan supports in defining the beauty of nature. Therefore, the National Forest Policy of Bhutan recognizes national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as a long-term strategy to protect the flora and fauna as forests in Bhutan occupy a large part of the country; they are the dominant land cover. Thus, they are vital for both ecology and economics.

High altitude in Bhutan is home to animals like Snow leopard, blue sheep, red panda, tiger, takin, marmot and musk deer. Temperate zone fauna include Tiger, leopard, goral, gray langur, Himalayan black beer, red panda, sambur, wild pig, and barking deer. The tropical forests in the south have tiger, clouded leopard, elephants, one horned Rhinoceros, water buffalo, golden langur, gaur, swamp deer, hog deer horn bills etc.

Black necked crane, Green-backed tit, Plumbeous water Redstart and Oriental Turtle Dove are some of the famous birds found in Bhutan. The national bird of Bhutan is Raven. Indo Malayan and pale arctic elements are among those that have been recorded. Approximately 73 percent are resident. In Bhutan, there are four national parks, one nature reserve and four wildlife sanctuaries provide habitats to some 170 species of mammals, over 770 bird species and at least 5,600 species of vascular plants. Bhutan is putting its maximum effort to minimize the risk of local extinction amongst populations of plants and animals.

Buy Cool "Bhutan" men hoodie
These Bhutan Hoodie has undergone extensive quality control before reaching you. We have over 10 years experience in selling products on the internet. The items are created by us and are even customizable! Just contact our great customer service for any questions.


Bhutan - Country Map Color Countries Womens Hoodie (White, X-Small - XXX-Large)


Bhutan PARADISE OF PEACE AND LOVE Countries Womens Hoodie (Dark Green, X-Small - XXX-Large)


I LOVE Bhutan Countries Mens Hoodie (Navy Blue, Sizes X-Small - XXX-Large)


Bhutan Soccer Countries Mens Hoodie (Navy Blue, Sizes X-Small - XXX-Large)

The protected areas of Bhutan comprises four national parks, four wildlife sanctuaries and one strict nature reserve. Revised in 1993 to represent Bhutan's complete ecosystems, the parks network encompasses 26.3 percent of the land (10,758 square km). In 1999, an additional 9.5 percent of the country was demarcated as biological corridors linking all nine protected areas, and declared a gift to the earth from the Bhutanese people.

All parks are legally protected with varying management prescriptions based on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's categories for protected areas, with a majority of parks zoned into core, administrative, buffer and multiple-use zones. The common conservation approach integrating conservation priorities with economic development needs, aims to ensure the long-term conservation of the parks' natural resources while bringing sustainable economic development to local communities. The trust fund supported the legal gazettement of the parks and demarcating their boundaries, and is currently financing the recruitment and specialised training of crucial human resources to manage these parks.

There are nine protected areas in the country covering 17 dzongkhags and consists of four national parks, four wildlife sanctuaries and one strict nature reserve.
1. Jigme Dorji National Park
2. Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park
3. Royal Manas National Park
4. Thrumshingla National Park
5. Bumdelling Wildlife Sanctuary
6. Sakten Wildlife Sanctuary
7. Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary
8. Torsa Strict Nature Reserve
9. Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary

Lost Land of the Tiger is a three-part nature documentary series produced by the BBC Natural History Unit which follows a scientific expedition to the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. The expedition team is made up of specialist zoologists, explorers and the BBC crew. Together, they explore wilderness areas from the lowland jungles to high-altitude slopes, in search of rare animals and plants. The focus of the expedition is to investigate the status of the tiger in Bhutan, where little is known of the cat's distribution or population density. Evidence of a healthy population of tigers would elevate Bhutan's importance as a sanctuary for this endangered species. It would also support tiger conservationist Dr. Alan Rabinowitz's proposal for a vast protected corridor linking the fragmented pockets of tiger habitat which lie to the south of the Himalayas.
The expedition is notable for obtaining the first footage of tigers living at 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) in the high Himalayas. The BBC footage shows a female tiger lactating and scent-marking, followed a few days later by a male tiger responding, suggesting that the cats could be breeding at this altitude. Previously, anecdotal sightings from Bhutanese mountain villagers suggested tigers were capable of visiting such heights, but it was not known whether they were living and breeding there. The footage was obtained using remote camera traps which are triggered by motion. This discovery dramatically increases the known range of viable tiger habitat.The camera traps also recorded footage of other rarely-seen forest creatures, including Indian wild dogs, Asian elephants, leopards and leopard cats.

BBC's news Lost tiger population discovered in Bhutan mountains "The team left the traps at an altitude of between 3,000m and 4,100m, above which trees start being unable to survive.
Three months later, he returned to see what they had caught on camera.
The cameras recorded a wealth of wildlife, including red foxes, jungle cats, monkeys, leopards, Himalayan black bear, tarkin, serow, musk deer and even a red panda.
This is the only place on earth known to have tigers, leopard and snow leopards all sharing the same valley.
It is remarkable to have these three big cats sharing their range.
Most extraordinarily, the cameras took footage of two wild tigers, one male and one female, a discovery that moved Mr Buchanan to tears."
You may also read Lost Land Of The Tiger: Filming in Bhutan.

The Raven is the Bhutan's national bird. It represents one of the most powerful deities of the country, Jarog Dongchen. Raven is thus known in the local language as 'Jarog'. The Royal Raven Crown or Druk Gyalpo represents Bhutan's reverence for these birds and the faith of Bhutanese in their protective deity. The biological name of Raven is Corvus Corax Tibetanus and is quite similar to the Crow that is also common in Bhutan.

Buy cool "Bhutan" Mugs
Product Features
11 oz. capacity
Ceramic
Dishwasher safe (but will wear off print faster)
Printed on "front" and "back"
Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee


Choose the mug and click on it.

Botanical name of the flower Meconopsis grandis Prain and the name is Blue Poppy. It is callted Euitphel Metog Hoem in national language of Bhutan. At one time, people considered it to be a myth because of its existence had not been confirmed but they can be found along high mountain passes from the far eastern parts of the country across to the west. It is one of the rarest flowers in the world and its stems have 4 to 5 flowers. Flowering season is Late May to July. Flowers usually few, rich blue or purple, borne on long stalks from the uppermost leaves, or sometimes arising directly from the basal rosette of leaves. Flowers large, with commonly 4 rounded petals (sometimes as many as 9) upto 7cm in size;

Cypress or Cupressus torulosa is the National Tree of Bhutan. Locally, it is known as 'Tsenden'. Bhutanese consider the cypress tree sacred and held it in great reverence. Cypress is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 45 m of height and its trunk can have a diameter of 90 cm. The essential oil extracted from root-wood of Cypress is used in medicine to cure inflammatory wounds, an antiseptic and to make cosmetics.The bark of the cypress tree is thick and either grey brown or brown in color and often peels off in longitudinal strips. The branches of a cypress tree are thin and slender with whip-like tips. Cones of a cypress tree appear in February-March while the seed matures in May-June.

Listen cool Bhutanese traditional Musics


Endless Songs From Bhutan


Sacred Feminine Voices of Bhutan

Bhutan first began to produce coins in silver towards the end of the 18th century, mainly for use in trade with the plains. These were followed by coins struck in alloyed silver, copper or brass, which were used for minor local purchases.

The Ngultrum, often denoted by BTN, is the official currency used in Bhutan. Equal in value to the Indian Rupee (through a 1:1 peg), the currency is subdivided into 100 chertrums.The Ngultrum was introduced in 1974 and was immediately pegged to the Indian Rupee because India was key in assisting the Bhutanese economy just a decade before. The Bhutanese Ngultrum does not exchange independently with other nations, but it is exchanged interchangeably with the Indian Rupee quite often.Before the Ngultrum, Bhutan did not have a currency; instead, the Bhutanese bartered for goods that they were unable to produce on their own (i.e. traded goods and services for a certain amount of other goods and services).

Please visit Bhutan Currency Converter to know the exchange rate to other major currencies.

The national flag of Bhutan consists of a white dragon over a yellow and orange background. The flag is divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner, making two triangles. The upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange. The division starts from the lower corner of the flag where it is hoisted and runs along the diagonally opposite corner. The national flag of Bhutan was officially adopted in 1965. The dragon is centered along the dividing line, facing away from the hoist side.The dragon depicted on the flag, Druk or the Thunder Dragon, represents Bhutan's local Tibetan name, The Land of the Dragon. The dragon grasps jewels, representing wealth, in its claws. The snarling mouth represents the strength of the male and female deities protecting the country. The white color stands for purity and loyaltyThe yellow field symbolizes the secular monarchy, while the orange represents the Buddhist religion.

The Black-necked Crane has an average height of 1.5 meters, weighs about 5.35kg. In Bhutan, the Black-necked Crane is also known as Thrung Thrung Karmo and is deeply revered as a heavenly bird (lhab-bja), which has harmoniously coexisted with the residents largely due to strong Buddhist beliefs

In Bhutan, events in the human and natural world turn on the same seasonal wheel, while the Buddhist belief in reincarnation links all of creation in a still bigger cycle .The Buddhist philosophy of re-incarnation places every living thing, from the humblest to the highest, in one chain of, birth, life and death. All life is part of this spiritual procession linking the souls of humans and animals together in the common purpose of achieving the ultimate goal of Nirvana. Compassion and good deeds to lower life forms speeds on the individuals' passage from this world to a higher plane in the next.

Black-necked cranes are thought to live as long as 80 years.According to tradition, the cranes will in the prescribed Buddhist manner circle the monastery three times on arrival in a clockwise direction as a mark of their devotion before finally landing in the center of the marsh. Here in Bhutan's Pobjika valley and Bumdaling valley, the cranes are protected. To kill a crane carries a sentence of life imprisonment. Ten percent of the world's black crane population winters here in Bhutan.

Phobjikha in Wangdue district and Bomdeling under Trashi Yangtse district are two major wintering sites of Black necked Cranes. Gyetsa in Bumthang and Khotokha in Wangdue are two other wintering habitat of the cranes. Every year the birds arrive on their wintering grounds between mid-October and early December and remain until March through mid- April.

When the cranes arrive, so the local people say, they appear in the sky above the valley, head for the Goemba and circle over the building, before coming into land in the marshy area of the valley floor. Again, when the cranes decide to leave, they gather together, then take off flying towards the Goemba again, circling the building once again before heading out of the valley to fly north to their breeding grounds.