It's how Disney would do ShangriLa

This we could have done without, but given that Druk Air has takendelivery of two more larger aircraft since then, it's a state ofaffairs that should be avoidable in future. By rights, in this "world gone mad", Bhutan shouldn't exist. Andyet it does. From a tourism point of view it is almost perfect: asafe, clean, fascinating, colourful, spiritual nation so verydifferent from the teeming madness of its neighbours, peopled by adevout population for whom doing good in this world is a guaranteeof advancement in the next. (And, personally, I reckon anyone whosenational dish is melted cheese mixed with headturning chilliesdeserves a fairer go next time out. It's how Disney would do ShangriLa. And, really, that's no badthing. Keith Austin travelled with the Imaginative Traveller. A13day fully escorted tour from Kathmandu to Bhutan and back costs$4335 (not including air fare to Kathmandu), plus a local paymentof $US400 (about $530). For full details phone 1300 135 088 or Destination Bhutan BACKGROUNDThere is no firm agreement on where the name Bhutan comes from, butto the locals their country has been Druk Yul (Land of the ThunderDragon) since the 13th century. They call themselves Drukpa. Thenational language is Dzongkha, but English is widely spoken andleads to wonderful cultural moments such as finding a householdcleaner called Colin and a tour company known Rosetta Stone Spain Spanish as Etho Metho. Population: about 700,000 in a mountainous, landlocked country300 kilometres long and 150 kilometres wide. Its highest point(7541 metres) is the Gangkhar Puensum peak on the Tibetanborder. Religion: Mahayana Buddhism. Money: the ngultrum (nu), which is divided into 100 chetrum ($1equals about 33.5 nu). The national flower is the blue poppy but by far the mostabundant is the rhododendron. More than 90 per cent of the population live on subsistencefarming, with rice as the staple diet in the lower regions andwheat, buckwheat, and maize in other valleys. There were no public hospitals or schools until the 1950s, andno paper currency, roads or electricity until after that. Bhutanhad no diplomatic relations with any other country until 1961, andthe first invited Western visitors arrived in 1974. In 1907, an assembly of the clergy, the official administrationand the people elected Gongsar Ugen Wangchuck as the firsthereditary king of Bhutan. He died in 1926 and was succeeded by hisson, Jigme Wangchuck, who ruled until 1952. It was the third king,Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who introduced the process of modernisation.Known as the father of modern Bhutan, he got it into the UnitedNations and other international organisations. In 1972, King JigmiSingye Wangchuck took over and became the youngest monarch in theworld. A large bronze statue of the Buddha is being built on themountainside above Thimphu, the capital, to celebrate the 100thanniversary of the monarchy in 2007. When finished it will be thelargest Buddha rupa in the world, at a height of 56 metres. GETTING THEREThe Royal Government of Bhutan requires that foreignvisitors travel with a prepaid itinerary through a Bhutanese tourcompany. The basic policy is that foreign tourists pay $US200(about $260) for each night in Bhutan. This is an allinclusive feefor food, accommodation, transport and guide services. Visas costextra. In 1997 only 5000 tourists visited the kingdom; this year thatfigure is expected to rise to 12,00015,000. HEALTHTap water is not safe to drink. Altitude sickness pillsmay be needed on some treks.

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