My favorite question to ask strangers and people that I know well is if you could travel anywhere in the world, cost of no concern, where would you like to go and what would you want to do? This question can reveal a lot about a person, as I learned when I posed it to a classmate a couple of years ago. He wanted to go somewhere warm and tropical, wake up at eleven in the morning, spend the whole day at the beach, and repeat. I looked at him in shock. Don’t get me wrong, I love the beach and warm weather, but to spend your whole day at the beach, (which isn’t really even a whole day if you get up at eleven in the morning), would get boring after three days for me. Where is the sightseeing? The hikes? Trying new food?
To give a little bit of context, the vacations I am used to are jam-packed with activities. By dinner time, I have walked 25,000 steps and am ready to hit the haystacks at nine o’clock. This routine is a little extreme, I will be the first to admit that having ventured on multiple vacations where every day is like this. However, I do like to keep busy while on the road, I think it adds an element of adventure.
And so, I present you with the answer to my own question. If I could travel anywhere in the world I would take a trip to Bhutan.
Why Bhutan you might ask? As a self-proclaimed tree hugger, I was highly intrigued by Bhutan’s title as the world’s first carbon-negative country on Earth. This means that Bhutan absorbs more CO2 than it emits. In fact, a clause exists in the country’s constitution stating that at least sixty percent of the land must remain forested. If you would like to learn more about Bhutan’s commitment to carbon negativity, I would highly recommend watching this Ted Talk given by Former Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.
As for where I would actually like to visit, number one on the list is Paro Taktsang, more commonly known as Tiger’s Nest Monastery. From the town of Paro, Tiger’s Nest is a 2-hour long hike including more than 2,6000 feet of vertical elevation, but the hike is well worth it to visit one of the holiest locations in Bhutan! Tiger’s Nest was constructed in 1692 (although it has undergone several renovations since then), located near the caves where Guru Rinpoche first meditated, which sparked the spread of Buddhism around the country. Tiger’s Nest continues to function as a monastery.
Next up would be the town of Punakha. Nestled on the banks of the rivers Mo and Pho, Punakha is also the home of Punakha Dzong, a 17th-century fortress that served as the meeting place of the First National Assembly in 1953. Punakha is also the location of the annual Punakha Tshechu festival, a religious festival characterized by masked dances and traditional music. Definitely a cultural event worth planning a trip around.
To round out my list, I must include a hike through the Mountain of Jomolhari. Although it is not the tallest peak in the country, it is the most widely traversed by tourists, and can thus balance my need for adventure and creature comforts. Apart from the breathtaking natural landscape, I gather that wild yaks can be spotted along the hiking trails. If that isn’t a reason to visit Bhutan, I don’t know what is.
That’s my location of choice. What’s yours?
Hi Willow! I loved reading this blog post. Like you, traveling is something I enjoy and hope to do a lot more in the future. I’m more of the adventurous type- I would rather explore than relax on vacation. One of the top places on my bucket list is Italy. My dream would be to take a two week trip and visit Rome, Bologna, Venice, Florence, and Milan. I love learning about ancient Rome, history is something that really intrigues me. Seeing all those historic buildings and structures in person would be surreal. I have heard from many people how beautiful Italy is and I am determined to visit at some point in my life. Your destination looks right up my alley as well. I would love to see the town of Punakha, even just from the pictures you posted it looks absolutely stunning. I want to experience a bunch of different lifestyles and see different cities all over the world. Traveling is a privilege so I hope I will be able to afford all the traveling I plan to do when I’m older. Thanks for sharing your ideal travel destination. Great job, Willow!
LOVE this post! I want to go to Bhutan now.
Hey Willow,
Thank you so much for providing me with a tiny escape from the mundanity of schoolwork with this blog! I loved all of your descriptions of Bhutan and its attractions. Even though I have very much become a stay at home type person over the course of the last two years, I’ve been romanticizing travel lately and this put me in such a good mood. Bhutan seems like such a unique destination, definitely “road less traveled” vibes, and I think that says a lot about you. Hopefully you’ll get to go in the near future!
For me personally, my current dream destination is St. Petersburg, Russia. It is the educational and cultural capital of Russia, and I’ve always wanted to visit the Hermitage art museum. I’ve always been fascinated by Russian culture and language, and I really think there’s a value in immersing yourself with no safety nets into a new culture. Very little people speak English in Russia, and I think if I were able to visit and explore, I would be able to challenge my worldly perspectives on what it means to be an American and so forth. Anyways, here’s to dreaming of the places we’ll go 🙂
Ella
Willow! I loved reading this blog post, and it actually made me so nostalgic. It made me think of the first time we ever hung out together outside of school and we planned out the hypotheticals of what we’d do when we inevitably traveled somewhere outside of the states together.
Like you, my travels come with a pretty jam-packed itinerary, courtesy of my dad! He’s definitely the organized planner for these trips, although he’s slowly (but surely) initiating me into doing the same thing.
25,000 steps, though????? Girl I gotta say I’m impressed, because just hitting the halfway mark on that for me always kills me a little on vacations. I think the only way I’d get that many steps in is if I took a midway break for a nap in my hotel room.
Bhutan sounds absolutely GORGEOUS and that two-hour hike, despite being rather daunting, would be pretty manageable if one were equipped with the proper sustenance. Portable Gerty B. locker, anyone?
Hi Willow,
I didn’t know anything about Bhutan before reading this, so this was a very informative blog for me. I had no idea any country on Earth was carbon negative, that concept seems so cool and the fact that forests are protected in their constitution is really admirable. The Tiger’s Nest looks extremely fascinating, almost like it’s out of a movie. The monastery itself looks beautiful, and I’m sure the location would make the hike very pleasant. The Punakha Dzong also looks quite interesting. I’m always a fan of older architecture, and from the pictures you included the buildings look quite interesting. Thinking about my own ideal vacation, I think it would be a balance of the two perspectives you shared. I am a fan of warm weather and beaches, but I agree that some activities are necessary to keep things exciting. Maybe somewhere on the coast, with plenty of activities like hiking and cities to explore further inland. I don’t have a specific place in mind, but after reading your blog I’m excited to start exploring.
Hi Willow!
Bhutan sounds absolutely amazing and I can totally see why you want to visit there so badly. I found it so interesting that it consumes more CO2 than it emits as well! I know that we are having a huge problem with pollution and protecting our environment nowadays, so it is great to hear that some places are making a huge effort to help the earth. I also LOVE to hike and go on adventures, so Bhutan sounds amazing as a super long vacation. As for your question at the end, however, I feel that if I were to visit any place in the world, it would be Paris. Basic right? I have wanted to visit Paris since I was a little girl and the thought of it has not gotten any less exciting. The food, the music, the art, the architecture, everything sounds so amazing. I would especially love to try all of the food, including the amazing pastries that Paris seems so famous for. In all, I really loved your blog and its uniqueness! I have never even heard of Bhutan before reading your post, so I found it really interesting and I’m so glad I know about the beautiful place you described in your blog!