Approximately the size of Switzerland, the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan issues a limited number of visas each year and remains almost entirely unspoiled. Traditional clothes are often required for the inhabitants, new buildings are constructed in traditional styles, and the majority of the country’s 780,000 people are engaged in agriculture. The influence of Tibetan Buddhism makes itself apparent everywhere: Brightly colored prayer flags flutter in the breeze, and dramatic fortified monasteries (dzongs) dominate the idyllic scenery. Every valley offers sensational hiking. The roads are narrow and winding, but drives are endlessly fascinating.

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