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Bhutan, one of the best holidays I have been



Hi Sangay!

Bhutan was fantastic and I was extremely sad to leave. As a person who travels frequently for leisure, this has been one of the best holidays I have been on so far! The country is really breathtakingly beautiful. Digital images do not do justice to its beauty. The scope and magnificence of its valleys and mountains are simply indescribable and must be experienced first-hand. And Bhutan seems to be doing everything right to maintain its natural beauty, culture and way of life.

As a single traveller, I was extremely pleased with the travel arrangements of having one guide and driver to myself. This eliminates the problems of having to compromise with other strangers in a group. I would also like to thank you Sangay, for your patience and assuring emails. Bhutan is a very remote destination but you manage to blend professionalism with a personal touch of friendliness to make me feel extremely welcomed to your country, even before I stepped foot into Bhutan!

While there is a set itinerary, I never felt restricted. I was even asked whether I wanted to have dinner outside of the hotel should I get bored with the food in the hotels. I did so twice, not because I was bored with the food but upon my guide's recommendation and I'm glad I did. The first time, I was surprised by a lovely dinner to celebrate my birthday, joined by a family group of friendly travellers who was on the same itinerary as I was. And the second time was dinner at a farmhouse (with the same group and their guide and driver) after a relaxing hot stone bath. It was my last dinner in Bhutan and it was befitting to end such a memorable trip in the company of new-found friends!

There were some early-morning departures, due to scheduled road blocks enroute (which thankfully, only happened once), the hike up Tiger's Nest Monastery and my early flight departure. But most of the time, it was a comfortable set-off time at 9am. I even managed to bargain for a later set-off time for Tiger's Nest Monastery by promising I would walk faster. And we managed to finish the hike in 4 hours in what would usually take an average of 5 hours.

I am missing my chilli and cheese! Bhutan managed to turn this meat-eater into one who finishes all his vegetables at every meal! After all, most, if not all, of the vegetables are organically grown and taste incredibly fresh and crunchy. I stayed a few nights at Uma Paro and the food and service were world-class. However, as I mentioned to my guide, the food may taste incredible and the service was excellent, I still missed the family-like warmth and hospitality and home-made hearty taste of the food from the three-star hotels in towns like Punakha, Trongsa, Bumthang and Gangtey.

The only problem I faced during this trip was hot water shortage (which was rectified the next day) at Rinchenling Lodge and the room at Dewachen in Gangtey which was extremely cold! Due to its remoteness and location near the crane reservation, it is understandable why Dewachen would not have electric heaters. However the fire stove at Rinchenling Lodge was twice the size of the one at Dewachen, even though the room at Rinchenling Lodge was half as small! If they were to swop fire stoves, it would have been perfect! Thank goodness they had hot water bottles at Dewachen! Don't get me wrong, Dewachen is a beautiful hotel in a very breathtaking location but a larger stove would made it perfect!

I have saved the best for last. Bhutan is beautiful in its landscape and people. But all these would not have made this trip so unforgettable if there was no one show me Bhutan's inner beauty, and to take such good care of me for the entire 10 days (and see me off at the airport in the early morning of Day 11)! A big thanks to Dorji and Khandu! Dorji not only tells me about the historical significance of all the sights, he adds in legends and stories, as well as insights to nature and the Bhutanese way of life (I was taught how to play a game similar to Animal Chess). He also arranged good rooms for me and made sure that I had my chilli and cheese, even when it was not on the menu! Thanks to him, I sampled cheese, nuts and rice crispies at the Farmers' Market, and also tasted sweet dried resin from the trees during the hike in Gangtey. Khandu's driving skills were fantastic. I really admired how he navigated those difficult mountain roads, while keeping his sense of humor! I really trusted him and felt very safe, and he always got us to where we were supposed to go on time. And thanks to these two, I had a very fantastic surprise birthday dinner! It was not big and flashy but the thought, sincerity and effort to planning it really warmed my heart and placed a big smile on my face!

It's already been two weeks but the memories are still fresh. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see such the natural beauty and the beauty of its people! Accommodation were all great and rooms were spacious and clean (most with fantastic views). I loved the food! And my guide and driver were simply wonderful. Thank you Bhutan for changing my life!

PS: I included a few photos. Everyone is showing photos of Tiger's Nest Monastery but I like the Burning Lake because of its story so I'm including it here. I also included a food shot so others may now what to expect. I also forgot to mention that Dorji mentioned you when I was there, and he said that your name, Sangay, means "Buddha" :) And is it possible to pass me Dorji's email address? I didn't manage to get it from him on the last day :(
 

  • Andrew Leong

    November 2014
  • From
    Singapore

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