PHOTO JOURNALA Glimpse into the
Happiest Country on Earth
The tiny landlocked kingdom of Bhutan is categorised as a “least developed country,”
but it is also known as one of the happiest nations in the world. How do they do it?
Bhutan is known as the land of happiness. However, it is not a country many people know about. Before we dive into the
details of my experience in Bhutan, I think it is important we go through some background info about the country.
People often mistake Bhutan for Tibet, which they border to the west. There are many similarities between the two places.
They were both very isolated from the outside world to maintain their unique ways of life, focusing on Buddhism as a national
identity. Bhutan’s official language, Dzongkha, is also actually a form of Tibetic language, utilising Tibetan alphabets!
However, there are major differences that set them completely apart. While they’re both located in the Himalayas, the
landscape of Tibet is largely harsh, dry, inhospitable for most people. Bhutan, with its lower altitude, is full of lush green
forests, valleys, and meadows. Culturally, what differs them is Bhutan’s policy of Gross National Happiness, initiated by former
ruler, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 2008. The country focuses more of its initiatives on preserving the family unit and the
landscape to maintain collective happiness. In fact, they prioritise GNH above GDP!
Going off of that, I believe people who knows about Bhutan believe that it is the happiest nation in the world. They
regularly rank as the happiest nation Asia while news media, articles, and social media often report about their unique outlook
of life. I can testify it is all true. I assure you that this is not a marketing ploy for Bhutan tourism. It is a conclusion I made
for myself through my experiences with the wonderful locals. With a population of just over 750,000, the Bhutanese show
no doubts towards foreigners and were extremely enthusiastic in showing me their country. I’ve seen that this is one of the
countries that see nature as their everlasting luxury (not the internet or TV). They embrace it like it is sacred to them but also
welcome those who visit with open arms. Bhutan is not perfect, no country is. However, I have to admit for the 10 days I was
there, I felt refreshed, it truly is a digital detox heaven. I would love to come to this unique country again, but not to stay here
for the rest of my life! As a millennial, I miss the city life, my Instagram, and most importantly my local food!Boys throwing darts to the far end of the horizon