It is considerably smaller than Nepal with an overall population of about 650,000 people. It is a monarchy with a newly elected king in November. He is Bhutan’s 5th king and his father, King Four (easier to say that then his name which I could neither spell nor pronounce!), decided to let 60% of the country remain in a natural state. This was so successful that now 80% of Bhutan is in its natural state which means that the wildlife and flora are simply outstanding!
Architecture is uniform and beautiful. All houses are of a similar style and there are NO western type buildings. Even the newest buildings retain the Bhutanese flavor. Streams are clear and the roads are paved. There is electricity 24/7, the food is good and the people are very friendly.
The main tourists attractions are religious and the great “dzongs” or monasteries, cling to hillsides or dominate the towns and cities. In Thimpu you have a wonderful art school where painting, sculpting, embroidery, sewing, metal working, and drawing are taught. This is a really remarkable place and the students learn while hundreds of tourists pass through their classrooms taking pictures and chattering. A truly remarkable place! In addition there is a great textile museum with a marvelous video and an exhibit of ancient to modern textiles, all hand woven. You can see weavers at work and also buy from their museum store (naturally). In Paro, where you land, there is not as much to see but here there is the great Takinsang Dzong which is reached after a 2 and a half hour climb. Once there you can be blessed by a monk and take remarkable pictures standing atop this high mountain aerie.
In writing this I am back in these places, but I have to add some of the drawbacks in visiting this beautiful country. The government regulates the number of tourists who enter the country and we ask that if you are going to go to Bhutan you give us and our representatives in Bhutan at least 3 to 4 weeks to obtain your Visa. You can access Bhutan from several airports. DRUK Air, Bhutan’s only airline and only airline into the country, flies daily out of Bangkok and twice a week from Delhi to Kathmandu to Paro.
The planes are new, AirBus 319, and extremely clean. Your trip into Bhutan must be paid in full at around $200USD a day or more, depending on what you choose to do.. That may seem high, but that price includes hotel, a car and driver, a guide and three meals a day, and also all entrance fees to monasteries and other places.Our representative in Bhutan provides excellent people and nice vehicles also. The other drawback is that you cannot pay with a credit card anywhere and there are no ATM machines to ease that difficulty. We spoke to the Minister of Tourism and he indicated they are working on it, but nothing yet. Lastly, immigration at the airport is slow and very frustrating. No computers and they take about 5 to 8 minutes per person. We spent 80 minutes in line and the flight from Kathmandu was only 55 minutes.
Land area: 38,394 square kilometers.
The Kingdom of Bhutan is a small sovereign country hidden in the Eastern Himalayan Mountains between the China to the north and the India in the south. The area of 38,394sq km with the longitude of 88, 45
In Bhutan you would experience the different types of climatic conditions, depending upon different altitudes and seasons. To the south it is hot and humid, while the up hills and Mountains towards the north are under perpetual snow. Rainfall can differ within relative short distance due to rain shadow effects. We do have four seasons which are Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The month of July and August is the heavy rainfall and Bhutanese believe that in September there will be a festival called Thrue (blessed rainy day), the rainy season ends. Spring and autumn is great seasons to travel tourist in the kingdom of Bhutan. In winter the temperature drops down to minus because of snowfalls. Days are normally hot and night are cold.
The ancient history of Bhutan is in mystery. Most documents were either lost or distroyed in devastating earthquakes and fire. Whatever documented evidence that has survived in some of its Dzongs confirms the establishment of a Dual System of Government by the Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel who unified the country under the Drukpa School of Mahayana Buddhism. Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel passed away in the 17th century. Although his death was kept secret for many years, Bhutan entered into a period of conflict and turmoil for the next couple of centuries. The 
The Bhutanese are a peace loving and god-fearing people who consistently imbibe the values of Buddhism into their everyday lives. Adherence to the fundamental principals of Buddhist philosophy like non-violence and compassion towards all sentient beings is firmly instilled in Bhutanese. Prayer flags fluttering in the wind, chortens (stupas), monasteries and twirling prayer wheels are a very common sight, sending the prayers through prayer flags and keeping up an unvarying communication with heaven.
Over 70 % of the population lead an agrarian life style. The people know of real peace, unhampered by the fast life that marks modernity.
Bhutan is the only country in the world that practices the religion of Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism today. It was in the 8th century AD that Guru Padma Sambhava introduced Buddhism to the country.
Bhutan has a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Blessed with unparalleled scenic beauty of majestic snow capped peaks, lush valleys and large zone of virgin forest, Bhutan is home to numerous rare and endangered species of wildlife such as the blue sheep, musk deer, red panda, snow leopard, black bear, golden langur and the unique Takin, the national animal of Bhutan. The endangered Black Necked Cranes also migrate to Bhutan from Central Asia during the winter.
