Bhutan, a Buddhist country, has been known as the happiest place on earth and is a beautiful country practicing sustainable tourism (I.e. you can’t just show up there.) It’s a great destination for outdoor adventures, including hiking and cycling. Here is the Taktsang Goemba, or the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, built into a steep cliff and a sacred Buddhist site; Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park offers wildlife and bird watching; the notable Zuri Dzong trail, and other sites. In the capital, Thimphu, there is now one trafific light. Gangtey is a beautiful valley and known for the sacred and endangered black neck cranes. There are a number of colorful festivals held in Bhutan, lasting three to five days, and it’s ideal to visit to witness one.

In spite of incursions by China into its spiritual lifestyles, Tibet remains a deeply spiritual place to visit, with its own distinctive culture and traditions. It is a place to escape from the trials and tribulations of modern life, at the rooftop of the world, and where the Potala Palace dominates the Lhasa skyline. Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of the Tibetan people, is an architectural masterpiece.