"KEEP A LOOK OUT TO YOUR LEFT; you will spot Mt Everest," the pilot's voice reverberates in the Druk Air aircraft's dim-lit cabin. In between dozing on and off, as is my tradition when I'm in the air, I glimpse snowy peaks that appear to float above the clouds.
"Welcome to Bhutan!" Nawang, our guide, greets us when we reach Paro, extending a jar of warm caramel popcorn. Driving up the winding hill road, I notice the seamless uniformity of the buildings. Whether residential or commercial, all of them are in the same pagoda style of architecture— sloping roofs jutting out in upward curves with multicoloured wood frontages and small arched windows.
After nearly 25 minutes, the car stops in front of nothing, or so I think. There is no signage, imposing building or even a person in sight. But our driver, Sonam, informs us that we have arrived at our destination. We walk on pine needles into a forest that opens into the stone courtyard of the luxury Amankora Paro resort. People remark on the grandeur of the place and the immaculate beauty of the stone building while I marvel at its quiet charm.
PARO: THE DRAGON AND THE PEACE CIRCUIT
We sit on the patio outside the main dining area for dinner, where roaring bonfires take the bite out of the wind. Ancient mountains silhouetted against the dark sky watch over us.
Denne historien er fra August - September 2023-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August - September 2023-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Where History Meets Luxury
Murmurs Of The Past Echo Through The Corridors Of These Legendary Stays
LIFE AT THE TOP
WHILE THE GOVERNMENT READIES AMBITIOUS PLANS TO BOOST TOURISM IN THE REGION, SPITI LOCALS ARE GRAPPLING WITH CHALLENGES POSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND SCARCE RESOURCES
NO SCREENS NO PROBLEM
DOES TAKING A BREAK FROM YOUR PHONE OR COMPUTER GIVE YOU ANXIETY OR A RUSH OF JOY? AS MORE AND MORE INDIANS CHOOSE RELAXATION AS THEIR PRIMARY MOTIVATOR TO TRAVEL, HERE'S WHAT A DIGITAL DETOX HOLIDAY IN INDIA LOOKS LIKE
GREEN LIVING
SRINAGAR ATTRACTS HORDES OF tourists for its iconic Dal Lake, tree-lined boulevards and Mughal-era gardens resplendent with chinar trees. Now, both the \"Lake of Flowers\" and chinars are in a fight for survival as pollution from untreated sewage and unsupervised logging threatens their future.
DISCOVERING THE CAUCASIAN PEARL
BATUMI IS A GETAWAY FOR ALL SEASONS, IMPRESSING VISITORS WITH ITS QUAINT VIBE, CLASSIC ARCHITECTURE AND TRADITIONAL CUISINES
WHERE SKY MEETS SEA
ESPERANCE, ALONG THE REMOTE SOUTHERN COAST OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, IS A DESTINATION THAT REWARDS THOSE WILLING TO WANDER OFF THE BEATEN PATH
NEW FINDS IN AN ANCIENT CITY
WHILE THE GREEK ISLANDS STEAL THE LIMELIGHT, THERE'S MUCH TO.UNCOVER IN ATHENS, INCLUDING TOP-NOTCH STAYS AND LESSER-KNOWN STORIES FROM THE PAST
UNTAMED SATPURA
AN ENCHANTING BLEND OF LUXURY AND NATURE, JEHAN NUMA WILDERNESS IN CENTRAL INDIA IS WHERE ROYAL LEGACIES PROVIDE A GATEWAY TO CONSERVATION
THE JEWEL OF THE EAST
LONG BEFORE WES ANDERSON ROMANTICISED THE FICTIONAL GRAND BUDAPEST, THE GREAT EASTERN HOTEL IN KOLKATA INSPIRED NOVELS, FILMS AND OODLES OF NOSTALGIA
IN SEARCH OF THE BEST STAYS
MARK WONG OF SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLD TALKS QUIRKY STAYS, STRANGERS BECOMING FRIENDS, AND CHASING THE MOST UNIQUE EXPERIENCES ON HIS TRAVELS
