Bhutan 360

Year of the Tiger

Gelay — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:31:33 +0000

As we welcome the year of the Tiger, the new year is not about roaring celebration. It instead calls for more conservation actions. Among the 13 tiger range countries in the world, Bhutan, which is best known for its conservation policies, is launching postal stamps of tigers as a sign of commitment to the global effort [...]

Hornbills in Bhutan

Gelay — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:26:22 +0000

Bhutan’s forests provide a safe haven for the rufous-necked hornbill, a bird that is classified vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Birdlife International, according to a Thrumshingla National Park (TNP) officials. The hornbill, a big bird with an impressive curved bill and block-like casque on top of the head and bill, [...]

23,480 Tourists Visit Bhutan in 2009

Gelay — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:41:22 +0000

Tourist arrivals dropped by 15 percent in 2009 from the year before, prompting people in the industry to call it one of the worst slumps in recent years. Arrivals fell to 23,480 in 2009, compared to 27,636 tourists in 2008, a decrease of 4,156 tourists. Tourist arrivals have been increasing by 35 percent annually for the [...]

Tsholham – Traditional Bhutanese Boots

Keza — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:45:48 +0000

Back in 1600s, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel not only brought changes in the political system of Bhutan but also in the way people dressed, resulting in the tshoglham, being a part of our national dress code. Tsholham, loosing translated as Boots of Assembly, are traditional knee length boots worn by Bhutanese men especially during important ceremonial [...]

Bumthang

Gelay — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:40:22 +0000

The district of Bumthang is located in north-central Bhutan, and is comprised of 4 valleys: Chumey, Choekhor, Tang and Ura. Their altitudes vary from 2,600 metres (8,530 feet) to 4,000 metres (13,125 feet). Jakar in Choekor valley is the district capital. More than 66% of the district is covered with forests. Agriculture is practiced in the Choekhor [...]

Phajoding – An Endangered Cultural Monument

Gelay — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:25:51 +0000

The World Monument Fund (WMF) on Tuesday announced that Phajoding monastery in Thimphu has been enlisted as one of the five endangered cultural monuments that need most help in the world. The fund reported that Phajoding has been a regional centre for a spiritual tradition of solitary meditation for centuries. Now, as more trekkers than [...]