
17/01/2025
valley
Bhutan's Haa valley has been listed as the 14th "best travel destination" for 2025 by BBC Travel.
"Almost completely isolated from the outside world for centuries, this erstwhile hermit kingdom nestled in the Himalayas only began welcoming foreigners in 1974. It's since become a global leader in sustainability: it's the world's first carbon-negative nation, more than 60% of its land is protected forest and it measures Gross National Happiness instead of GDP.
The Haa Valley, a pristine forested district along Bhutan's western frontier with Tibet, has long been the country's best-kept secret: a culturally distinct region still untouched by mass tourism. This forgotten corner of the Thunder Dragon Kingdom was the last district to open to foreigners in 2002, and today, fewer than 2% of international travellers visit, despite it being a yak's graze from Paro International Airport. It's now emerging from the shadows, balancing preservation with thoughtful development in its bid for more visitors.
Travellers can explore Haa's raw beauty through the newly restored 400km Trans Bhutan Trail; the freshly-added 11km Haa Panorama Trail (a revival of an ancient route); and the two-day Joy Bay Tsho Trek, which snakes through pastures, canopy forests and bamboo groves between the villages of Mochu and Youkha."
© BBC
BBC list of international destinations 👇
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250115-the-25-best-places-to-