Grade-A Golf Academies

I AY 2OO5

lilllttruil ililtil
s-.99 L.S. 59.99CAN rallrc Do r t . c o m
lEtta ?gtltcaltoi l ffica

'''.:

Magict

ngOom
BY S C OTT GOE TZ

After centuries of culturql isolotion, the Hirnoloyon ncrtion of Bhuton is opening its doors to the outside world. But only those who contribute to the country's coffers-snd contentmsnf-s7s invited to visit this mysticollond of teschus, Tcntric Buddhisrn, ond flyins tigers.

Magic Kingdorn

To controlthe number-and qpe-of visitors, Bhutancharges eachtourista minimum dailyfee of 9200 and requires that he utilizethe services a localsuide. of

Sh ielded geogr ap h i c a l l yb y rh e Himalayas ud culrurally by a rradirionalist monarchr Bhuten has re ma ined m os r ly u n a ffe c te d b y Wstern influenc.. Daily life in the country, which is slighdy larger thu Switzrland,ha chuged lirde over rlrc centuries: Farmeis work 6elds with scythes and oxen; fesrial panicipants and atrendd wed muhicoloEd, curled+oe shoB nearly identicat ro th l3thcentury pan on dnpLy at the N:rional Museurn in pN. Ou*iders first discoveredBhutan with the advenr of modrn rourisrn in the 1950r. Howevea rhn King Jigme Dodi wangchuck. awrc of how $s a-&y backp.ckd uere nampling over Nepal, decided he did noi want "soulss Western6" tnveKing Bhutd's sacrcdmomtaini Tlle nnei closed his coDtryl bodcB in 1961, bur 11 )s leter hjr son, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, inlerired the position of Dtrh Cyalpo,ot DnA6 l(jng. Although he mintained h; father's disrrust of the ourside mrld, Singye Wangshuck

bliwed dlat tournm could boLrd rhe countryl limited conony. ln 1974, he rcopened Bhuran's bordeB, alowing limited access foreigners and to embarking on a 30-yed plrn ro daelop the counrry! rourism industrla Today, three decades leter, Singye Wangchuck remains in power. and hi! plu seems finally to be taking shape.The Bhut n6e government has sel ecred tw o of the w orl dl mosr esteemed hotel chains, Singpore-basd Amantesorts an.l Como Hotels .nd Resorh, to help develop a rourisn inbrsoL,ctureend .o build rhe .ounnv\ 6tlr foreign-run hotelsOoth of which openedlasrsumer).The choice oa th6e rwo comp.nies reflectswangshuckt sthtegy ofSener.ting maximum tourism rwenue &om a minimat Nmber of rouiists. To control the number -and rvDe-of visirou, Bhuts charge.. each rouri,r a mirumum da y fee of$200 and requires that he urilize the services ofa locat guide. A visitor also must book his passige irher dirccdy

G.- nrmpocfr.' rh! *cond r.@ta'jonoJBtnaha, tth.u6.a ro he j"*.,odrd d riss. to,ubdu d d.N at th2,iE oJ.rlgd's Nat Morct ry (rop ard p6'ro6 iprc.d). Tefthu Etrsro*tediw& (dlo*) orbr r.nrnc Bdd,rir.! in rn i. q*r,to, rcircdturio'

,\lcgic Kingdom

ttrs.rib?d $fth hcsos.s rsM{lt arurdni

tor r^e sod1, prur..Jldar iin rrri\ ( ov, or(r rh" ,lur^ins Ldrie, rirh, .nd oi,pr r<nrri. sun6Drr rlnds.npe, nhi.fi rnc5.trom rh Dud^ prqin in rtr. ynrl rr.:r,00{r_foor ,rin{(nrn Dp(k\ in rh. nodrr.

b.!.rn i l l { \i ng.rN c tel e\ni or rr t,rcrrcr w ri .e ontv nv. ve.!\ .'so). ird eren dr. .rplr.,l orThxnpbu (pofut.l r' or + 8.l 1rrr) .\,per^ nrorcl i ke.n, ordgro\,,.ounrrY i l lJ{e dr.!, J nrodenr.inl Thc nr{orrr! ol l l hurrn\ potul i .. prr.n(cr' Lrft1. U oddhrn,..r rD \sri ..,l rdneN l r,rr rnd \cxui l rbrnr of Ll ud dhM, th.,r \\r\ io.or1u..d b\ T,betins !r rhe l i dr ..ntlrr!. rrd dre rel i ri o,)\ \v.rbo1\pervr(]cdr. L,nl \c,rp.. t,n\cr \ l recl \ l Jcf. \ri .fi n{ \tru.rrr.\ rhi t .,.e\.ri dro tul c.A e t lt o n h oN Nell t hc s o \L ,n n ,e .r p ro rd ts J re .n rh rrc. D rc* .r' :cs the tods shc,r h,rD .d !t Lrcl o\r tc,i t,l l \ c ro $j e.tn r.'l | oD.t r l . , { lc ir c n \tu ,n ,,e n rrb r 1 r\ri .z e n \. ti r ..,r i, n) cn\urf ., { o.ri furl oN ol fo\i rtrc $ooqht.. l ,r.rvtr t nh u rc ro t l, c ( lNH. W .tri g .h u ( b .s .d th u t.r,\ l o u rA , )r 0.,9\ i l l f i ;on, k tol .: o,, h,sh trr)u.t.,,n frscs, T.,,,..i . n rd u n rvo n dr c pn. . it l. o f { \r.u n ,,L ri l i r! c rtrn o n n ,c rf ut, Ir .r^e,l i D ft,$.r1l rd hl tl \ntc\.,rD th.,th^c\. d ' ,' .' nn.' \ $ .i .,1 ,rn d . . o, , o, . r , r n do ,,l r .o ,n p ,n )1 $ ,.r .n l l r.r( l (, d t' t.,.,.,.,,,. I.1, .,' ,... t h i \ rrrm . r . h ( \ n( h is (l o rn o .,n d An rl j re \o rrr I. b,rL, (r.l ' sntrtri l .rl vrl \l h.nj r l ;o]r thf i dc, oi hor\.\ .,ll(^!ednr prdc,ptrrc n) kfcf d.,,r),,\ .rl bi \. W.,n g. hu. k i gt r c \ (r . e n r r.o trl . o re :l J h \\,.rl l \ r,)J I!r.d by nr. f!u,rr_!\ Tr)fi . .rkurc .n!i H ,nr,rt.r!.u .ukuill\r hi\ knrsdotr) I lrnd $qd) prc\erL's Ir(r.r rerrrr.,r,,c.n,ng,tr,,,,bcAofW ctr.rD (h.nc n.,r.l i rs r() nrg l i o D) r he $r c lr . r r r's { b ro ti c rl l h .h I,l .i n o ,, i r\ g IJl i utr,) hof,.g o i , , nhuntri n S h!)sri 1., Thci r e\pc n,u th crn bor der $, r h l n J i r n ) rh . 1 1 ,1 )l r1 rro r h l s h ri r(n..s.l xN cv$. r,c oi i e,ri d l n)nrtcrri .r T(nl er t:.rt1rk\ nxmtxi n r ops ! , dr t norrh , B h u rD i s p c ,h .l } \ (1 ,. r)o { n, l Jhut.,,r r 1,!cri t.n.\ .ne .\.cpt j . hor.l \.i oo,t \ t,Jrrhe r d s e o si ,p h ic r llv Dd c linr i ri c rl l v rv c rc c o u rr" i o , rs rz e. n,ostp.rft.,h\\nll, rhe taul !D.11otberct nlt (r vNr.r(r\Ap p ro x,n i. r r eh llo0. 1) r )p) o p [.c s i d . !r U h u n r h y h 1 .l , \.cnr.d D U t rh.rrl (,..,1\.h.w .nxl spi r 1,).e\\.,nrh) r\ i tuj

wlth one otdr. tti) Es\rer.d rour oter.trorsin LihlrJr or throush rD rfil'rte.l orcrlror rbro.kl The lJhut!, sovernnNrr\ \elertile Jpro.r.h n, t(tr,rn.r , \ n ro ti v ar c d nr or i' r h rn i l s ..n (o r..n )j . L J r l i n ri rj fg b\ a..e$.s!)g!c \t/:u,gchuckhope\ r, tr.{r\ sh.r ht .,rlh t he .o u Dir ! \ " ( ; r c s Nilio m l H rp p n re s , i r.,,n h e .o n ,c d ( ) d cvri L r c ! s nn, r ir l l b u n n n , u h i d r d r( (o n rc n n n r.( his oi the peoflc s p!tunr)unr.Il\ nn el .r.anrtus d,c m..s

Mogic Kingdom

Gunsdr r[. nd Atunloro pay $,,ooo p.r nishr tuic rAeannu'l per c.pno in.om in Btru.on ro {ay in steL tuo_reon lu es (ahow), The rsorr (belN) prerides srid.. ondJou'-p[l-d;w !ehi.t.sJor aptorins rtr. sumundins pdro sirsr vdll?v

the air, and navigrting the counrry s a frustnting and,ir nn1es, harrc$ing experience. The main erst-tr'esrroad through Bhuun traveses a serics of vrlleys and prec'p,rous trrouurl pases. Frequendy,when triveling rhe rourc,rou can seeyour destr nation in rhe valleybelow (no suardraits block rhc viesJ, but because rc.ds are so circuitous, full da1 nnr pas the a before vou arrive.M.sive Indian rransportand consrruc tion trucks honk to prevenrcollrions arcund every other bend.and driverss\\eNe constanrlv avoid road workers, to Bhuant pooresrcirizeDs,whosnDsh.ocks inro graveland live on the sides ofrhe road. Trekkins in Bhtrran.a prtrnarv purpose behind turnv focigners'vis'ts,.lso can be unduly dilficulr.In the rivervaley tolvn ofw.ngdue PhodnDg,I encounrere.r fftxr r birren,suDburned group ofrraveletswho hadjrsr finishcd rhe 21-daySnolvn nTrek in 28 days. Rainsrotms dunrped mercile$l,v rheDr. oD and rhey ftnraiDed\rer for lhe dum tiod of their journqr Another couple I mei relaved horc storiesof a rhree-dayrrek thdt had no prths and rcquird lv$t-deep river crcssns 4(ldcsrce lrezrhe. in Dinins h Bhrran can be equally uDsetrlins. s.ater A brtter-boil cookDs merhod seensrhe sr2ndand e\eryfor thi.s h n\e ubiquitousbufers,vhich otrei lirde more rhan cubed pork tat Mrh rice or dried .hilies and )k cheere. Becausekjllins a live creature n counrer ro Bhuranese belie6, residentseilist , non-Buddhst to do the dirry work or have the nleat delivered by nuck aiong the slowi hor rc.d lionr India.Beans, por"roes, fernscorstitute the vcgeta and bles in the Bhuhnesediet.and burre. wine Snin atcohol rDd butterfatnixed and heated n rhe driDk ofchoice.

Magic Kingdom

outsid. dnd in, tA ne 2o-mon, nhc{ittd

Utu poro psorr bt.nd, strur.na.

arcAir.cruru yftA confemporor} sry!,

Most horels and guesrhouses Bhutan f:ll similarly in shon of modem st ndar&, bur the new prcperties fron An Jn rcso r r J nd Com o ha v erm p d e d th s .rru rn o n c o n \ sider.bly.(Both hotels offer accommodations and amemties comparable ro those of rbe chainC orhe. toc,tions thrcughout Asia and elsewhere.) Each .onpany, however. faced sevenl obstacles building irs Bhuran resort.The in derelopers had ro rruck io everyrhins-fron lisht fixrures ro windows, rerr.zzo tiles ro rubs,plumbing to linensover the reacherous .oads trom India. Linired food resources iequi.ed rhat rh* chefs plant gardeDs rest to which vegetables and herbs would survive in the hish ,hitude soil. But pethapsthe tuost challenging rask was assenblingrhe hotels'srafi!.Thecompanies had to reduir from an unt.ained pool of workes: Bartenden knew nothing of mixing drinks, and most of rhe housekeepcN hrd n e ve ru r d a v / . uum ( l e a n e o r n a d . r b e d r The challenges taced by Anuresorn itrd Como make t he re su l t s of r heir ef f o rts a l l th e n o re i h p re s y v e . Anunlora, where a suitel nishdy rare (g1,000)is rwice the annualper c.pir. income in Bhutan,is a sleeK, mooern resortthar blendsiD beaurifullywith its runl surundings in tbe Parc Rivervalley.On rhe opposneend ofthe valley, the splendidUma Parc fe.ruresvilas. sratred wirh buttes, that begin at 9900 a nighr during rhe high season. Borh chainsare dvelopinsaddirionalproperries rhe coun.ry: iD Um. is building closero Paroin rhe Haavaley,whichjusr tcendy opeDedro rou.ism, and Amanresorrs close ro is conplering 6ve addnional hotels rhat will cux,pose a oos counrry network for travelers who wrnt a full Bhutan experince wirhour rhe herdship.

Paro, where nost visitors besin rhei. journeys after aRiving fton Bangkok, presents an awesome Hinjalayan panoDni.The cjry of60,000 sp.awtsthroughour e wide vrlley Famed by snowcappedpeakr Md bisectedby e bottlegreen drer tnveBed by swinging tope bridges. It also is home to the .ounrryt tuost recogtizablereligious lend_ rurk,Tiseri Nesr Monasternwhich clingsto the edgeof a clirhish aboverown. Tiget's Nesr is sacredro rhe tshutanesebeeaurer r wher the secondincarnarion oftsuddha,Gutu Rimpoche, is believed to have arived on , flying rigre$ to subdue a rerorizing demon. Such negi.al telesare a haltmark ot the counhy s Tanric religion, a form of Buddhnm th.r origidated in lDdie as early as rhe fourrh cenrury_Trnrric Buddbnn differs from other seds in rhrt ir streses the unjr' of body. mind, rnd speech,and enbraces human sensuality ,s a path rowrd eDiightenmetrt. Bhuran r rhe only country in rhe world in which Tanrric Buddhisn r the oficiJ religion, and rhe Bhtrtansevarjery of rhe beliefsystemintegntes legendr.demons, masks, and other eleDrenBliom Bon, rhe prima.y retigion iD rhe Himal,y,s before Buddhisnt arrival. B hurani nrrnv r.s,h,, -h(td rhroughourrhe yerr rn PJo. Bum(hJng.rnd el.ewhrre pro!ide rhe cte/rc{ wrndow onto thn Tantric Buddhnt .ulture. Hetd ar one ofthe sreat l.:otr$, mammoth old fo.reses rh,t becane nonas teries when Buddhism svept the land, rhe &!/,!r codsist of two or more days of danc6 perfo.med by masked tuonks. The fe,rivzl. ,F Lelrbmnon' ofLfe. death.rnd tle .a,rirrg out ofevil, and specraron who witnds ,t ofrhese dances in !Ie,r liferime Jre srd (o die srlh rhe nrtigalonJt .kiu\

: : i I

\ l,rgic Aingdom

J:...1..1i. their qucsr lbr reur.trrnirioo. My tdr guide. ,,,,n.\!'. ..n\ th!\c d!).ej .s re.iiou\.\(r Dece$rr{ rnuik :..,J,r r ( , r ' - o1. 1 peoplc (!v h o rrc frc n tD u b l v .l { x e , nl .r,:.'r[i.g on then rci')crn)rhonJ{N! cvr, \o he td)k ne i'.,r)rJ rhe tenr e ro rn rllev \\,herci ctoi!.J rnno\ rerc ::.\ri l .d T hc r c . r he p e o p l c d ri rk b e t.. s rD rtrl e da n d , ' r i. . ' r r t . ' ._. r l I" u .,.l \. r' r rl .,r. 'r Th..mmdcs of r)! nN suid. ud bi\ iellow blck .nt(,v i L. ( 1, . , Ul-,,,.' ,' . r..,.i o ,,,,.,, r' !i .r. rr,) .i l,^,,,,r nrne ofirs grip (n, th. so.ir'$.Dut rhe ]thur.nr.s. ,ri n,ll botrnd bv rrid'ftnr.,l TiDrri. belie(, rDd rl,c rcti ' : i, ir ' , h1 . , , ' J . . fr, u U o r. r/,r.,,,' fr( o r .r!,\ ' .ln lirl A smtueof(luru llnnpo.he rtTi{.i\ Ncst on.e rI l,).rt.d ur Thnnphui onc drv rt :skcd ro bc noverl t,

dt cli0:t<,pn,onaste* Atier thc birth of nrv (our rlrrtei brcdrer,who i\ i high hnn nr llhurlnlj religx$ hi$M.h! l n.&by rNd tLrncd to n,ilk and r nrrboN rosc over hr r-anrilti housc (Thc tunily lird lci.od rhit hc wN the r.!'cfuhon of'lirtdr Pcnri LtrUpi, o.e ofTanff1. Bud dhis,ni nrosr lDporrrnt hnrrs, who l:]l\r liv.d !r the hr. 15th rDd c.rl_vlfth .enruri$.)The \rri .\ists !r uhunn. aDd drisur\ r,,n,l sreeDc.ts phy n) $ild nurljumtr rjelds. drenx,unIai ns.Dul l evs d Sr,$e lUangchrck, Drrgon KDg, hopcsto nrrxlucc the vs'tor\ kr rhis r)!g1.xl l.nd xnd. .onsequ.nrh hs people!o the ouisid. $or1.l. H$ chaleogerull bc ro do n) $rlhour drnnrs a\\'iv Bhut ni \cris lod .lr.goDs, rvnhourdnnlr nd nLnrs dre dennnr slayiDg \,vrnrol\ofT.n)iric BuddhNnr tr

ThrxKNtc ro BHUTAN

cETTING

To-,n.t

t.lcling i r n o s im p l.

isort. which bcane rh. 66t foreign-run vhcn horl in Bhutan it opend in June 2004, f..tur.s vood-paneled, tvoroon gdest .ccoE modl ti onr in Amd s rt"ic.l sleek, dxtned

wit ht n-Bh u t : n m.tter. u.ls lirm

you .ie eDrering

Indi, or Ncp.l, you hav ro airlin..

conne.t ro rh n.tiorll Drux An {9vv-druk

ii.on.b0,

B.ngkok vi, Ev. Air (wNw 'n .evaair.con) or ath. jn.e.natton.l .rrricrin ..Llition Once in Bhntrn. ro utiopcr._

A si .-modern influmcd ditionrl

rtyte. B hutrn h,

amenirics in.lde ,(rr,ri rood

*oves,

ltze th kflicer to^.

to p.yin8 $200 per day in f.s, tou c rcqrircd of ode of th. coun.F/s 30 Egn@E.l luu Desrin,lionr a Adv.nru4 mrkr with, ad

I,or Ang.leFb.ied

International vel'-comeded

(1t00,6s9.4s99,wwwd.iravl.con)

Iocal Baide (r rlative of tn. my.l fmily ho.) to oF.r cu{on niF thar ce in.hiG H.. V.Iy. IionGrcw tolin6 Tigrl N* seah ar i.r.r6, Mon.$ery,

bdhr

of a hish bi}ing in th

noMoin

prryr d.gs placd on the pilows d nisht, d.r dGstlh batl,mb.s derign.d to r.scmbb tn. tradition.l ourfis worn 6y Bhut.n.se mn. Ahalloh hs 1 f,eet of aouFwi..l-d:ivc veli.t6 ed guides to escoit you rrcund the rcgion. By mid-2005, 6ve addition.l An.nkoras will open to c..li. . n.twork rhrcughout Bhtrt.n, (Frcm !r,000 p.r ni&hr) RaT.

visib to the oftenJff.d{G and priv.r me.tings with

Uma Paro
sh HrcH oN r HrrL ov.rl@king th P.rc turr valt.y. rhe 2o-tuom, Bhutan.se shibcture .nd Reb.h nin-witl. Um. P.rc crc.. melds Fadition.l *yle

Pao. in w.(ern tors to the counEt ,nd Uha hotels Pam,Iie

'he nv luuy .t oppodte cnds of the p.s Th cityr M

Bhdrn, rcrer Jr

br$ cJnp aor nori q!hoeL, Ammkor. Rivrv.t.y. (AmrnFuri Barh an.t

wi.h th contmpor:ry prcperties. Comq *hich

of otner Como Hotetr

hav sister proper.i6

in T1'ail.n.t

Metupolitr)

.nd ofer pE- o' po*-Bhud

prh.gs.

is oMd by Sins.poran a^hion nrgne Cbistina Ong. designed Um1 parc ar . ddti,ztion ,pa fertuing Asian thr.pie3 and o.g.nic Indi2n clijne Ghc be* aood in BhutD). but the reFr. ds kns 6 . 6ne jtrnping-oE x.usions poinr ao. hikinA. modnrain biking, rnd ferirl wirh pri%te dnveK in the to !h

Lb and xpmsiE rhii 24 s t r n e p r o p e r t y fiom Aernr$r6 hlends wI with the wid&apcn

*o,.

.oury.rdi h o te l ch .in of plro T!

ud

g!i.les. Nxr ye.r, Cono .nd vill ofer

will op.tr m Uma pbperiy ftk f.om m. +.c. hot.l

Sin g a p a r - b $ d spr6

Haa V.lley

thle-day

other. (Fron !2s0 p.r nigho *Tv.um...on0bz