Tiger's Nest Monastery

Tiger's Nest Monastery is one of the holiest places in Bhutan. Located several hours outside of Paro, Bhutan (the only city with an airport). Tiger's Nest Monastery stand on the edge of altitude of 3.000 feet. Can you imagine how it was built? how the materials were transported? how amazing this place. Unfortunately, entering this sacred building is forbidden for visitors. But you still can enjoy it and get rather close to the monastery to view it's beauty.

Several years ago, the monastery suffered a large fire,and much burned to the ground. Since then, the reconstruction effort has been immense so that this national symbol can regain to former glory.

Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Taktshang Goemba) was built several hundred years ago ( originally built in 1692 and reconstruction in 2004 after a devastating fire) on this sheer cliff face above the valley, and has remained intact (with the exception of the fire) ever since.


On monastery's side is lush green valley which equipped with red rhododendron blossoms, and in the steep hillsides is full of stately pines. But on top, all that you can see is the sensuous soft cotton wool mist that envelopes around you.

Bhutan ; showing after centuries of isolation

Bhutan, nestling in the heart of the great Himalaya, has for centuries remained aloof from the rest of the world. Since its doors were cautiously opened in 1974, visitors have been mesmerised with the environment that pristine, the scenery and architecture awesome and the people hospitable and charming.
Bhutan is a  Himalayan oasis which full of  pine and juniper-scented, algae and emerald green in every inch of the way. It is quite unlike the other hill stations that have sprouted all over the once verdant Himalayan slopes. The vegetation is denser and greener and it is also virgin - the tropical forest floor is piled high with foliage and dead leaves; the tree-canopy is near complete allowing only vertical shafts of sunlight to slice through; cobweb-like algae flutter like buntings in a birthday party; crickets chirp as if to compete with the full-throated calls of a myriad song birds. And then you spot the occasional red-robed monk hurrying on his way to evening prayer at the lamasery.

Landlocked Bhutan, the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon, is roughly the size of Switzerland. It is bounded on the north and northwest by Tibet, with India nudging its remaining borders. Virtually the entire country is mountainous, peaking at the 7554m (24,777ft) Kulha Gangri on the Tibetan border. North to south it features three geographic regions; the high Himalaya of the north, the hills and valleys of the centre, and the foothills and plains of the south. Its great rivers helped sculpt its geography and their enormous potential for hydropower has helped shape the economy.

Hidden away in the Himalayas Bhutan and its people have largely lived a life of isolation from the rest of the world. The Bhutanese have succeeded in maintaining their cultural and spiritual heritage and belief that they live in the last Shangri-La. Western values have little or no impact here in this land of culture and extreme charm which exudes a special feeling of serenity. The people are intensely religious, much in evidence even in urban centres the spinning of prayer wheels the murmur of mantras and the glow of butter lamps are still important features of daily life. Monasteries temples and religious monuments are dotted across the landscape bearing witness to the importance of Buddhism, while red robed monks, young and old, are everywhere mingling freely in towns and village markets.

Thanks to centuries of isolationism, its small population and topographical extremes, Bhutan's ecosystem is virtually intact, and boasts the most varied habitats and a rich array of animal and plant species. Under Bhutanese law, 60% of the kingdom will remain forested for all time. There is currently a remarkable 72% forest cover and an astonishing array of plants; more than 5500 species, including over 300 medicinal strains. There are 165 species of mammals, including many rare and endangered animals such as the golden langur, snow leopard and red panda. So far, 770 species of birds have been recorded, including the rare and endangered black-necked crane.

Despite the huge potential of its natural resources, Bhutan emerged as one of Asia's poorest countries, shunning the 'profit at all costs' mentality of the rest of the world. With one foot in the past and one in the future, it strolls confidently towards modernisation on its own terms.