​Happiness is…… a smile, a ray of sunshine, a hug, being with loved ones. Happiness is a state of mind meaning different things to different people. And happiness is travel, the discovery of new adventures unfolding cultures bathed in rich backdrops accompanied by unique sights and sounds.

​Happiness is…… a smile, a ray of sunshine, a hug, being with loved ones. Happiness is a state of mind meaning different things to different people. And happiness is travel, the discovery of new adventures unfolding cultures bathed in rich backdrops accompanied by unique sights and sounds.

Far away and high in the clouds there lies a Land of Happiness - really - where the wealth of the country is measured by happiness. Squeezed between its mighty neighbours of China and India is the tiny kingdom of Bhutan. This remote place sits peacefully and snuggly amongst the majestic amphitheatre of the Himalayas where it cuddles culture and exploits adventure in its unspoilt and unexplored environment.

Happiness and harmony weave through the land's rich and colourful culture expressed through traditional festivals and acrobatic mask dance performances which celebrate the kingdom's independence and sovereignty.

The kingdom's elevated, natural surroundings are often draped in transparent mist and oxygenated in unpolluted air. Dramatic, mysterious and breath-taking.Monasteries clinging to the cliff edge, glacier-fed rivers carving routes through deep mountain valleys dressed in lush aromatic forests. The ideal terrain for hiking, trekking, kayaking and mountain biking activities.With over 670 species of birds recorded, this is also a favoured destination for bird lovers and ornithologists.

Stemming from its Buddhist tradition, Bhutan inherited the title of a spiritual and happy destination. Back in the eighth century, the tantric master guru Rinpoche brought Buddhism to Bhutan. Many others masters followed resulting in a plethora of monasteries, temples and holy sites. Bhutan is often quoted as being one of the most blessed places to visit and is the last existing Mahayana Kingdom in the world.

Healthy, healing and holy. The kingdom is dotted with wellbeing retreats and therapeutic, mineral-laden hot springs. The Gasa Hot Spring is in the west, Dhur Hotel Spring in the centre and Dhuenmang in the south are highly revered medicinal waters and believed to cure many ailments. Traditional Bhutanese medicine is based on Sowa Rigpa, known as the Amchi system of medicine which is one of the oldest and well documented medical traditions of the world.

Bhutan is a recognised wellbeing escape, where happiness is measured and rooted in Gross National Happiness (GNH). This grandiose term is defined as a holistic and sustainable approach which balances material and non-material values with the conviction that each one of us searches for happiness. GNH confronts global, national and individual challenges by pointing to the non-material roots of wellbeing, offering ways to balance and satisfy needs within the limits of what nature can provide.

Almost cut off for centuries, Bhutan unlocked its doors to foreign visitors in 1974 and today fiercely guard its ancient traditions by controlling tourism numbers to maintains its beauty and serenity for its own people and visitors alike. National parks, nature preserves and wildlife sanctuaries are protected and cherished. Visitors pay a fee for the honour of entering this kingdom rooted in happiness.

Happiness is the foundation of the Kingdom of Bhutan so if you are looking for a destination and a land of happiness, you will find it here tucked away in South Asia.Visas are necessary to help preserve the kingdom's pillars of belief to maintain Gross National Happiness - a small price to pay to hear the silence in nature's sound, to breathe in the purity of the air and of course share the genuine smiles of the people living in the Land of happiness.

But if travel to faraway places is off the agenda, remember happiness is omnipresent, here and now, from the pathways you choose, the memories you hold within you and the gifts you give to others along the way.

Tips to increase happy moments:

Wake up early to experience the sunrise and the freshness of a new day

Try new experiences

Learn new skills

Add an act of kindness to your day

Smile more often

Practice silence to find your true inner feelings and thoughts

And at the end of the day reflect on all the things that have made you smile because this is your destination happiness.