Sandwiched between India and China, Bhutan wasn’t unified until the 17^th century and four hundred years passed before the country’s doors were officially opened to tourists in 1974. Even today numbers are closely monitored.

The result of this historical anomaly is that there are millions of little justifications as to why one would want to visit the eccentric, landlocked nation: from the population’s smiley disposition to an absence of chain stores; from its laws (which ban smoking but not alcohol), to its assortment of unusual animals. With so many calling cards, we’ve selected ten of the greatest reasons to visit Bhutan.

There are few buildings anywhere in the world that conjure up the romance and majesty of the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur. The palace shimmers in the heat of the sun, rising serenely above Lake Pichola, its gleaming white walls reflected in the still water. Lazy speedboats chauffer guests to the palace steps and into the tranquillity of its 18^th century courtyard.

Hugh McMillan may have been a late starter when it came to wanderlust, having first left Australia at 22, but he’s more than made up for it since. With a decade of travel industry experience to his name, he has immersed himself in the Balkans for the past few years as a Tour Director with Insight Vacations. Having fallen for the region as a whole (Bosnia and Herzegovina in particular), he’s a fan of its wilderness, brave bridge-jumpers and welcoming locals. Spades of enthusiasm and a vast accumulation of local knowledge make Hugh the supreme guide to an area so stunning that several sites feature in the TV series, Game of Thrones.