Discover the luxury Aman hotels and resorts in Bumthang, Bhutan

It may sound funny, but Bumthang’s no joke. Known as ‘little Switzerland’ among locals, this ancient district is the most historic and holy in Bhutan, full of ancient temples, sacred sites and fortress-like dzongs. The region is spread across four mountain valleys, each with its own dialect – proof that the journey between them was once long enough to make each one remote from the next. Between them, they’re home to more cultural sites than any other region in the country, including the fortified dzong in Jakar town; the Kurjey Lhakhang monastery, where Bhutan’s first three kings were laid to rest; and the ‘burning lake’ of Membar Tsho, where Bhutanese saint Pema Lingpa is said to have found scriptures by Padmasambhava, an 8th-century Buddhist master. But even after you’ve toured them all and attained Himalayan heights of peace, we’ll understand the desire to go below the belt with your instagram captions – that’s something we can all get behind.