Amankora Thimphu

"For those enamored of First World comforts, traveling the circuit of five Amankoras will be the only way to see the world’s last surviving Himalayan Buddhist kingdom—a heady mix of disquieting verticality, palpable spiritual energy, and unrivaled exclusivity. Apart from experiencing the trademark Aman treatment (flawless service, understated luxe surroundings), guests are furnished with a guide and driver—essential in a country traversed mainly via a single-lane, guardrail-less road bracketed by a sheer cliff face and a precipitous drop-off. Above all, what a ticket aboard the Aman express buys is access: no chorten, nunnery, temple, or dzong (the nation’s signature fortress-monasteries) is off-limits. And in a country widely thought to have the world’s worst cuisine, chef Patrick Sullivan’s yak specialities are itself worth the trip. The five lodges are in Thimphu, Paro, Punakha, Gangtey, and Bumthang."