A secluded mountain paradise has been named the quietest country (Image: Getty)
A secluded mountain paradise with 25C September temperatures and few tourists has been named the quietest country in the world. Finding silence in our heavily populated, industrial world may seem like an impossible task, but a handful of stunning, far-flung countries appear to have it all sussed out – and there’s one clear winner.
But how exactly do we measure a nation’s “quietness”? Travel agency Go2Africa recently explored this concept to produce a top 10 list of the quietest destinations, based on a number of factors. Some of the features examined included a nation’s population and tourism density, rural and protected land, and traffic. It says the data itself comes from sources such as online databases, global studies and government reports.
Bhutan only started allowing tourists to enter in 1974 (Image: Getty)
Coming in at number one was Bhutan in South Asia with a Quiet Score of 89.44. Long known to the world as a hermit kingdom, Bhutan only started allowing tourists to enter in 1974.
Go2Africa states on its website: “The country, sitting in the shadow of the Eastern Himalayas, is well known for being beautifully preserved, with tourists only able to visit through licensed local tour operators and by paying a daily Sustainable Development Fee.
“The country ranks particularly high for rural land density with 39,041km² of forested mountains, terraced valleys, and sparsely populated highland terrain and an exceedingly high percentage of protected areas.”
Bhutan has an incredibly well-preserved natural environment. It offers 39,041 km² of wooded mountains, valleys and lightly populated highlands.
Travellers seeking a trip this month will be pleased to learn that September, October and November offer temperatures of about 25C in the sun, though temperatures can vary depending on the valley.
It’s also a perfect time for hiking and taking in festivals like Thimphu Tshechu.
Bhutan has an incredibly well-preserved natural environment (Image: Getty)
It also achieves its status by imposing a compulsory tourist levy of about £70 per day for adults. Dubbed the Sustainable Development Fee, it funds environmental protection, education, and health.
One of its most famous landmarks is the Taktsang or “Tiger’s Nest”, a 17th-century monastery built into the hillside 3,000 metres up. Would-be visitors be warned, though; access involves a two to four-hour hike.
In second place was Namibia in southern Africa, which achieved a Quiet Score of 86.69. An arid nation, Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, with Go2Africa describing it as “built on scale and emptiness” and offering “complete solitude”.
As for the rest: Botswana came in third, followed by Zambia, Gabon, Venezuela, Chad, the Central African Republic, Mongolia and Bolivia. By contrast, the loudest country was named as Singapore with a 6.78 Quiet Score.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
