Best Bhutan Books & Films: Watch First, Read Later

Three Remarkable Films and Our Handpicked Books Bring the Kingdom to Life

We’re avid readers, always packing more pages than socks. When it comes to Bhutan, while there are good books out there, we had to dig through a bunch to find the gems. What surprised us most? How entertaining and eye-opening the new films were. If you’re planning a trip to Bhutan, we suggest starting with a movie night, then picking out a few books to your liking. You’ll have more luck with memoirs than fiction.

The three recent films on our list are remarkably easy to watch despite the subtitles and offer rich view into Bhutanese life. All are entertaining, deeply human, and well worth your time, even if you never make the trip.

Films to Watch

Our favorite was A Yak in the Classroom followed by The Monk and the Gun. Both films are from the same director, Pawo Choyning Dorji.

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2019)
Streaming: Apple TV, Amazon Prime
A gentle, humorous, and quietly moving film about a young teacher sent to one of the most remote schools on Earth. As he adjusts to life in a Himalayan village, Bhutan’s landscapes, values, and rhythms unfold through the eyes of an outsider who becomes slowly, reluctantly, transformed. It was Bhutan’s first Oscar-nominated film, and it's easy to see why.

The Monk and the Gun (2023)
Streaming: Apple TV, Amazon Prime
This sharp political satire is set during Bhutan’s transition to democracy in 2006. A lama sends a young monk to fetch a pair of guns, leading to an unexpected collision with a visiting American gun collector. Directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji (who also made Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom), the film balances comedy and reflection as it explores what Bhutan gains and what it gives up in its encounter with modernity.

Agent of Happiness (2024)
Streaming: Apple TV, Amazon Prime
A quiet and heartfelt documentary that follows Amber, a happiness inspector traveling Bhutan to administer its unique Gross National Happiness survey. This alternative to GDP measures progress through well-being, culture, environment, and governance. As a documentary, it can move a bit slow, however, it opens an insightful window into Bhutanese homes, work, values, and culture.

Nonfiction Books: Memoirs Lead the Pack

Beyond the Sky and the Earth by Jamie Zeppa (1999)
Married to Bhutan by Linda Leaming (2011)
These two memoirs have much in common: both are written by Western women who moved to Bhutan, fell in love (with the place and the people), and stayed. Zeppa’s book leans more literary; Leaming’s more conversational and humorous. Either is an engaging way to get a sense of Bhutan from a foreigner-turned-insider. You probably only need to read one, depending on your style. Or if you love the idea of foreign romance, you’re in luck, read both.

A Splendid Isolation: Lessons on Happiness from the World's Most Reclusive Nation by Madeline Drexler (2014)

Drexler examines Bhutan's unique approach to governance, culture, and spirituality, offering insights into how the country balances tradition and modernity while also acknowledging the challenges the nation faces as it opens up to the outside world. The book is part travelogue, part cultural study, and part philosophical reflection on what makes a society flourish.

Set Free by Emma Slade (2017)
The powerful memoir of a British investment banker who survived a traumatic event in Jakarta and later became a Buddhist nun in Bhutan. An unusual, spiritual, and very personal lens on the country.

A Field Guide to Happiness by Linda Leaming (2014)
A sequel of sorts to Married to Bhutan, this is a slim, friendly volume of bite-sized insights, practical lessons, and warm reflections on daily life in the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

Fiction Titles to Consider

The Circle of Karma by Kunzang Choden (2005)
The first novel written in English by a Bhutanese woman. It follows Tsomo, a young girl whose life is shaped by hardship and spiritual searching. The book’s quiet pacing mirrors Bhutan’s landscape: layered, slow, and meaningful.

Dawa: The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan by Kunzang Choden (2006)
A playful, philosophical novel narrated by a one-eyed stray dog who roams Thimphu. Through Dawa’s observations, we get a glimpse of Bhutanese society, values, and contradictions.

Considering Travel to Bhutan?

We encourage you to make the journey. Bhutan offers something few places still do: a culture and landscape deeply preserved, where tradition and nature are part of everyday life. See our post Hiking Bhutan: A More Secluded Trek to Tiger’s Nest for an example of the amazing activities that serve up both nature and culture in ample quantities. It’s worth the time and expense to experience something truly different. These books and films are a good place to start to get a sense of that unique spirit from afar.

Notes for the Curious Traveler

Where to Find These Books
We're heavy users of the Libby app, which lets you connect your library account (in the U.S. and several other countries), then check out eBooks and audiobooks for free and read them on Kindle. Since it’s not currently possible to share links to books in Libby, we are providing the Amazon links here:

• Beyond the Sky and the Earth by Jamie Zeppa

• Married to Bhutan by Linda Leaming

• A Splendid Isolation: Lessons on Happiness from the World's Most Reclusive Nation by Madeline Drexler

• Set Free by Emma Slade

• A Field Guide to Happiness by Linda Leaming

• The Circle of Karma by Kunzang Choden

• Dawa: The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan by Kunzang Choden