PAR0, Bhutan, 7 October 2026: Bhutan Soul Travel, a Bhutan-based travel company founded by Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary founder Louk Lennaerts, relaunches with Bhutan À La Carte travel experiences.

It’s a notable return to market for BST, resuming operations after a pre-pandemic pause under a founder with deep, long-standing relationships in Bhutan.

Designed for discerning travellers seeking a more personal and meaningful experience of Bhutan, Bhutan À La Carte moves beyond traditional packaged itineraries to create individually tailored journeys shaped around each traveller’s interests, pace and priorities.

“Bhutan is not a destination that should be experienced from a checklist,” says Bhutan Soul Travel founderLouk Lennaerts. “Bhutan À La Carte is about creating journeys that reflect the individual traveller, allowing them to discover Bhutan in their own way, at their own pace, while experiencing the culture, nature and people that make this kingdom so extraordinary.”

Bhutan remains one of the world’s most distinctive travel destinations, where dramatic Himalayan landscapes, ancient Buddhist traditions, richly preserved culture and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability come together.

The country’s philosophy of High Value, Low Volume tourism emphasises meaningful, responsible travel rather than mass tourism. This approach has helped protect Bhutan’s natural environment, cultural heritage and unique identity while creating opportunities for travellers to experience a destination that remains remarkably authentic.

Bhutan À La Carte offers the opportunity to go beyond the traditional highlights. A journey might combine the country’s best-known cultural landmarks with time in lesser-visited valleys, village experiences, Himalayan hikes, wellness and mindfulness, gastronomy, textiles, architecture or encounters with local communities.

While Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary (BSS) and Bhutan Soul Travel (BST) are separate business units, they share a common connection through their founder, Louk Lennaerts, whose long-standing involvement in Bhutan has provided a deep understanding of the destination and its people.

Bhutan À La Carte is designed for travellers who want more than a conventional holiday: those seeking authentic experiences, thoughtful pacing, and the freedom to shape their own Bhutan story.

Whether the inspiration is spirituality, nature, adventure, culture, food, photography, architecture, wellness or simply the desire to disconnect from the everyday, Bhutan À La Carte will create an itinerary around the traveller rather than asking the traveller to fit into a fixed programme.

About Bhutan Soul Travel
Bhutan Soul Travel (BST) is a Bhutan-based travel company founded by Louk Lennaerts, founder of Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary. Established before the pandemic, BST is now resuming operations with Bhutan À La Carte, offering personalised travel journeys designed to connect visitors with Bhutan’s culture, landscapes, traditions, and people.

SINGAPORE, 6 October 2026: Coffee is becoming more than a morning ritual — for many travellers, it’s a way to understand a place, from the beans grown on nearby hills to the cafés where locals meet, work and linger over a slow pour.

The rise of independent roasters, speciality coffee and social-media discovery has made café culture a reason to travel in its own right. Travellers are looking beyond famous coffee capitals for places where local produce, creative cafés and everyday neighbourhood life come together. 

Digital travel platform Agoda highlights six destinations across Asia where a good cup comes with a strong sense of place.

Da Lat, Vietnam

Known for its cool climate and surrounding coffee farms, Da Lat is a natural choice for travellers who like their coffee with mountain air. Independent cafés occupy wooden houses, gardens and converted villas, while the city’s coffee culture offers plenty of opportunities to try Vietnamese specialities, including egg coffee. The rich, velvety drink pairs strong coffee with a sweet, whipped egg topping, making it a distinctive local ritual to seek out.

Ipoh, Malaysia

Ipoh’s old town is made for café-hopping, with restored shophouses serving coffee alongside white coffee, pastries and local favourites. Between cups, visitors can explore cave temples and heritage streets. The city’s food-focused atmosphere makes it an appealing base for travellers seeking a slower, more flavorful Malaysian escape.

Jeju, South Korea

Jeju’s dramatic coastline, volcanic landscape and creative café culture make it a natural destination for travellers who like scenery with their coffee. Independent cafés range from sleek seaside spaces to atmospheric spots surrounded by citrus orchards, while local ingredients often bring a distinctly Jeju flavour to the menu.

Bali, Indonesia

Bali’s coffee story begins in the highlands, where travellers can visit coffee farms, see how beans are processed and take part in tastings featuring distinctive local flavours from coconut to avocado. Around Ubud and the island’s greener interiors, cafés turn those beans into carefully prepared cups, often served in peaceful garden settings.

Hualien, Taiwan

Hualien pairs Pacific scenery with a growing independent café scene, from relaxed neighbourhood spaces to cafés that showcase Taiwanese beans and creative brewing. The city is also a gateway to Taroko and the island’s eastern landscapes. Around the Mid-Autumn Festival, cafés and markets take on a festive atmosphere, offering a warm pause between coastal adventures.

Chiang Rai, Thailand

Chiang Rai brings together coffee farms, contemporary cafés and northern Thai traditions. Travellers can visit plantations in the surrounding highlands, learn about local cultivation and taste freshly prepared brews before returning to town for coffee in spaces shaped by local art and design.

“Coffee gives travellers an easy way into a destination,” said Agoda Senior Vice President Supply Andrew Smith. “It can lead you from a beautifully restored shophouse to a hillside farm, or from a quiet morning café to a whole community of makers. Agoda is helping travellers discover stays and destinations where café culture is part of the experience, not simply a stop between attractions.”

(Source: Agoda)