globalcitizen

Ahh Mongolia – the only place in the world where the playground taunt “you’re a Mong” has little significance. The last stretch of unspoiled land in Asia, the lowest population density in the world, with horses outnumbering people by 13 to 1 (and most of its citizens living in Russia or China) – the ultra-friendly ‘Land of the Blue Sky’ is a firm backpacker’s favourite. Almost all of the locals I’ve met have been legends, and Ulaanbaatar feels a lot like a ‘more-developed Laos’, in its Buddhist traditions, laidback people and the noticeable absence of multinationals. In fact, according to a recent University’s ‘Subjective Well-Being’ survey, Mongolia is the happiest nation in Asia despite being amongst the poorest.