Well, as the title suggests I’m here to take you through my journey of the beautiful landscapes of Bhutan. If you plan to visit this place anytime soon, this post will definitely help you. Just go through it, and if you find and issues or problems do mention in the comment section below. I will get back to you on it.
If I start writing about the natural beauty, the natural and cultural heritage of this beautiful country no words will be able to do justice to it rather I’ll take you through my journey of Bhutan.
Entering Bhutan
Well, we entered Bhutan via our vehicle through Phuentsholing. However, the option of flying into Bhutan is also available. If you fly into Bhutan, you land at Paro. There is another way through Samdrup. But you can exit the country through it but entry is prohibited.
Visa
Bhutan offers the service of visa on arrival for Indians. It is an hassle free process and you get a temporary 7 days visiting visa at either Paro or Phuentsholing. With this, you can visit a couple of big cities in the country like the state capital Thimphu, Paro, and Phuentsholing. But, to visit the real and exotic Bhutan, you can get a special visa permit from the immigration office located in Norzin Lam (Thimphu). With this special permit you are able to visit Haa Valley, Punakha and Dochula pass.
Now that you know how to get in Bhutan let us talk about the basic things that you need to know about the country you are visiting.
- Every Sunday is celebrated as pedestrian day in the country. There are no vehicles on the road except for a few for designated dignitaries and Royal family.
- With your visa permit, you will be able to get an activated local pre-paid sim. Call rates to India are 5Nu/min. Bhutan has no 3g service and GPRS plans are very costly. However, you can use the service of internet cafe or the WiFi in your hotel.
- The exchange rate of Bhutanese Ngultrum to INR is equal. 100 INR is equal to 100.25 Bhutanese Ngultrum.
- Most of the people speak and understand English, so communication won’t be much of an issue.
Things to do in when you are in Bhutan includes
- It is highly recommended to try out the special Bhutanese food. Even though you get Indian food everywhere. It is famous for its spices and a long lasting taste on your tongue. As a precautionary warning, ask your waiter to hold on to the spices when preparing your food.
- A few of the noteworthy dishes include Ema Dhatse(cheese with chillies), Shawa Dhaste(cheese and mushroom), Kewa Dhaste (cheese and potato) and most importantly Kokka(noodles).
- According to the rules and regulations of Bhutan contaminating river or banks, throwing stones or littering the rivers, fishing is prohibited. It is a punishable offence.
- Trekking is a must when in Bhutan. There are a lot of different packages that you can opt for. Me and my friend did only half day’s hike. However, we rented a mountain bike for 1000 Nu/day.
There are a few noteworthy things that you should keep in mind if you are in Bhutan.
- Every Tuesday is a dry day in the entire country and you won’t find alcohol anywhere. So, it is advisable to keep your stock.
- Bhutan is a no smoking country. You can’t smoke anywhere within it’s
borders. - There are proper dressing rules, and you must abide by them.
- If you need to click pictures, please ask the person before doing so. Also, never ever click someone from the royal family. It is a punishable offence.
Shared By:Destination Bhutan