Bhutan

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Overview

The Kingdom of Bhutan has adopted a very cautious approach to tourism in an effort to avoid the negative impact of tourism on the country's culture and environment. All tourists must travel on a pre-planned, pre-paid, guided package tour through a registered tour operator in Bhutan or their counterparts abroad. The rate is fixed and controlled by the government.

There are still plenty of takers wanting to explore the breathtaking terrain of this astonishing country. The tourism industry in Bhutan is founded on the principle of sustainability, meaning that tourism must be environmentally and ecologically friendly, socially and culturally acceptable and economically viable. The number of tourists visiting Bhutan is also regulated to a manageable level because of the lack of infrastructure.

The Bhutanese name for Bhutan, Druk Yul, means 'Land of the Thunder Dragon'. Existing archives trace Bhutanese history back to AD450, although many of the intervening events remain a mystery. Guru Rinpoche is believed to have brought Mahayana Buddhism to Bhutan from Tibet in the eighth century. Bhutan, the world's last Buddhist kingdom, first became a coherent political entity around the 17th century and has never been conquered or ruled by another foreign power.

Trade agreements with India have been essential to the Bhutanese economy since the 1940s. Yet despite its close relations with Delhi, Bhutan has occasionally switched its support to its other great neighbour, China. Over the years, relations with China have been dominated by the issue of Tibet; thousands of refugees entered Bhutan after the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959 and the country has become a centre for Tibetan exile politics.

The refugee issue also dominates relations with Bhutan's other neighbour, Nepal. Tens of thousands of Bhutanese refugees are housed in camps in the east of the country. Most are ethnic Nepalis whose citizenship is in dispute. (The Bhutanese population is divided between two main ethnic groups - the Nepalis and the Drupka.) The Nepali government wants them to return to Bhutan; the Bhutanese refuse to take them.

Area
38,364 sq km (14,812 sq miles).

Population
2.3 million (2006 estimate). It should be noted that population estimates vary hugely for Bhutan - some are as low as around 810,000.

Population Density
59.4 per sq km.

Capital
Thimphu. Population: 35,000 (UN estimate 2003).

Government
Constitutional Monarchy.

Language
Dzongkha is the official language. A large number of dialects are spoken, owing to the physical isolation of many villages. Sharchop Kha, from eastern Bhutan, is the most widely spoken. Nepali is common in the south of the country. English has been the language of educational instruction since 1964 and is widely spoken.

Religion
The Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism (Drukpa Kagyu) is the state religion; the majority of Bhutanese people follow the Drukpa school of the Kagyupa sect. Those living in the south are mainly Hindu.

Time
GMT + 6.

Social Conventions
The lifestyle, manners and customs of the Bhutanese are in many respects unique to the area. The strongest influence on social conventions is the country's state religion, and everywhere one can see the reminders of Buddhism and the original religion of Tibet, Bonism. There are no rigid clan systems and equal rights exist between men and women. The majority of the Bhutanese live an agrarian lifestyle. In 1989, it was made compulsory for citizens to wear national dress in public; the men wear a gho, a robe resembling a dressing gown with upturned white silk cuffs and knee-high socks, whilst the women wear a kira, a sari-like garment that is furnished with ornate brooches and worn over a wrap-around skirt. Bhutan has outlawed the sale of tobacco products, and also banned smoking in public places. The political leaders of the country have also been religious leaders historically. For years the country has deliberately isolated itself from visitors, and has only recently opened up to the outside world, a policy which is now to some extent being reversed. But Bhutan continues to bear the hallmarks of seemingly peculiar customs borne from legacy and legend. Giant phalluses can often be seen painted onto walls, etc, in order to ward off evil spirits. Dogs are regarded as being the highest animal lifeform, with the best chance of being reborn as humans. They are treated with reverence and often run freely and noisily through villages. Climbing some of the Himalayan peaks is banned due to the belief that the mountains are the repository of the gods. Similarly, swimming, or even throwing stones into rivers, is forbidden: it is thought to disturb the souls of deities.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Head of State
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck since 2006.

Culture

Food and Drink
Restaurants are relatively scarce and most tourists eat in their hotels where the chefs temper the spicy Bhutanese dishes to suit Western tastes.

Things to know: Meals are often buffet-style and mostly vegetarian. Recent restrictions on meat-eating have lapsed ever so slightly and meat is surprisingly easy to come by. Meat and fish are now imported from nearby India, and Nepali Hindus living in Bhutan are licensed to slaughter animals.

National specialities:
o Cheese is a very popular ingredient in dishes and the most popular cheeses are datse (cow's milk cheese), sometimes served in a dish with red chillies (emadatse), and yak cheese.
o Rice is ubiquitous, sometimes flavoured with saffron, apart from in central Bhutan where the altitude makes rice cultivation difficult. Buckwheat is the staple here.
o The country is replete with apple orchards, rice paddies and asparagus, which grows freely in the countryside.
o There are over 400 varieties of mushroom including orchid mushrooms.

National drinks:
o The most popular drink is souza (Bhutanese tea).
o Ara (a spirit distilled from rice, wheat or corn).

Tipping: Not widely practised.

Shopping
Markets are held regularly, generally on Saturday and Sunday, and are a rich source of local clothing and jewellery, as well as food. The Handicraft Emporium on the main street in the capital is open daily except Sunday and offers a magnificent assortment of handwoven and handcrafted goods. The Motithang Hotel in Thimphu has a souvenir shop. Silversmiths and goldsmiths in the Thimphu Valley are able to make handcrafted articles to order. Shopping is otherwise limited. Phuentsholing has the first and only department store of Bhutan.

Shopping hours: Mon-Sun 0900-2000 (closed Tues).

Environment

Climate
There are four distinct seasons similar in their divisions to those of Western Europe. The Monsoon occurs between June and August when the temperature is normally between 8° and 21°C (46°-70°F). Temperatures drop dramatically with increases in altitude. Days are usually very pleasant (average about 10°C/50°F) with clear skies and sunshine. Nights are cold and require heavy woollen clothing, particularly in winter. Generally, October, November and April to mid June are the best times to visit - rainfall is at a minimum and temperatures are conducive to active days of sightseeing. The foothills are also very pleasant during the winter.
Required Clothing
Lightweight cottons in the foothills, also linens and waterproof gear, light sweaters and jackets for the evenings. Upland areas: thick, warm clothing for evenings, particularly during the winter months.
Bhutan is located in the eastern Himalayas, bordered to the north by China and to the south, east and west by India. The altitude varies from 300m (1,000ft) in the narrow lowland region to 7,000m (22,000ft) in the Himalayan plateau in the north, and there are three distinct climatic regions. The foothills are tropical and home to deer, lion, leopards and the rare golden monkey as well as much tropical vegetation, including many species of wild orchids. The Inner Himalaya region is temperate; wildlife includes bear, boar and sambar, and the area is rich in deciduous forests. The High Himalaya region is very thinly populated, but the steep mountain slopes are the home of many species of animals, including snow leopards and musk deer.

Money

Currency
1 Ngultrum (BTN; symbol Nu) = 100 chetrum (Ch). The Ngultrum is pegged to the Indian Rupee (which is also acccepted as legal tender). Notes are in denominations of Nu500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of Nu1, and 100, 50, 25, 10 and 5 chetrum. US Dollars are also widely accepted throughout the kingdom.

Currency Exchange
Leading foreign currencies are accepted but traveller's cheques are preferred and receive a better exchange rate. Major hotels in Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing will also exchange foreign currency.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs
Most cards have limited acceptability.

Traveller's Cheques
These can be exchanged in any branch of the Bank of Bhutan or at all BTCL hotels. Travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars.

Banking Hours
Mon-Fri 1000-1300. Some smaller branches may be open Saturday or Sunday for currency exchange.

Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Bhutan by persons over 17 years of age or over without incurring customs duty:
o 400 cigarettes and 150g of pipe tobacco.
o 2l of spirits.
o Personal effects for daily use, instruments or appliances for professional use and electronic equipment for personal use.
Note: Cameras, videos, mobile telephones and all other electronic equipment for personal use must be registered with the authorities on arrival and will be checked by customs on departure. Import of plants/soil is subject to quarantine. All tobacco will be subject to a custom tax on arrival.

Prohibited Imports
Firearms, narcotics, plants.

Prohibited Exports
The export of antiques, religious objects, manuscripts, images and anthropological materials is strictly prohibited (regarded as those 100 years or older) and closely monitored by the Bhutanese authorities.

Traveller's Guide

Passport Note
(a) There are two ways of entering Bhutan: by air to Paro Airport or by road to the Bhutanese border town of Phuentsholing. All travellers entering the country by road must ensure that they have the necessary documentation for transiting through that part of India to Phuentsholing. Consult the Contact Addresses section for India. Visitors are also advised to contact the Government of India Tourist Office (see India section) to check exactly what special permits or other documents may be necessary as these regulations are subject to change at short notice. (b) Visitors are required to book with a registered tour operator in Bhutan, which can be done directly through an affiliated travel agent abroad. (c) A yellow fever certificate is required by all if arriving within six days from an infected area.

Passports
Valid passport required.

Note: Tourists to Bhutan are obliged to use Druk Air (the only airline serving Bhutan) either on entering or leaving the country. The government may refuse entry to those wishing to visit for mountaineering, publicity and other research activities.

Visas
Required.

Types of Visa and Cost
Tourist: US$20 (payable in hard currency).

Validity
Visas are initially granted for stays of up to 14 days. The Bhutan Tourism Corporation Limited (BTCL) can apply for an extension of tourist visas for an additional fee per person.

Applications to:
Visa applications for all tourists processed by the travel/tour agent through the Tourism Authority of Bhutan (TAB). Only once the visa has been cleared can visitors travel to Bhutan. Visas are issued (stamped in passport) on arrival at Paro Airport or at Phuentsholing check post.

Working Days Required
Visa clearance takes at least 10 days to process and should be applied for at least 60 days prior to arrival in Bhutan.

Contact Addresses

Department of Tourism
PO Box 126, Thimphu, Bhutan
Tel: (2) 323 251/2.
Website: www.tourism.gov.bt

Bhutan Tourism Corporation Limited (BTCL)
PO Box 159, Thimphu, Bhutan
Tel: (2) 324 045 or 322 647.
Website: www.kingdomofbhutan.com

Royal Bhutanese Embassy in India
Chandragupta Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110 021, India
Tel: (11) 2688 9230 or 9809/7.

Bhutan Tourism Corporation Limited (BTCL) in the USA
c/o Far Fung Places, 1914 Fell Street, San Francisco, California 94117, USA
Tel: (415) 386 8306.
Website: www.farfungplaces.com or www.kingdomofbhutan.com

Health Care
Full medical insurance is strongly advised. Medical facilities are good but scarce.

Note * A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required by all travellers coming from an infected area.

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