Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Bhutan, How, What, Where, etc!

Getting there: 
- By Road: Entry and Exit at Phuentsholing (Phuntsholing) bordering Jaigaon in West Bengal.  Get to New Alipurduar (Station Code: NOQ) by rail and take a taxi to the border (2 hrs drive) for around Rs 600 - Rs 800.  Call Mr. Jagan at 9842455691 to book his taxi.  Very few train options to Hashimara which is very close to Jaigaon.  Or Take a taxi from Darjeeling/Gangtok for Rs 3000- Rs 3500.  Samdhrup Jhongkar is a not a feasible option to exit Bhutan (into Assam), takes 4 days to get there from Thimpu. 

- By Air: Fly to Paro from Calcutta or Kathmandu by Druk air.  More info available at their website.  Recently read that they are contemplating reducing airfares to increase the air traffic.

Visas and permits:
Indians and Nepalese do not need a visa to enter Bhutan.  All they need is a copy (front and back) of one of the following IDs to get permits.
- National Passport
- Voter ID Card

Absolutely No PAN Card, No Driving License or any other forms of ID are accepted.  Be sure to carry a few passport size photographs with you.  

Email Karma Samphel (Asst. Immigration Officer) at karma_samphel@yahoo.com if you want some specific information.  Be sure to take permits for each and every Dzongkha (District) that you plan to visit.  Takes around 2 to 3 hrs to get the permit at Phuentsholing.  Permits for the Dzongs of Punakha, Wangdi and Paro have to be taken in Thimpu.  Permit at the border is given only for the Dzongkha not the Dzongs.

All non-Indians and non-Nepalese need to book their travel through one of the Govt approved agencies.  They would have to pay $200 per day and everything is taken care of.  

Travel within Bhutan:
Travel in Bhutan is easy but on the expensive side.  Taxis are easy to get at the designated taxi stands.  Consider fares reasonable if they are:

Phuentsholing to Thimpu:  Rs 400 per person or Rs 1600 - Rs 1800 for a Maruti WagonR or van.  Takes 6 hours on the winding mountainous roads.  Expected to come down to 4 hrs after the two lane road construction to be completed this summer.  Try to do a daytime journey to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Tour Thimpu: Rs 600 for a Maruti WagonR or van.  Day trip.

Thimpu to Punakha and Wangdiphodrong: Rs 1000 to 1200 for a Maruti WagonR or van.  Takes around 2 to 2.5 hrs to get there.  Day trip.

Thimpu to Paro: Rs 150 to 200 per person or Rs 800 for a Maruti WagonR or van.  Takes around 1 hour to get there. Day trip.  Try hiking/trekking to Tigers Nest roughly 6 Kms from Paro.
 
Places to Stay:
I strongly suggest making Thimpu your base.  Thimpu has good hotels and restuarants.  Make day trips and get back to Thimpu for dinner.  A few hotels;

Hotel Druk - Decent but pricey.  Ph:322966

Hotel NT -  Ph:323458

Hotel Tandin - Worth the price but do not expect hot water all the time or great decor.  Plain and Simple.  Ph: 323380, 323381

Hotel Pedling - Ph:325714

R Penjor Restaurant & Lodge - Ph: 325578, Email: lethobtn@druknet.bt

There are a lot of other hotels on the main street, , Norzin Lam in Thimpu.  Go check them out before you check in.  

Places to eat:
A bunch of restuarants to choose from on the main street.  One we liked and enjoyed eating at was Penjor Restaurant.  Its owned by a sweet young lady who doesn't mind sitting and chatting with you.   

Currency:
Ngultrum, and Rupees are accepted as well.  1 Ngultrum = 1 Rupee.  Do not carry a lot of 500 or 1000 Rupee notes.  Only major businesses accept such large denominations due to fear of fake currency.


     

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