Travel & Tour in Bhutan

Fact about Bhutan

General Information

When to visit Bhutan?

The best seasons for cultural tours in Bhutan are March, April, May, September, October and November. Late September to mid November is considered the best time for trekking.

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Getting into Bhutan

The best way to enter Bhutan is by Druk Air. The following cities are connected to Bhutan with Druk Air flights.

► India: Delhi (DEL) and Calcutta (CCU)
► Nepal: Kathmandu (KTM)
► Bangladesh: Dhaka (DAC)
► Thailand: Bangkok (BKK)
► Burma: Rangoon (RGN

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Tourism Policy

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. For this reason the number for tourists visiting Bhutan are kept to an environmentally manageable level through Government regulated tourist tariff.

The Royal Government of Bhutan has been strictly limiting the number of tourist coming to Bhutan so that traditional culture can be preserved. Bhutanese are highly religious people and therefore it is important to show respect and understanding for local customs, way of life especially while visiting religious institutions.

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Currency

Bhutan’s currency is the Ngultrum (Nu) equivalent to Indian Rupee, which is also accepted in Bhutan. There are no ATMs in Bhutan, and credit cards are accepted only at a few high-end tourist shops. You cannot purchase Ngultrum prior to arriving in Bhutan, but you can easily buy Ngultrum at the Paro airport, at Bhutan National Bank and the Bank of Bhutan, and at major hotels in Thimphu and Paro, all of which accept traveler's checks and/or dollars and various other currencies. When visiting smaller towns, however, you should bring Ngultrum for your purchases, as it may not be possible to exchange your currency.

For up-to-date currency exchange information, you can visit Exchangerate.com.

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Time Zone

Bhutan has only one time zone. It is six hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), 30 minutes ahead of India, 15 minutes ahead of Nepal, and one hour behind Thailand. In the USA, during daylight saving time (April through October) Bhutan is 10 hours ahead of New York City. During standard time (November through March), Bhutan is 11 hours ahead of New York City.

The country code for Bhutan is 975. Local dialing codes are as follows:

Paro: 2 -- 02 within Bhutan
Thimphu: 2 -- 02 within Bhutan
Trongsa: 3 -- 03 within Bhutan
Bumthang: 3 -- 03 within Bhutan
Mongar: 4 -- 04 within Bhutan
Trashigang: 4 -- 04 within Bhutan
Phuntsholing: 5 -- 05 within Bhutan

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Antiques

The visitors are advised to be cautious in purchasing old and used items. Custom authorities will not allow any old/used items to be taken out of the country if they have not been certified as non-antique. Imports of plants, soil etc. is subject to quarantine regulations. These items must be cleared on arrival.
                   
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Embassy Information

There are only two foreign embassies in Bhutan:

Bangladesh Embassy--Thori Lam, Thimphu
Indian Embassy--India House, Thimphu Telephone: 975-2-322162
Fax: 975-2-323195)

There is no US Embassy or Consulate in Bhutan. Informal contact between the US and Bhutan is maintained through the US Embassy in New Delhi, India. Travelers may also obtain assistance from the US Consulates in India (in Chennai, Mumbai, and Calcutta) and, to a limited degree, from the US Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal.

NEPAL
US Embassy
Panipokhari, Kathmandu
Telephone: 977-1-411179 or 410531
Fax: 977-1-419963
Website: http://www.south-asia.com/USA/