Background of Bhutan
Bhutan is landlocked country sandwiched between China in the north and India in South/East/West. Bhutan is in tagged in eastern Himalayas and is the world’s last Buddhist Kigndom. With the philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH) initiated by 4th King of Bhutan His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuk. Bhutan stress more on Gross National Happiness rather than GDP. 72 % of the land is covered with forest and country is more on agriculture. Highest revenue is from Hydro-power generation and Tourism sector. Every citizen of country receives free education, and all citizens have access to free medical care. The Buddhist country banned tobacco products and smoking in public areas is an offence. Bhutan's National Language is Dzongkha with compromises of Sharchopkha in the east. Bhutanese people primarily consist of the Ngalongs and Sharchops and Lhotshamphas a people of Nepalese origin.
History
The first humans probably arrived sometime after the Ice Age, and little is known about Bhutan's prehistory. Historical records began with the arrival of Buddhism in the 7th century, when Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) visited Bhutan and established monasteries.
In 1865 Britain under British India and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land. Monarchy was set up in 1907. After three years later, a treaty was signed with British India and final agreed terms was "not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs". Bhutan allowed British India to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947 also and till now. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations.
In December 2006, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck transferred power to his oldest son, the Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, bestowing upon him the title of the fifth Druk Gyalpo. The official coronation took place in November 2008. The Fifth King is Boston and Oxford educated and is held in high esteem throughout the country.
Climate
Although geographically quite small, Bhutan’s weather varies from north to south and valley to valley, mainly depending upon the elevation. In the North of Bhutan on the borders with Tibet it is perennially covered with snow. In the western, central and eastern Bhutan (Ha, Paro, Thimphu, Wandue, Trongsa, Bumthang, Trashi Yangtse, Lhuntse) you will mostly experience European-like weather. Winter lasts here from November to March. Punakha is an exception as it is in a lower valley and summer is hot and winter is pleasant. Southern Bhutan bordering with India is hot and humid with a sub-tropical climate. While the monsoon affects northern Indian it does not command the same influence in Bhutan. Summer months tend to be wetter with isolated showers predominately in the evenings only. Winter is by far the driest period while spring and autumn tend to be pleasant.
There are four distinct seasons similar in their divisions to those of Western Europe. Temperatures in the far south range from 15°C in winter (December to February) to 30°C in summer (June to August). In Thimphu the range is from -2.5°C in January to 25°C in August and with a rainfall of 100mm. In the high mountain regions the average temperature is 0°C in winter and may reach 10°C in summer, with an average of 350mm of rain. Precipitation varies significantly with the elevation. The average rainfall varies from region to region.
Special information for Indian tourist
1. Travel time from Bagdogra Airport to Jaigaon/Phuentsholing by road is around 5-6 hours depending on traffic jams.
2. No permit is required for entering Phuentsholing. However the entry gate from India closes at 20:30 (IST). Bhutan time is half hour ahead of Indian time. You can stay in hotels in Phuentsholing without permit. Permit is made at Phuentsholing for onward visit to Thimphu and Paro only. For visiting other places in Bhutan like Panakha permit is made at Thimphu.
3. Staying in Jaigaon is cheaper, and availability is not an issue during off season.
4. Indians do not require visa to travel to Bhutan, but need permit. Obtaining the permit may take as long as half a day. Permits are issued at Phuentsholing. Identification proof like Voter ID Card or Passport is needed. However, you can also get them at Kolkata
5. Indians can withdraw Bhutanese currency using there Indian debit card at a charge of IDR20 per transaction.
6. Indian currency is widely accepted, excluding 500 and 1000 rupee notes. However most shops and establishments accept Indian 500 rupee notes.
7. Travel time from Phuentsholing to Thimpu is around 7 hours by road.
8. The road is mostly mountainous, and must be avoided by those with fear of heights.
9. You can shop for Thailand and Bangladesh garments in Bhutan.
Visas
All tourists (except nationals of India, Bangladesh and Maldives) must obtain a visa prior to departure. All tourists must book their travel through a local licensed tour operator (or international partner). Visas are applied for online by your local tour operator and it is not required that you visit a Bhutanese Embassy or consulate. Your holiday must be paid in full, via a wire transfer, to the Tourism Council of Bhutan account before a tourist visa is issued. Visa clearance takes no longer than 72 hours, once full payment has been received. At your point of entry the visa will be stamped in your passport on payment of USD20, two passport photos will also be required. Visa extensions can be obtained through you local tour operator at a cost of Nu.600 (1 Ngultrum = 1 Indian Rupee) and the tourist will also be subject to the daily tariff for the additional days. Visas are issued on arrival to residents of India, Bangladesh and Maldives only.
As travel to Bhutan almost invariably requires at least one flight change in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Singapore or Thailand, ensure that you meet the visa requirements of those countries before transiting through. Nepal and Thailand offer visas on arrival or visa waiver for many nationalities. India generally requires visa procedures to be completed before arrival, and this can take up to two weeks. The total cost for visa would be generally about 200-250 USD per day which includes the bookings with your tour operator
By plane
Paro International Airport (PBH/VQPR) is the only entry point to Bhutan by air. It is located in the south west of the country and served only by the country's flag carrier Druk Air [8]. E-tickets have been in use since April 1st 2008. Druk operates four planes (three airbuses and an ATR-42) which fly routes to Bangkok in Thailand; Delhi, Kolkata, Bodhgaya/ Gaya, Bagdogra, Guwahati in India; Kathmandu in Nepal; Dhaka in Bangladesh. There are two domestic airports. Yongphulla Airport is located in Trashigang in the east and Bathpalathang Airport is located at Jakar in the Bumthang district - however both of these airports are currently (Oct 2012)not operational. From the latter part of 2012 the domestic Gelephu Airport will go into operation. It is located in the southern central region, close to the Indian border. From 01st September 2012 flights will operate from Singapore and Mumbai.
Bagdogra Airport (IXB). Serving the city of Siliguri in the neighboring Indian state of West Bengal, Bagdogra is a four hour drive from the Bhutanese border town of Phuentsholing. Bagdogra receives frequent flights from major cities within India, and Druk Air operates flights from Bangkok on Sundays and Wednesdays (with out going flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays).
By car
There are three land border crossings located along southern border to India only. Phuntsholing in the west, Gelephu in the central region and Samdrup Jongkhar in the east. No border crossings are open along the Chinese northern border. Road permits are also required; however, these are processed by your local tour operator, along with your visa.
By bus
From Kolkata: The Royal Bhutanese Government runs a service to Phuentsholing. These buses depart from Kolkata's Esplanade bus station at 7PM on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and from the Phuentsholing Bhutan Post office at 3PM on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The journey takes around 18 hours and costs 300Rps/Nu. The buses are comfortable, which is also complemented by the excellent highway connectivity to Kolkata.
From Siliguri: There is frequent service between Siliguri and Phuentsholing/Jaigaon. It is roughly a four hour journey. Buses operated by Royal Bhutan Government depart from across the main highway from the bus station, near Heritage Hotel, at 7:30AM and 1:30PM daily. Tickets cost Rs 62 and are available on entering the bus.
From Phuentsholing: There are private buses and shared taxis from Phuentsholing to Thimphu but a comfortable option is to book a Bhutan Post bus (Rs/Nu 170) which leaves each morning at 7 AM (Bhutan time) from the post office.
By train
There are no railways in Bhutan. The nearest options (both in India) are:
Hasimara on the main Kolkata/Siliguri line to Assam is the nearest railway station to Phuentsholing, 17 km away. Indian Rail operated train #13149 and #4084 stop here. As of October 2010, some sections of the road from New Jalpaiguri/Siliguri to Phuentsholing are in a very bad shape. Extending travel by train till Hasimara would save your freshness for Bhutan.
New Jalpaiguri Station (NJP) in Siliguri is a popular choice for travellers heading to Bhutan by land. There are direct shared taxis from NJP to Jaigaon or there is the option of buses from Siliguri bus station. A taxi between the station and the bus station costs around 80rs max. Alternatively you can also take a local train to Hasimara which costs around Rs40 and takes around 3 hours. Trains from NJP should be booked ahead, as it is a popular stations amongst locals. There are not any trains leaving from this station with a tourist quota.
'New Alipurduar' (NOQ) railway station is a better option than New Jalpaiguri if you want to reduce your road journey to Jaigaon. From here, Jaigaon is only about 60 kms and can be covered in about 1 hour 15 minutes by a direct taxi. Alternatively, bus services from New Alipur Duar town to Jaigaon are also available. Most of the trains going to Guwahati stop at this railway station. It is also shorter route for those coming from Guwahati or other north-eastern states of India.
Tourist Tariff
The Tourism Council of Bhutan operates the daily tariff for all tourists entering the country. It is not possible to enter Bhutan as a tourist without paying this tariff except if you are from India, Maldives or Bangladesh. For these three countries all the visitor requires is to produce their identity card of their country.
The daily tariff covers:
A minimum of 3 star accommodation – Luxury hotels may incur an additional fee
All meals – Breakfast, lunch, dinner
A licensed Bhutanese Tour Guide for the extent of the stay
All internal transport – excluding any internal flights
Camping equipment and haulage for trekking tours
All internal taxes and charges
A royalty of $65 (which is included in the tariff price)
The minimum tariff is (for a group of 3 persons or more):
USD $250 per person per night for the months of March, April, May, September, October, and November.
USD $200 per person per night for the months of January, February, June, July, August, and December.
The rates are applicable per tourist per night halt in Bhutan. Groups of two or less shall be subject to a surcharge, over and above the minimum daily rates applicable, as follows:
Individual, US$ 40 per night
2 persons, US$ 30 per person per night.
There is no charge for children up to the age of 5 years. Children aged between 6 to12 years accompanied by parents/ guardians shall be given 50% discount on daily rates and 100% discount on Royalty. Full time students below the age of 25 years holding valid identity cards from their academic institutions shall also be given a 25% discount on daily rates. A discount of 50% on daily rates shall be given to one person in a group of 11 to 15 people. 100% discount shall be given to one member in a group exceeding 16 persons. A 50% discount on Royalty shall be provided after the 8th night and 100% discount on Royalty shall be provided after the 14th night.
It is illegal to undercut tariff prices and tour operators found to be undercutting have their licensed terminated.
The only other options for visiting the country are to receive an invitation by a Bhutanese citizen, where proof of the relationship must be presented on applying or through a NGO.
Royalty
The royalty, which is included in the daily tariff, is the Tourism Council of Bhutan sustainable tourism policy fee. This royalty of USD $65 goes directly to the government to provide free education and healthcare, as well as poverty alleviation.
Wire Transfer
Prior to your trip to Bhutan you will be asked to wire the full payment for your holiday to the Tourism Council of Bhutan account. A tourist visa will not be issued until full payment is made prior to departure. This money will remain with the Tourism Council of Bhutan until your trip is complete. Only after you have completed your holiday will the money be transferred to the local tour operator with which you booked your travel through. If you are not satisfied with the service you received while on your holiday to Bhutan, you can contact the Tourism Council of Bhutan who will assist.
