(For those who don’t know Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan the title means “Thank you Bhutan” 😉 )
“Ohh my god, what a country?” All of us were saying this phrase at least a couple of times everyday during out stay there. Druk (pet name of Bhutan) is no ordinary country. You experience the charm and magic of one of the world’s most enigmatic countries.
My initial plan was to spend one week in Bhutan and the next week in Sikkim. We enjoyed Bhutan so much that I changed my mind immediately after entering Bhutan. You feel that you have entered a completely different world just after crossing the border between India and Bhutan.
All most every place in Bhutan is so scenic with high mountains, breath taking valleys, majestic water falls, crystal clear water in rivers and streams, beautiful Dzong, fantastic monasteries, nice whether and I could go on. But more than the beauty of the place, it is the hospitality of the people that convinced me to stay longer.
Pretty much every one in Bhutan is very polite and goes out of their way to help you. Their life style is very relaxed and you could never find anyone in a rush. Almost everyone follows the law and most importantly no one drives rashly. In fact there is not even a single traffic signal in the entire country. I guess this could pretty much explain it 🙂
We had lot of instances where people from all walks of life (from a taxi driver to a owner of a big hotel) went completely out of their way to help us.
Towards the end of the trip we were so amazed that me, Aswin and Subbu have decided to try out the Bhutanese way of living (like being polite and helpful to others) and especially the Bhutanese way of driving for at least a week to see how it feels. If possible I am planning to continue doing it as long as possible in Bangalore. Wish me all the best 🙂
I am glad that I did this trip and it is one of those trips that you will remember for a very long time.
Over the next couple of days, I will be writing more about my trip, including the itinerary, places you should not miss, things you should prepare for while visiting Bhutan etc. So stay tuned.
Update
Here is the writeup by Aswin, who also came with me to Bhutan.
I have also written about the things that you should keep in mind while traveling to Bhutan and my itinerary.
Testing another comment. I need to really test this comment.
all the very best Sudar from Terror! 😀
did you buy a Gho? I would like to wear the traditional dress while there but read it can be quite expensive?
No I didn’t buy one. Initially I thought of buying one, but it was expensive. It starts around 3000 NU and goes all the way upto 300000 NU.
Hello,
I just wanna know if passport is required for permit or any identification do the job..
If you are an Indian, then you don’t need passport if you have any government issued id card. This was the rule 3 years ago when I went. Not sure if things have changed after that.
The Rule is Still Same,
Himanshu Shekhar
9990596594
Phuntsholing Bhutan
I am quite excited about visiting Bhutan . I am 80 and my wife is 79 and for reasons ,we can go only in December 2nd week. would you be able to advise us if that is a good decision. we will have a couple in their 50’s as our co travellers . KDBhargava
I think that should be fine. You may not be able to trek much, but just seeing the beauty of the place should be good for you.
But remember it may be cold during December.
your letter is very appreciated. However because more then 4 yrs have elapsed. How are you keeping your information updated?
I am keeping the information as update to date as possible by getting new information from people who have travelled after seeing this blog post.
I and my friend are going to Bhutan in the second week of November. Can you tell us if the Immigration Office will be open on Weekends? We, most probably, will reach there on a Saturday.
Hello Arya,
When we went (about 4 years ago) it was open on Sunday and we were able to get our permit.
I am planning to visit Bhutan next month and hopefully we will have a great time with my family in Bhutan.