All Your First-World Questions About Travelling to Bhutan – Answered & Updated!

Are you a city person? The kind that needs hot showers, clean rooms, and food that won’t cause too much tummy problems? Well, I am. Before I went Bhutan for my first time, I had difficulty finding answers to my ‘first-world concerns‘ about how it’ll be like to go Bhutan.

Three trips to Bhutan by now in total, this post on my travel blog contains a good bulk of all my gathered experiences. It’ll definitely help you have a better idea about planning and visiting the Land of the Thunder Dragon!

Due to the global pandemic, Bhutan closed its borders from March 2020. From 23 Sept 2022, Bhutan finally welcomed visitors again, with policy changes to the daily tariff charges, which I’ll update below.

This Bhutan article was originally written right after my first time to Bhutan in Dec 2017 with my family, so the bulk of information here is generally as per that first trip, more on western Bhutan. In May 2019, I went exploring eastern Bhutan on a road-trip. The eastern circuit of Bhutan turned out to be very different from the west. In Dec 2019, I flew to Bhutan again with Druk Asia for a meditation course, called Neykor. From Mar 2020 to Sept 2022, Bhutan shut down travel visits.

| Read all about the special Neykor meditation trip in this post! |

All Your First-World Questions &
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bhutan!

How to Get to Bhutan

First, where is Bhutan?

You’re really not the only one asking, simply because so few people visit this country and actually talk/write about their Bhutan trips (but you have me as your helpful blogger!). Bhutan is located in the Eastern Himalayas, South Asia. It’s a landlocked country bordered by Tibet, India, North Bengal, and India. For convenience’s sake, you can answer them that Bhutan is “somewhere near Tibet, Nepal, and India“!

The Kingdom of Bhutan is fondly referred to as the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

Getting into Bhutan

Flights to Bhutan

Usually, there’re three Druk Air flights a week from Singapore to Bhutan. As of Sept 2022, Druk Air flies every Sunday from Singapore to Bhutan (Paro), and every Saturday from Bhutan (Paro) to Singapore. Druk Air flies 3 times a week from Bangkok to Bhutan. Check Druk Air’s flight schedule here.

At times, the airline will change timings. Especially for domestic flights, mainly due to weather reasons.

Is it dangerous to fly into Bhutan?

Paro Airport is considered one of the most challenging and dangerous airports to land at, for good reason, but don’t let that scare you too much. The airport is located in a valley at 2,235m above sea level, surrounded by high mountains about twice that height. Only a select few pilots* in the world are certified to land in Bhutan. This means you’re in very good hands because of these aviation experts.

* As of May 2019, Druk Air has 14 Captains and 14 First Officers.

Then it dawned upon me that our plane had skipped India altogether (the reason was that the flight was full). We were in Business class then, so I didn’t see how full the plane was). We were gonna land in Bhutan soon, omg! If not for skipping the stopover, we would never get to see this light at sunrise. I was thoroughly captivated by the mountain peaks so close to us and at eye level with our plane, and the turns the plane was making. The air-steward passed by and joined my brother and me in admiring the window views, sharing that there’s the 2nd highest peak (Mt Jomalhari) in Bhutan.

First view of Bhutan’s mountains

The landing was beautiful, dramatic, smooth and may I add, too soon, it was over.

Where to sit on your flight to Bhutan, and about Mount Everest

Druk Air does not allow early check-in online. You can only check in at the airport, so go a bit earlier to choose your seat. You can check-in online now before your Druk Air flight!

If you fly from Singapore, Druk Air will make a short refuelling stop in India, before continuing to Paro International Airport in Bhutan. On my first trip, we didn’t stop at all, even though the original plan was to refuel at Kolkata, and I chose seats on the left. On my third trip, the plane refuelled at Guwahati, and we sat on the right. Honestly, I’m not too sure which side you should sit now 😅. I had views of the Himalayan mountain range on my direct flight from Singapore to Paro, from the left side of the plane. Looking at the world map, I still think a better bet is to sit on the left side of the plane.

You will NOT get to see Mount Everest on your Druk Air flight between Singapore and Bhutan. Please don’t be misled by other travel blogs 😔 You might get to see Mt Everest only if you fly into Bhutan from Kathmandu (Nepal).

Should I upgrade to Business Class on my Druk Air flight?

A flight from Singapore to Paro takes about 6 hours, including the short refuelling stop in India. I was upgraded to Business Class on the first Bhutan trip, and sat Economy Class for the other two trips. There are 16 Business Class seats in total, in a 2×2 layout. Economy Class seats 102 passengers, in a 3×3 configuration.

I’ll summarize my Druk Air Business Class flight for you and you can decide.

Business Class passengers get to use DNATA Lounge at Changi Airport and Paro Airport before their flights. I also got served a welcome drink on board. Before the main breakfast meal, they served us starters. Business Class seats cannot be reclined fully unlike other airlines. I would feel the Business Class is more like Premium Economy. Besides that, I find the engine rather loud, so having earplugs on the flight was useful for me.

Btw, there’s no entertainment system on board Druk Air – no screens for movies or anything.

| Check my checklist of flight essentials to bring! |

Can I travel to Bhutan on my own?

If you mean flying into Bhutan and then exploring it on your own a la backpacker style, the answer is no. For citizens from India, Bangladesh, and Maldives, there are exceptions, which you can read about here.

Bhutan’s law requires you to engage a tour guide and driver from a government-approved tour operator, and also to pay the minimum daily tariff, all into a trip package.

Update Sept 2022: International travellers will no longer be required to book their Bhutan trip through a government-approved tour operator. Travellers only need fulfill the SDF (Sustainable Development Fee) per night, and they can book air-tickets, hotels and arrange everything else on their own. There are distinct exceptions for regional visitors from India, Bangladesh, Maldives.

Should I arrange a Bhutan trip myself?

Update Oct 2022: This might not sit well with every entity related to Bhutan’s travel industry. But in my most honest opinion, I do not think it is a good decision to DIY a trip to Bhutan yet. Unless you’re from India, Maldives, or Bangladesh, as the SDF prices make a huge difference. The main reason is that Bhutan’s infrastructure is simply not ready to facilitate independent travel, despite the country’s travel council to go ahead with this new bill.

Why you should book Bhutan through a travel agency

These will be just a few of the issues you’ll face as a DIY, independent Bhutan visitor right now.

The above two concerns will be enough to make you think twice about booking your own trip, and it probably will remain so for a few more years. To get around those problems, I suggest you book Bhutan through an established and reputable agency and have them settle all those concerns easily.

I’ve always went Bhutan with Druk Asia – highly recommended!

Adapting to Bhutan’s altitude, thin air or mountain sickness

The elevation in Bhutan that you’ll experience, can range from above 1000m to almost 4000m (Chele La Pass).

Would I have difficulty acclimatizing in Bhutan?

It depends on the individual. My brother and Mum had no issues, while initially, I struggled to inhale normally at higher altitudes. Our first spot on the first day was Buddha Point in Thimphu. I was walking very slowly, mildly panicking inside, feeling rather short of breath, which was a new sensation to me back then. My Dad (who has high blood pressure) got giddy pretty often in Bhutan.

(Update Nov 2018: After some observations, I learned through my TCM physician, that my heart is pretty weak. It contributed to why I had problems breathing in Bhutan on my first trip.)

My Bhutanese tour guide mentioned that your body takes the very first few days to acclimatize. After that, you’ll be fine. Being Singaporean where patience isn’t my virtue, later on, I ate some TCM tablets recommended by my western doctor then, a day before and on the day that we’ll be going to higher altitudes (such as Dochula Pass, Chele la Pass, and Tiger’s Nest – all above 3000m), and breathing became easier. Although I don’t always recommend medical pills, it might be useful to keep some mountain sickness pills at hand.

No matter what, breathe deeply when in Bhutan, and take your time to adapt.

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Road conditions? Will I get motion sickness in Bhutan?

Due to the mountains that exist in Bhutan, they cut mountains to build the main roads. The roads are always winding, and often bumpy. On my first day reaching Bhutan in 2017, just sitting for an hour in the car to get from Paro airport to our hotel in Thimphu, I was so close to throwing up. It was probably a combination of fatigue (I hadn’t slept properly for 2 consecutive nights right up to flying into Bhutan), mountain sickness, and also motion-sickness.

Thankfully we reached our Thimphu hotel soon enough and I quickly popped ginger pills and drank some hot tea at the hotel lobby, and got better right away.

Update Dec 2019: The roads at the western side of Bhutan are a lot better, wider and smoother than in 2017. Great job!

At higher altitudes, there might even be frost on the roads.

Ginger pills and peppermint essential oil helped to alleviate my car-sickness for the rest of the trip in 2017.

In 2019, I took a longer road-trip to the remote, eastern side of Bhutan, and barely suffered car-sickness or body-aches even though the journeys were a lot more rough and tough. In this TCM tip post, I shared about magical acupoints that helped prevent motion-sickness for me!

Bhutanese Food & Restaurants

What kind of food will I eat in Bhutan?

I didn’t get any tummy problems in Bhutan.

In fact, my tummy felt quite cleansed somehow. You won’t eat a lot but soon you’ll feel full. I also avoided raw veggies including salad, and fruits, especially if they looked as if they’d been left on the buffet table for some time. It’s something I do every time I travel.

There were Caucasian travelers at restaurants and hotels and they ate the same dishes too. Again, this might not paint the entire picture, as the groups of people we saw are also likely using the same agency (Druk Asia) as us, thus eating the same things at the same places at the same time as us.

Breakfast is always at your hotel’s restaurant. Lunch will mostly take place at local restaurants. Dinners are often at your hotel restaurant too. At Paro, my guide will ask if we prefer to eat dinner at restaurants in town or at the hotel. For convenience, we always chose to eat at the hotel. He’ll then call and make the arrangements. If you wish to eat beyond the agreed venues, you can always discuss with your agent/guide and swap accordingly at your own costs.

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What can I drink in Bhutan?

If you’re having a long drive getting from one district to another, your guide will arrange breaks at cafes (not those boutique kind of cafes, but more like hotel or attraction spots’ cafes). They’ll always ask “Tea-Coffee?”, meaning, would you like some tea or coffee? Ginger tea? Black tea? Coffee with milk? Drinks like these are included in our package tour with Druk Asia and we need not top up money.

Don’t drink from the taps in Bhutan, even after you boil it. Our tour group was provided with bottles of mineral water throughout our trips.

An alcoholic drink that’s popular for buying in Bhutan is Zumzin Peach Wine.

Hotels in Bhutan

How are Bhutan’s hotels? Clean? Hot water for shower? Bed comfort? Blackouts?

The hotels we were assigned were actually better than I thought. (If you don’t like the suggested hotels, you can research for more and discuss with your travel agent.) Bhutan’s hotel rooms were spacious (spacious enough for me to do yoga with my travel yoga mat) and clean.

All of the hotels we stayed in western Bhutan came with in-room heaters, hairdryers, electric kettles, and mineral water-bottles. We didn’t experience any blackouts in Bhutan if you’re wondering! When it’s the cold season, some of the in-room heaters might not be very strong, but the duvets/comforters should suffice. I slept in my thin cotton tees and loose pants, and add on a cotton cardigan if I feel cold. If you’re going Bhutan during its winter months, I suggest you bring thicker sleepwear, and stay close to the heater.

| Read: Everything to know about visiting Bhutan in December |

Also, not all hotels provide the equivalent standard toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, in-room tissue paper (not toilet papers, don’t worry) so it’s better for you to bring your own. Bring your own bedroom slippers if you need them.

In winter, it can get a bit more challenging for hotels in Bhutan, especially when it comes to hot water from taps, so do manage your expectations and be prepared.

Bhutan hotel reviews

Here’s a quick summary of all the hotels I’ve stayed in Western Bhutan:

Namgay Heritage Hotel (Thimphu), Dec 2019

Comfortable hotel room to stay in, recommended! Good bed. I can’t remember if I heard any dogs barking at night. No problem with hot water when I showered early morning. My room comes with a living room area. Adequate breakfast. Beautiful lounge reception.

Osel Hotel review (Thimphu), Dec 2017

Good beds and good pillows, window ledges are dusty. Bathroom was chilly. Hot water suddenly stopped coming during the later part of the day when my brother was in the shower. We could get the hotel staff to take a look, but as we were just staying for one night, I decided to shower in my parents’ bathroom next door.

In the middle of the night, you can hear dogs barking on the streets. Good dinner and adequate breakfast. Hotel staff are polite. You can spot the Buddha statue (Buddha’s Point) from the restaurant and hotel entrance.

Punatsangchhu Cottages hotel review (Punakha, more like Wangdue Phodrang actually), Dec 2017

Spacious room, pillow’s not as comfortable for me personally; room has TV. No problems with hot water for showering. In-room heater was not very effective (but Punakha wasn’t too cold then). The room’s quiet for sleeping – we barely heard dogs barking. My room comes with a small balcony facing the river – a delightful place to sit at in the morning. Dinner food is tasty, while breakfast has limited options.

Metta Hotel (Paro), Dec 2019

Stayed at the new wing of this hotel. Room is bright and modern in design. Beds are comfortable, and come with heating pads. Paro was already -1˚C before midnight on my most recent trip. The room felt very cold if I weren’t standing beside the heater. There’s virtually no sound-proofing between the rooms, lol.

One morning, I woke up to discover there was no water coming from the taps. Turned out, the water in tanks had turned into ice. A while later, there was water running, but the color was brown. I boiled mineral water and mixed it with unboiled mineral water so that I can wash my face and continue with the day’s plan to hike Tiger’s Nest. Breakfast is tasty, including stir-fried beehoon. They even have nasi lemak if you want.

The Resort at Raven’s Nest hotel (Paro), Dec 2017

Cosy, spacious room with sofa and coffee-table, no TV though. They have extension power cords for multiple plugs; a huge bathroom. Mattress comes with heating pads. The very spacious bathroom has heated flooring. Hot water for showering was a little tricky to manage for my room (no problems for my parents’) – either too hot or not warm enough. On my 2nd night, the hot water ran out halfway, brrr! On the 3rd evening, it went back to being fine.

Food is served to tables at the restaurant instead of buffet style, and they took care to change the many dishes every night for all 3 nights. Restaurant staff is thoughtful and polite. You can see Tiger’s Nest from outside the rooms.

Gangtey Palace Hotel review (Paro), May 2019

In May 2019, I stayed at this hotel that used to be a palace. I had been looking forward to staying here as online reviews showed how ornately decorated the rooms are. We reached Gangtey Palace Hotel late at 10pm to check in. Hotel staff had sent my luggage to my room on the second floor, so I couldn’t do my usual knock-before-entering hotel room tradition.

When I entered, I was surprised by the dimness of my room. I was very sure there was certain dark energy lurking – I didn’t feel I was alone, and it felt like I was intruding 😨. To cleanse the room energy, I lit my rare wood scent sticks. The bathroom was clean but chilly. There was a small vintage heater in the bathroom, but its wire behind came loose, so I didn’t use it. Dogs were barking nearby downstairs before I slept. My last night on my otherwise-lovely, 10-day Eastern Bhutan tour was spent having unrestful sleep, with the room lights and music on because I was scared. Thankfully, nothing concretely scary happened.

Furniture is very old. Room felt musky and dusty. From the room windows, you can see the illuminated Paro Dzong, which stays lit till 4.30am. I took a quick shower very early in the morning and hot water was fine. We checked out at 5.30am to head to the airport, so we didn’t have any meals at this hotel.

Gangtey Palace hotel’s surroundings are delightfully gorgeous in the morning.

Cleanliness & toilets in Bhutan

Is Bhutan clean?

The Bhutanese believe that “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”.

Hotels and restaurants are always clean. You won’t really see litter dumped haphazardly in Bhutan. In the open and tourist spots, they have rubbish bins and collection points for things like plastic bottles. The locals value and respect their natural environment a lot, and will do what they can to protect it. This again is another admirable trait of the Bhutanese.

| New post: Living, Love & Death – Lessons Learned from Bhutanese People & Culture |

Are toilets in Bhutan clean?

My very big concern before going. Toilets at hotels and restaurants in Bhutan are clean. There’re toilet bowls and taps, even at the cafe halfway up Tiger’s Nest, or the cafe at Dochula Pass. In fact, I never came across any gross toilet in Bhutan, not even in the remote side – eastern Bhutan. There was one restaurant in Thimphu where the washroom could be as clean and luxurious as a good hotel in Singapore! One time in Punakha, we had outdoor lunch at big tents set up. It was a charming picnic spot for locals. There was a small building with a few toilet cubicles and they were all squat toilets FYI, but still not dirty.

Yes, the toilets are flushable.

You don’t need to dump water manually to flush them. Be smart and not put in too much toilet paper at one time. Yes, there will be toilet paper even for public toilets most of the time (I still always bring tissue-paper with me).

Still, I would advise you not to drink too much water during the day. Hydrate with strategy. For example, if you know you’ll be taking a long ride from Paro to Haa Valley, minimize your water intake hours before the journey. I always rehydrate at night and straight after waking up, so I can use the hotel toilets before heading out 😉

The most primitive toilet we had to experience in western Bhutan was a wooden shed at Chele La Pass (almost 4,000m in elevation). Inside, there’s a small rectangular hole for you to squat over and aim into, then scoop & pour sand-dust into it. There’s no tap to wash hands, lol. It wasn’t that bad, actually. Just bring something to cover your nose (and have a quick glance before squatting, in case of unwelcome things like snakes?!? I don’t know!)

How about the Bush Toilet?

The other primitive ‘washroom’ I had to use was the Bush Toilet. You interpreted right – it refers to doing business out in the open, among the bushes. This was in the eastern, remote side of Bhutan which very few travellers will make it there, for now.

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Are there cockroaches? Or exotic/dangerous animals to look out for?

Hahaha. I saw one cockroach in Punakha out in the open at my hotel compounds, not in the room though. Earlier, I was reading a book and there was a discussion on whether the locals (being Buddhists) should kill cockroaches (the conclusion was.. No).

Bhutan’s most exotic animal is its national one – Takin, which looks like a mix of different animals. I didn’t see this animal though, as we didn’t visit the Takin preserve. There are indeed tigers in Bhutan, and also farm animals like horses, cows and bulls. You’ll be fine as long as you don’t do stupid things.

Yaks and highlands of Bhutan

If you happen to be heading to highland areas (above 3000m at least) such as Merak (eastern Bhutan), or in winter to Trongsa (central Bhutan), you might get to see yaks grazing along grasslands.

Bhutanese People and Culture

How are the Bhutanese people like?

I’ve only met polite, gracious and friendly locals in Bhutan, even the police officers at Druk Wangyel Festival at Dochula Pass. No one was ever hostile or rude. Kids are curious and cheeky. Everyone was respectful towards one another – a very admirable culture!

| Read: What I learned from the Bhutanese about living, love and death |

agile kid who’d climbed up the tree and “Hi!”-ed to us happily

our tour guide Ugyen & sister

Bhutanese tour guide & driver

What languages do Bhutanese speak?

Locals will speak to one another in Dzongkha, their national language, and to you in English. You might be surprised at how many Bhutanese can actually speak English! In fact, Bhutan’s school lessons are conducted in English from a very young age. Road signs and shop signboards are required to be in English.

Bhutan’s Weather & Temperature

Seasons in Bhutan

• Spring in Bhutan: March to May
• Summer: June to August
• Autumn: September to November
• Winter is from December to February

I visited Bhutan in winter twice, which you can read in detail in this post!

How’s the weather in Bhutan?

(I was in Bhutan in December 2017, on the second week.) We landed in Paro at -2 degrees at 7am. In the afternoon at Thimphu, it was 22°C – a stark contrast from the morning weather. We never had rain on our December trip to Bhutan– it was always bright and sunny in the day. For most of the trip, it was 10+°C in the daytime I believe.

The temperature can differ a lot across different districts, simply because of different elevations (Punakha was the warmest among the districts we went). Paro was bitingly cold outdoors at night, especially after the sun has set.

Even during spring in May, it got very cold (like 7 degrees Celcius in the afternoon), at some areas of my Eastern Bhutan adventure, and then as warm as 30 degrees at another district.

Always bring a good jacket with you to Bhutan!

| Check my post on how to use TCM to stay healthy on your winter trip |

What to Do & Where to Go in Bhutan

We were only in 3 districts: Paro, Thimphu and Punakha for my first trip to Bhutan. These 3 districts are located in the west of Bhutan. Most first-time travellers to Bhutan will only visit the western circuit of Bhutan on their trips.

What are some of the activities to do or places to visit in Bhutan?

It’s mostly sightseeing for places of nature, or visiting huge dzongs (fortresses that now operate as administrative offices and religious temples), temples, and learning about the cultures. A trip to Bhutan will involve quite a bit of walking (strolling) and also some hiking, especially Tiger’s Nest at the end. We went to a few dzongs and they often have steep, narrow staircases to climb.

At Paro, you’ll get to explore the town a little, where shops sell lots of stone necklaces, bracelets, and souvenirs.

| You can view my full Bhutan itinerary on my Travel Resources page! |

Trekking in Bhutan: Can everyone hike Tiger’s Nest?

It depends on your physical health. My amazing 69yo Mum hiked all the way to the monastery with my brother and me, not even using the horses to shorten the journey, while my Dad opted out totally after hiking the simple ones in Bhutan. My Mum is very fit to begin with (she hiked Mt Takao and also to Chureito Pagoda in Tokyo to see Mt Fuji – very easy hikes compared to Tiger’s Nest).

The trek to Tiger’s Nest is not easy, from the sheer height elevation, constant uphill terrain, and also the many steps to go downhill then uphill to reach the monastery. Also, remember how you get there will also be how you return.

| View my post & guide on hiking Tiger’s Nest! |

We decided to go rafting at Punakha and it was the most beautiful ride down the river and rapids! Read about the river-rafting experience we had in Bhutan! 

Will I spend a lot of time in the car, getting from place to place?

Yes. Because it’s all mountaineous roads, so there’s no shortcut. Also, now, they’re working hard on expanding the roads and also improving the conditions, so sometimes, they might close roads to do the maintenance. Your guide and driver will plan timings based on road-closures.

Due to the winding and bumpy roads, a responsible driver will not speed, instead, drive with caution to minimize danger and car-sickness. Sometimes, the roads are slightly larger than one lane, but has to fit bi-directional vehicles. You’ll see many ‘slim’ cars that operate as cabs, which they’d imported from India. The most number of cars you’ll see in Bhutan would be in Thimphu, the capital.

It’s one main road, the National Highway, from Paro to Thimphu to Punakha and the same way back.

Our journey by road in 2017: Paro – Thimphu – Punakha – Thimphu – Paro

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Crowds & Safety in Bhutan

Why are there so few tourists in Bhutan? Is it because no one wants to go there?

Ahahaha nope. With only so few pilots in this world qualified to fly into Bhutan, and limited flights only allowed in the daytime in good weather, this automatically reduces the number of flights and thus tourists. The other method to reach Bhutan is overland from India – even so, they’re a really long distance away from Thimphu, Paro, Punakha. Which means it’s hardly crowded in Bhutan, yay!

Bhutan is also not the cheapest destination to visit due to the daily minimum tariff.

Is Bhutan safe?

We moved around in a group and I’ve never felt any form of acute danger. Everyone strolls in Bhutan, even the animals on the road, even with cars approaching. Vehicles will thus drive at a slow speed everywhere and give way to pedestrians and animals.

I would say generally, Bhutan felt safe. Regardless, crime can happen anywhere in the world. (My brother told me his friend went Bhutan and someone opened her hotel room door?!?) Whether you’re travelling solo or not, always practise a good level of awareness about your surroundings. And keep your room doors locked, valuables locked away, of course.

Is it safe to visit Bhutan as a solo traveller?

Your guide will be with you most of the time during the land tours in the day, even hiking all the way to Tiger’s Nest, so don’t worry.

| Read about my hike to Tiger’s Nest & hiking tips! |

However, one thing to note is that your guide might not be staying at the same hotels as you. So if they’ve ended the program for the day, if you head out on your own, you’re on your own.

About Tours to Bhutan

What language will your guide speak?

Tours are conducted in English by default. If you have elderly parents who need guides that speak Mandarin, you’ll need to top up money for that request.

Isn’t it annoying & intrusive to have strangers (tour guide & driver) with you all the time?

Not at all. The tour guide will show you around places, explaining the origins and stories. He’ll always be looking out for you, even protecting you from the mules and buffaloes when you’re out in nature. They will help you translate when you want to buy stuff from shops. The driver will get you to places safely. Sometimes, they’ll leave you to explore places like Dochula Pass and tell you where they’ll be waiting once you’re done with photos and such. During meals outside, they’ll discreetly disappear after arranging your seating and stuff, then appear again when you’re ready to leave.

Before heading to Bhutan, I’d thought I won’t feel comfortable too (am an Introvert – social settings exhaust me). But it turned out that having them around makes us feel well taken care of (TripAdvisor review here!). Imagine them like respectful hosts – they look out for you but they won’t be intrusive.

If you’re a solo traveller, your guide will also be your meal companion, something I noticed. Maybe the Bhutanese don’t enjoy dining alone 😉

Will you see monks everywhere? Will they pose for you?

You might see just a few monks at dzongs or temples or groups at special praying occasions. As a form of respect, we didn’t approach any monks for photos.

Shopping in Bhutan

Is Bhutan commercialized?

Not at all. There won’t be touts hounding you to buy things from them (you’ll probably only get someone asking if you wanna ride a horse halfway up to Tiger’s Nest), or a child asking you for donation (we experienced this once in Punakha).

Will shopping in Bhutan be cheap? ?

Shopping in Bhutan is not as cheap as Asian countries like Thailand. A commemorative T-shirt (those that has the country name written on it) costs like 600-700 nu (USD$10); my second-hand book about Buddhism was 850 nu (USD$13), a packet of dried chilli for cooking was 700 nu (USD$10) too. Making a touristy sheet of postage stamps at Thimphu’s Post Office will cost 500nu. Paper goods at Jungshi Paper Factory (Thimphu) are also expensive, with each sheet of paper from 35onu onwards, but I must say they’re so lovely! We barely bought anything much in Bhutan, actually.

Goods sold in Bhutan did not come easy due to the difficulty in obtaining them. *For example: cars. They have to import the cars into India, then send the cars into Bhutan by land. As for goods, cargo planes don’t fly into Bhutan. Local shopkeepers are limited by the baggage limit for commercial flights when they fly back into their own country from overseas, or they’ll just import from India.

What are the things to buy in Bhutan?

At Thimphu downtown, there’s a craft bazaar of stalls that your guide might bring you to. All the items sold at the craft bazaar are specifically made in Bhutan. You can purchase things like cotton scarves or wool knitted shawls, hand-made bags, souvenirs etc. At the main street in Paro, you’ll see shops selling phallus-shaped souvenirs, and plenty of precious stone accessories aka bracelets and necklaces.

Mobile data & WIFI in Bhutan

Is there WIFI? How’s the internet speed and mobile data?

You’ll likely get free WIFI from your hotel in Western Bhutan. The WIFI might get spotty in rooms, depending on your hotels. At some restaurants (rarely though), you might get free WIFI, but don’t count on its reliability!

In 2017, as I wanted to post on the go to my Instagram, I bought a Tashi Cell prepaid simcard from a shop in Thimphu on the first day. The initial charge cost 350nu (S$7.35 / USD$5.45), which includes some local call-time and 400MB of mobile data. Later on, I paid 100nu to top up another 400MB of data for the later part of my trip. The rates should be cheaper by now. Connectivity was pretty okay most of my trip – except for the hike up Tiger’s Nest. Can’t give you insight about doing work on laptop, as I didn’t bring it.

In 2019, for our trip in Eastern Bhutan, we used BMobile as our prepaid data sim card. Each charge of 299nu will give 3GB of data, which is a very reasonable price considering how much more expensive it was in 2017.

Whether you’re using free WIFI or from the tourist simcard, be prepared that the internet won’t be as fast and stable as fibre networks in developed cities.

Well, when in Bhutan, take it as a chance to disconnect!

Should I Visit Bhutan?

Is Bhutan boring?

Not to me! You’ll only find Bhutan boring if you can’t appreciate nature, crazily beautiful sceneries, or a more laidback kind of travelling style, or if you love lots of alcohol, night-life, music and entertainment in your travels.

Bhutan’s uniqueness is truly not something that every kind of traveller will appreciate. Being in Bhutan comes with its set of challenges due to its climate and country conditions, a little something like visiting the outskirts of Myanmar (but I’ll say Bhutan is more uncomfortable).

Is Bhutan suitable for children?

Unless you’re a super tough parent, I won’t encourage bringing kids that are too young, especially toddlers. Firstly, the food might be a little spicy sometimes, though the restaurants already try to serve non-spicy food for foreigners. Secondly, the climate is pretty harsh. From the first landing at Paro Airport, you’re already at >2000m above sea level, and the lowest you’ll go is probably Punakha – > still 1000m above sea level. As mentioned above, I for one had issues breathing deeply, not to mention if your small kids cannot articulate this to you.

Using strollers in Bhutan is close to impossible, that’s why all the Bhutanese have their small kids strapped to their back. Medical facilities are very limited in Bhutan. There’s a quality hospital in Thimphu.

The youngest kid we saw from a Singaporean family during our trip was about 9-10 years old.

Can the elderly visit Bhutan?

In winter, the weather gets cold (less cold in Punakha when the sun is shining brightly). Add that to challenges in acclimatizing, the elderly might have problems adapting. My elderly mother (almost 70 years old) had no issues at all, not even breathing difficulty. My Dad (almost 75 years old), on the other hand, had breathing problems, struggled with giddiness and low energy, flu, cough and he also opted out of hikes. The cold also affected him, giving him a stuffy nose.

Visiting Bhutan will definitely involve a good amount of walking (uphill)/ trekking, even uphill.

However, if you want to skip the physically taxing activities, you can always discuss with your agency or tour guide before booking your trip. My recommended Bhutan travel specialist – Druk Asia – will be able to advise better.

How much does a Bhutan trip cost?

Minimum daily tariff:
• Off-peak months (Dec – Feb, Jun-Aug) : USD$200/night per person.
• Peak months (Mar – May, Sept – Nov): USD$250/night per person.

On top of that, solo and duo travellers will need to top up USD$40 and USD$30 per person respectively, per night. It’s more financially-efficient to travel in a group of 3 or 4 to Bhutan!

Many people misinterpret that minimum daily tariff as a daily visa cost, as something on top you need to pay on top of usual travel expenses. It is not.

Think of the daily tariff as a tour package cost.

This daily tariff actually includes* your 3-star hotel stays, three meals, tea & coffee throughout your stay, bottled mineral water, a planned itinerary, all entrance fees in your itinerary, tour guide+driver+vehicle fees (*from referencing what Druk Asia provided for us). It’s more like an all-in tour package’s minimum-price guideline, minus the flight tickets.

So, what happens is, tour agencies will quote you a Bhutan trip package with a price higher than that minimum daily tariff. If yours doesn’t, that agency’s breaking Bhutan’s law.

Other than the minimum daily tariff, you’ll need to pay for your flight ticket into Bhutan, as well as the international tourist visa (USD$40).

Dec 2017 trip: To give you perspective, for my family’s trip (4 of us) in mid-December 2017 (6 nights – departing on the seventh early morning), my family member each paid S$3110 (flight ticket S$1320, visa S$55, land tour S$1735) to Druk Asia.

Updated Oct 2022: Bhutan changed its policy. From Sept onwards, most international travellers (except from India, Maldives, Bangladesh) to Bhutan will need to fulfill a Sustainable Development Fee of USD$200 per night (it was USD$65/night before 2022) in Bhutan. This fee does not benefit the traveller, which means it does not include any offsets for the traveller. The air-ticket from Singapore to Bhutan is currently S$1.4k+. Add in hotel fees, perhaps engaging a driver, and other fees, you can expect a 6N trip to Bhutan to cost upwards of S$5k now, which is a far cry from the S$3k+ for my pre-pandemic trips. The sharp increase in SDF is rather shocking, to be honest.

Tipping in Bhutan

On top of that, consider tipping USD$5/day/pax for your tour guide, and $3/day/pax for your driver. You don’t need to tip at other individual places.

How much cash should I bring into Bhutan?

Basically, you really don’t need to bring much cash into Bhutan – can consider having about USD$100/pax with you when you enter Bhutan – it’s very likely more than enough, unless you’re a shopaholic. We changed some USD to ngultrum at a local’s shop, or you can change at the banks, or even at the airport before you go through immigrations.

On my first trip, we only used up about USD$90 (for four of us, in total!) worth of Bhutanese currency for things like sim cards, some shopping like souvenirs or fruits, temple offerings, etc. Our water-rafting experience which we wanted of our own accord, was another USD$150 in total.

And next, the million dollar question:

Is Bhutan worth the money?

Bhutan has always been a country that’s out of reach to me, like Mongolia, so I was glad to finally experience this Land of the Thunder Dragon in person. Bhutan’s significantly different from any other countries I’ve visited. However, this kind of question is always subjective. You might find Myanmar not worth visiting at all no matter how much or little you pay, but I find it a blessing to have visited Myanmar. The same goes for Bhutan – Bhutan might not suit every kind of traveller, but I appreciate what the trip was.

If you enjoy luxury and relaxing vacations where you do nothing except go to spas, Bhutan is not an ideal destination for you (unless you stay at COMO Uma Paro resort).

How do I book a trip to Bhutan?

Which Bhutan tour agency do you recommend?

Only approved tour operators are allowed to do tours. I chose Druk Asia after reading plenty of good reviews, and would definitely recommend it! My travel agent (Sangay Dorji) was prompt to answer my countless questions and emails before the trip. I didn’t have to go down to the agency in person – everything was processed online, including payment. The visas were also handled by the agency with no problems.

Other than suggested tours, Druk Asia also offers fully customizable tour packages to Bhutan, which means you can go from the East to the West of Bhutan (which I did on my second time, in 2019), or simply stay in the West of Bhutan.

Druk Asia is Druk Air’s official sales agent in Singapore, so getting air-tickets at the best prices possible, will not be an issue too.

My family and I really appreciated the care and professionalism of our assigned tour guide and driver during the trip. We paid 50% of the trip cost to Druk Asia as the deposit to book, then the remaining – one month before flying into Bhutan.

Read my next comprehensive Bhutanese post – Hiking Tiger’s Nest,
or check out all my posts about Bhutan!

Visited: Mid-Dec 2017, May 2019, early Dec 2019
Bhutan districts covered in this blog post: Thimphu, Punakha, Paro

Disclosure: Druk Asia covered my land tour (daily tariff) for my firs trip; I paid for my return air-tickets and visa. The rest of my family went as full-paying customers. The next two trips were media trips. All opinions and editorial content, as always, strictly remain my own.

Check out Druk Asia’s website for tours and plenty of testimonials and its Facebook Page!

This blogpost contains affiliate link(s). If you make a booking through the link(s), ThePetiteWanderess.com might receive a tiny commission at no extra costs to you. The commission helps to offset costs to keep up with this website, your support is much appreciated!

More Bhutan travel articles on the blog!

• Road Trip in Eastern Bhutan (Part 1) – A Journey to Stir Your Wanderlust
• Hiking to Tiger’s Nest without a Flying Tigress
• Rafting in Bhutan – A Different Kind of Adventure
• What to Expect during Bhutan’s Winter in December
• Lessons from the Bhutanese – On living, love, and death

Information sources: Tourism Council of Bhutan • Druk Asia

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