Bhutan

Introduction

In fog imperial palace

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Sandwhiched between the two of the world's most densely populated nations (India and China), Bhutan has a remarkably low population that's been estimated to be anywhere between six hundred thousand and two million. Partly due to this small population, partly because of Bhutan's isolated past, and partly due to the government's focus on conservation of Bhutanese culture, environment and a state policy of promoting happiness the country retained its past better than most of its south Asian neighbours. Buddhist temples and monastries dating back centuries are more than just a ruin for visitors to get their photo taken in front of: they are as significant in daily life as ever. Bhutan is the only Himalayan Buddhist state.

Forest covers a whopping 72% of the country and hold a predictably large and varied flora and fauna populations. Bhutan is one of those wonders of the world, if simply for the fact its environment has hardly been touched by the currents of modernization.

Brief History

The first sign of Neolithic people appeared in Bhutan are 2000 BC. There is very little information on this time. The earliest written account of Bhutuan came from a passage by the Buddhist saint Padma Sambhava who travelled in Bhutan in 747 AD. Very little of Bhutan's early history is known because of a fire in the traditional capital of Punakha in 1827.

What is known was by the 10th century the countries political and economic development were heavily influenced by Buddhism. There must have been various sub sects of Buddhism that emerged by different Tibetan and Mongol overlords. Mongol power declined in the 14th century which lead to two hundred years of war among the different sub sects of Buddhism for dominance in the region. In the 16th century the Drukpa sub sect came to power.

In the 17th century Bhutan was still a patchwork of waring fiefdoms which were unified by a Tibetan Lama and military leader. In order to defend the country a series of fortresses were built, which successfully defended Bhutan against Tibetan and Mongolian invasions. During the 19th century Bhutan had series of battles and wars with British India. After it was all over Bhutan signed a treaty that allowed Britain to take a little bit of land.

1907 was a very important year in the history of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck was unanimously chosen to be the hereditary king of Bhutan. Very quickly the British government recognized the king and in 1910 the new king agreed to let the British government guide Bhutan's foreign affairs, which really meant nothing because Bhutan really had no foreign affairs before that point. After Indian independence on August 15, 1947 Bhutan and India signed a similar treating granting India the right to guide Bhutan's foreigner affairs.

The next 20 years saw great change in Bhutan, the setting up of a National Assembly, a Royal Advisory Council, a Cabinet and in 1971 Bhutan was admitted into the United Nations. In 1972 Jigme Singye Wangchuck ascended to the throne at the mere age of 16. He brought significant change when he announced that Bhutan's goal will be to measures its success to the world in Gross National Happiness instead of Gross Domestic Product.

This brought a major change to the way the country operated. Anything the government does or enacts is done because it is meant to improve the happiness of the people. This includes things like everyone is required to wear traditional dress during business hours and the fact that TV was not introduced to Bhutan until 1999. Today Bhutan continues its goals of Gross National Happiness and has started to install the first steps to democracy by having mock elections

Geography

Bhutan is located on the southern slopes of the eastern Himalayas, landlocked between the Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and the Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to the west and south. It lies between latitudes 26° and 29°N, and longitudes 88° and 93°E. The land consists mostly of steep and high mountains crisscrossed by a network of swift rivers, which form deep valleys before draining into the Indian plains. Elevation rises from 200 metres in the southern foothills to more than 7,000 metres. This great geographical diversity combined with equally diverse climate conditions contributes to Bhutan's outstanding range of biodiversity and ecosystems. The northern region of the country consists of an arc of Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows reaching up to glaciated mountain peaks with an extremely cold climate at the highest elevations. Most peaks in the north are over 7,000 metres above sea level; the highest point in Bhutan is Gangkhar Puensum at 7,570 metres, which has the distinction of being the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. The lowest point, at 98 metres, is in the valley of Drangme Chhu, where the river crosses the border with India. Watered by snow-fed rivers, alpine valleys in this region provide pasture for livestock, tended by a sparse population of migratory shepherds. The Black Mountains in the central region of Bhutan form a watershed between two major river systems: the Mo Chhu and the Drangme Chhu. Peaks in the Black Mountains range between 1,500 and 4,925 metres above sea level, and fast-flowing rivers have carved out deep gorges in the lower mountain areas. The forests of the central Bhutan mountains consist of Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests in higher elevations and Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests in lower elevations. Woodlands of the central region provide most of Bhutan's forest production. In the south, the Shiwalik Hills are covered with dense Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests, alluvial lowland river valleys, and mountains up to around 1,500 metres above sea level. The foothills descend into the subtropical Duars Plain.

Regions

Bhutan is organised into 4 administrative zones (or dzongdey), which in turn are divided into districts. The four zones are listed below.

• Central Bhutan includes the Jigme Singye Wangchuk National Park and the sacred Bumthang Valleys.
• Eastern Bhutan
• Southern Bhutan
• Western Bhutan is where the capital Thimphu can be found.

Cities

• Thimphu - The capital
• Paro
• Tongsa
• Tashigang
• Phuntsholing
• Geylegphug
• Gasa Dzong
• Samdrup Jongkhar

Sights and Activities

Taktshang Monastery

Takstang Monastery literally meaning Tiger Nest is one of the most famous monastery's in Bhutan. It said this is where Rimpoche flew from Tibet in the 7th century to Bhutan. This temple is a must see and it clings to the side of a mountain. It is about a 20-minute drive outside of Parao and the best hike is about 2 hours long in order to see the best veiw.

Trongsa Dzong

Trongsa Dzong was originally built in 1644 as fortress and as the seat of power for the Wangchuck dynasty. Built on a mountain spur high above the canyons of the Mangde Chhu this fortress controled east-west trade for hundreds of years. The way it controlled trade was because the only ancient road that connected eastern and western Bhutan passed through this fortresses courtyard.

Tashichoedzong

Tashichoedzong was originally a monastery/fortress built in the 17th century at the edge of Thimpu. After being a religious center for several centuries the federal government took it over in 1952. Today this beautiful building is the current seat of the government of Bhutan.

Other Sights and Activities

• Changlimithang National Stadium
• Trekking - Bhutan is home to some of the best trekking in the world due to its strict environmental laws.
• Markets - Enjoy the flavor and beauty of the country at the many local markets.

Events and Festivals

• Bhutan Folk Festival - A celebration of 100 years of monarchy and the coronation of a new king. This event will be held from 13 to 15 December 2008.

Weather

The weather in Bhutan depends on the elevation. In the northern parts of the country, where the highest mountains are, the climate is similar to the arctic. In the south, closer to India, the weather can be subtropical with yearly monsoons. The summer lasts from June to September with generally warm weather but this is also the rainy season. Winters can be a good time to visit the lower parts, but the highest areas are extremely cold and snowy. The best times to visit Bhutan are spring (March-May) and autumn (late September - November) when mostly warm, dry and sunny condtions are the norm. Temperatures are usually around 20 °C or a bit more while nights can be relatively cool, so bring some extra warm clothes.

Getting there

Bear in mind that when visiting Bhutan you need to prearrange your visa with the department of tourism. You won't be able to get one upon arrival at the border or airport. Also, you have to either fly into or out of Bhutan (or both if you want). But you can not travel overland to and from Bhutan.

By Plane

There is only one airline serving Bhutan and that's the national airline Druk Air. It has at least weekly services to several cities in Asia, notably Calcutta, Baghdora, Guwahati, Delhi, Bangkok and Kathmandu. All flights arrive and depart from the international airport at Paro, about 50 kilometres from the capital Thimphu.

Over land

There are two border crossings between India and Bhutan permitted to foreigners. One at Phuentsholing, on the border with the Indian state of West Bengal, and one at Samdrup Jongkhar, on the border with the state of Assam. For now, foreigners can only use the Phuentsholing border crossing for entering Bhutan. Foreigners can only depart via Samdrup Jongkhar, but not entering!

Getting Around

By Plane

There was a time when our tourists fly into Paro and then had to travel overland to reach destinations in the central and eastern parts of the country. With the opening of two domestic airports, one at Bumthang and another at Yonphula in Trashigang, it is now easier for those who want to fly here instead of travelling by car or bus. There are regular connections with the local airline from Paro, the international airport.

By Train

Currently there is no passenger rail service in Bhutan. Currently there is construction on a rail link between Bhutan and India and China. This is still in the planning phase and might take a while before construction even starts.

By Car

Foreigner tourists must have a driver with their car. The countries main road is the east-west highway that is known locally as the Lateral Road, which was built in 1962. The road starts in Phuentsholing on the SW Indian Border and continues to Trashigang in the eastern part of Bhutan. There are spurs to the main cities of Paro, Thumphu and Punakha. The highway only has a width of 2.5 metres (8.2 feet), making it a very narrow two way highway. The road hugs sides of cliffs with dizzying drops and many of the bridges only have enough room for 1 car. There are almost no signs, safety barriers and road markings along the highway. Most traffic moves at only around 15 km/h. The Lateral Road also crosses a number of high passes, which can be hard on foreigners. Because of the geology being unstable land slides are quite common that can cause massive traffic problems.

By Bus

There is a public bus system linking most of the cities. Although once tourists come into Bhutan they have a driver and car included with their guide. Therefore taking the buses seems a little silly.

Red Tape

Nationals from India and the Maldives do not need a visa. All others will need a visa before arriving.
To obtain a Bhutanese visa, you need the following:

• Bhutan visa application form x 3 copies filled in
• 2 passport-size photographs
• Photocopy of the passport.

It usually takes less than one month to process things, which can be done by a Bhutanese tour operator for you.
When entering Bhutan, you receive a visa for only 2 weeks. Visa extensions can be granted if you stay longer.

For more info, have a look the Kingdom of Bhutan Visitor Information website.

Travelling in Bhutan is possible but not cheap. A visa must be arranged with a travel agency and so must a plane ticket. The easiest and cheaper way to go is on a tour group, which can be arranged with several different travel agencies. An individual traveller, not a tour group, must pay US$200 a day to stay in the country. This daily fee includes personal guide, driver, car, hotel, entrance to sights and some food.

Money

See also Money Matters

Sleep

Travellers who enter Bhutan hve to purchase a travel package from authorized travel agents. As such, hotels are generally arranged by travel agents. However, travellers are normally given the right to choose the hotels which they would like to stay. Getting good hotels are tougher as you travel to Central Bhutan such as Gangtey and Trongsa, especially during the festive or peak season.

Popular and recommend hotels include Amankora; Amankora Gangley; Dewachen Hotel; Swiss Guest House; and Uma by COMO, Paro. These locations range from budget-conscious to world-class.

Drink

K-5 whiskey was recently introduced to commemorate the coronation of the Fifth King.

Health

See also Travel Health

There are no vaccinations legally required to travel to Bhutan. There is one exception though. You need a yellow fever vaccination if you have travelled to a country (7 days or less before entering Bhutan) where that disease is widely prevalent.

It's a good thing to get your vaccinations in order before travelling to Bhutan. The general vaccination against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) is recommended. Also a hepatitis A vaccination is recommended and when travelling longer than 2 weeks also typhoid.

If you are staying longer than 3 months or have a particular risk (travelling by bike, handling of animals, visits to caves) you might consider a rabies vaccination. Vaccination against Tuberculosis as well as hepatitis B are also sometimes recommended for stays longer than 3 months.

Malaria is prevalent in the country, but only at the lower elevations in the southern part of the country, bordering India. Don't underestimate this tropical disease and take precautions. Buy repellent (preferably with 50% DEET), and sleep under a net. Dengue sometimes occurs as well.

Finally, other possible health issues include diarrhea and other general travellers' diseases like motion sickness. Watch what you eat and drink and in case you get it, drink plenty of fluids (to prevent dehydration) and bring ORS.

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Crime-wise Bhutan is one of the safest countries in the world, where the main crime is people selling illegal vegetables after the market has officially been closed. On the other hand, there are a lot of dangerous animals in the forests (including tigers) and the national sport of archery is practiced everywhere, so make sure to watch out for stray arrows. The roads are very basic in Bhutan and can be very dangerous, especially after rain. Be prepared for long delays from landslides. In general though, encoutering some of these problems is highly uncommon.

Keep Connected

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to Bhutan is: 975. To make an international call from Bhutan, the code is: 00

External Links

• Official Governmental Website
• Official Tourism Website