The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is a picture-perfect alpine retreat. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, also known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon and the Land of Happiness, is a true hidden treasure shrouded in mystery. The countries of Tibet and India form Bhutan's borders to the north and west, respectively. Dzongkhags, the administrative divisions, number 20. We've been meaning to visit the beautiful nation of Bhutan for a long time and have now chosen to do it. If you're considering visiting Bhutan, you should read this comprehensive travel blog beforehand. How does one go to Bhutan from India?
This was our first vacation outside the country, so we started making preparations around five months in advance. One of our first orders of business was to figure out how we could go from Bangalore to Bhutan. The most direct way is to fly into Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri, West Bengal, and then take a car trip to Bhutan. Since Bhutan is a popular destination for cyclists, we planned to take a road trip there by hiring a motorcycle in Siliguri.
The laws for visitors are often changing, and we just found out a few days before our trip that there was a new rule concerning motorcyclists using the route to Bhutan. You must now travel the entire length of Bhutan on a motorcycle with an escort car. The estimated daily expenditure of Rs. 3000 was too much for us to consider. Can you see yourself spending Rs. 3000 every day for a week?
After abandoning our first plan to bike across Bhutan, we needed guidance as to what direction to go next. One of our friends who had visited Bhutan before suggested we book a taxi for the length of our vacation since it would be significantly cheaper. He told us about the taxi he had taken, and after talking to our driver about it, everything was working again!
We used Ease my Trip to reserve seats on a trip to Siliguri three months ahead of time in July. Our per-person, round-trip cost was close to Rs.18,000. Now that our travel arrangements were made, we needed to find a place to stay. After much hassle with Oyo, we were able to reserve a hotel room via Goibibo in Jaigaon (on the border between India and Bhutan).
We used Airbnb to reserve all three of our hotels in Bhutan. All of the lodgings were spectacular, and the rates were quite affordable. Assuming we could get things squared up, we'd have three months to conduct our study. We did a lot of research on Bhutan, including where to stay, what to do, and what to eat.
Permission to enter Bhutan.
We had a delicious breakfast of puri masala at the hotel's connected restaurant before heading out to get our travel documents. Indian citizens may get visas to Bhutan with only a voter's ID and two passport-sized color photos. Even visitors from the Maldives and Bangladesh are not exempt from this rule. The government of Bhutan has issued new regulations for tourists. A 55 USD visa cost will be added to the minimum daily rate of $200 that local visitors must pay. This feature has yet to be implemented as of the writing of this article.
Visitors from all other countries must have the appropriate visa and passport documentation to enter the nation. Travel agencies are required for foreigners planning a trip to Bhutan, and visitors must have a guide at all times while in the country. A day charge of $200 (or $250 during high season) must also be paid to cover everything from travel agency fees to lodging and transportation inside Bhutan. When planning a trip to Bhutan, it's important to remember that the country's regulations around tourists are constantly evolving.
Pheuntsholing
Pheuntsholing is a small and peaceful city that Jaigaon borders. The climate is highly reminiscent of that of India. Close to Bhutan Gate is where you'll find the Pheuntsholing Immigration Office. Opening hour is 9 a.m. (Bhutanese time is 30 minutes ahead of Indian Standard Time). Avoid the crowds at the Immigration Office by arriving before 8:30 a.m. if you are not part of a prearranged tour group. Permit applications are available from local businesses. The driver took care of all the necessary documentation; all we had to do was submit our fingerprints. Soon after, he bought us each a B-mobile tourist SIM card. Since we were bringing a car, we needed to stop by the regional transport office (RTO) and apply for a motor permit.
