One of my main takeaways from my recent trip to Bhutan and India (Kolkata, Sikkim) is this: Bhutan is a unique and special destination but not for everyone. Independent travel and backpacking is unheard of as tourists require a guide and a driver. There’s also a daily tariff which is high but also all-inclusive and include guides, drivers, daily meals and entrance fees.
Since I traveled with a relatively large group, our itinerary was pretty much fixed. But there was some flexibility to the itinerary if one spoke up. For example, a few us requested to see the Rinpung Dzong in Paro and our “cool dude” guide Jamyang obliged. It was nice tour because along with the tour and typical dzong information , we were able to chat with our guide and got to know him better outside of his day-to-day tour guide responsibilities. For example, he studied in Chennai, India but returned back to Bhutan after university. He’s a musician and a big football (soccer in America) fan. If you travel to Bhutan, I would highly recommend talking to your guides, drivers and locals and learning more about them on a personal level. No doubt the history and cultural facts shared are an integral part of the Bhutanese travel experience. But you can get that information online and in tour books as well. But talking to people and getting to know them on a personal level is something you can’t read about online or in tour guides. I haven’t done a great job with this on past trips but I think I genuinely connected with Bhutanese locals on this trip. We talked about the influence of Indian culture in Bhutan. For example, some Bhutanese people speak Hindi and this can be attributed to the popularity of Indian television channels, serials (soap operas) and films. However note that the actual cinemas in Bhutan only show Bhutanese films to promote their local culture and cinema. Locals claim they are embarrassed by the quality of their films sometimes. Shh don’t tell anyone. It’s a secret.
So now back to the trip and itinerary. Main cities and towns I visited were Phuntsholing (border town), Thimphu (capital), Punakha, Bumthang, Phobjikha Valley and Paro. For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip but I did end up getting sick which made one long driving day from Punakha to Bumthang quite miserable for me.
How do you know if Bhutan as a travel destination is for you? Read below for some tips. Obviously things may change in the future which may skew your opinion and thoughts but this is all based on my recent experience in October 2017. To each their own.
Bhutan isn’t for you
If you like relaxing on the beach and taking it real easy, then Bhutan probably isn’t for you.
If you enjoy planning your own itinerary (tours, meals), backpacking or traveling independently, then Bhutan probably isn’t for you.
If you don’t like spending a lot of time in a car/van/bus, then Bhutan probably isn’t for you.
If you like a lot of nightlife and a great party scene, then Bhutan probably isn’t for you. In Thimphu, the main entertainment was a live music venue called Mojo Park. It features one band per night and the music ends around midnight. It was generally nice and casual place and I’d recommend it if you want something to do in the evening. The band performing at the venue during our visit was Idiocrazy and they were pretty darn amazing. The band performed familiar popular tunes as well as some local and lesser known ones.
If you’re a frugal travel, then Bhutan probably isn’t for you (at least not yet?!)
If you don’t like to ever plan ahead, then Bhutan probably isn’t for you.
Bhutan IS for you
If you love unspoiled nature and the great outdoors, then Bhutan is totally for you.
If you enjoy hiking, trekking, white water rafting and outdoor activities in general, then Bhutan is totally for you.
If you enjoy going with the flow, the Bhutan is totally for you. Things are quite unpredictable (e.g weather) even during the tourist season. Expect itineraries to change at the last-minute and to be stuck on the road traveling from Place A to Place B. My tip would be to just go with the flow and practice patience.
If you want to explore a country which isn’t completely dominated by tourism and tourists, then Bhutan is totally for you.
If you appreciate learning about a country’s history, past and present and culture, then Bhutan is totally for you. The entire trip is one cultural experience, start to end.
If you enjoy staying and interacting with locals, then Bhutan is totally for you. A lot of trips include stays at farmhouses and local homes. For me, this was a great way to interact with locals, understand their day-to-day life, the joys, the pains. It also serves as an opportunity to validate and invalidate misconceptions and perceptions one has read online or in books.
It’s an honor and privilege to visit and explore Bhutan. My trip wasn’t perfect but its the imperfections of travel that create life long memories. I certainly cherish those moments and experiences. I’ll never forget the 13 hour-long drive to Bumthang from Punakha. I was pretty miserable for most of the long drive but that moment is fully entrenched in the long-term memory of my mind. Well, at least until another crazy experience that’s the spot 🙂
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I had to google Bhutan to find out it is the last great Himalayan kingdom. How cool is that! I love the points you mentioned if it is the right location for you to travel to, everyone travels differently. Great post!
Thank you Michelle. Thanks for reading and happy travels!
Thanks so much for reading. Bhutan is definitely getting more well known but definitely not as popular or well known as other places such as Nepal. I think that was part of the charm and reason why I really wanted to visit.
Bhutan is on my bucket list! It’s not the easiest place to go but it looks so incredible.
Hi Jenna – Let me know if and when you go. I’ll be happy to share more details about my trip.