Misc Info

Here you can get  lot of useless info which can be useful at times.
Travel Etiquettes :

• Do not smoke around schools or young people. Bhutan has banned tobacco.
• Bhutan is a closed country and does not want tourists, because it does not want to get affected by outside culture, so don’t try to influence them.
• Avoid public display of affection.
• Let the pedestrians cross the road.
• Do not litter. its a eco-sensitive area. So anything you throw can hard the ecology.
• You will find dustbins everywhere. Use them.
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Food:

• At most simple restaurants, with the menu, you will be provided with a paper and pencil.
  You are expected to write your order on the piece of paper.
  This is because of lack of man-power, one can’t waste his time standing to take your order.
• Cheese momo is the most common thing you will get.
• If you are skeptical about meat/beef/pork, verify before eating any meat product.
• All milk and meat products come from the border town. So road blockade means you are eating two days old meat.
• You get alcohol at most places. Though there are restrictions. See second pic below.

• The last pic above is of Kewa Datsi. Its  a milk-cheese–potato based dish. Worth trying.
• There’s huge meat market near the Veggie market in Thimpu.
• Carry extra packed food in monsoon. You can get stuck in Landslide road blockade.
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Vehicle:

• Petrol Diesel filling stations are at :
  • Phuensoling
  • Just after first checkpost
  • Gedu
  • Tsimasham
  • Just Before Paro
  • Inside Paro city
  • Lots in Thimpu
• Minor Car repair at:
  • Phuelsoling
  • Paro
  • Thimpu
• Puncture shops at (at all filling stations and)
  • Chapcha
  • Tsimasham
• Parking
  • Parking is a big issue in Thimpu
  • Parking in 2009 was charged @5Nu/15 mins
  • So 10 Hours night charge came to 200Nu
  • Search thoroughly for Free Parking.

Permits:

• You need additional permit to visit HA
• You cant visit Dochu-la unless you have the permit beyond Thimpu
• Few monasteries in Paro require permit. And that permit is issued in Thimpu.
• You can get your permit extended in Thimpu
• Do not try to venture without permits.

Mobile Phone

• In 2009, there were two service providers.  Bhutan Telecom and Tashi Cell
• You need a copy of your passport and thumb Impression for the SIM card
• I used both and found that Bhutan Telecom has better coverage.
• T-Cell has GPRS
• Call rates of India was erratic

Night Stays

• Though Foreign tourists are required to declare their place of stay in Bhutan at the time of seeking permit, Indians are exempted.
• There are a lots of places to stay in Thimpu. In the main market, you have a lot of hotels.
• In Paro, budget hotels are limited. I found a budget hotel pronounced something  like ‘pelzoring’. It was located along the river near the mobile tower in Paro.
• In Gedu, you won’t be able to find a place to stay.
• In Tsimasham, you have two-three places/lodges to stay.
• Carry your own mosquito repellant.

More to be added soon.....................