The Asian Kingdom of Bhutan is a state with an area of 46,000 sq. km, which borders India and China.
Capital Thimphu
City buildings are made in the same national style. The main attraction is the largest monastery in Bhutan - Trashi Cho Dzong. In winter, it houses the government of the country, and in summer - a religious leader with a retinue of two thousand monks. The capital is home to the Royal Art School, the Institute of Traditional Medicine, the largest in the Himalayas, the National Library, which stores ancient manuscripts in Tibetan languages, the small reserve Motitan Takking, a rich and huge city market.
Near Thimphu is the protected area of the Jigme Dorji National Park. Here you can meet more than 30 species of animals and 300 species of birds. There are hiking trails of varying difficulty in the park.
Kingdom of Himalayan Happiness
Bhutan is a state that has abandoned widespread globalization. Only in 1974 the country became accessible to foreigners. Tours to Bhutan for citizens of Russia and the CIS are provided only in an organized manner with a guide. Everything without himmovement within the kingdom is prohibited. A visa is issued only for a group - $ 60 per person. Bhutan is not a state for individual tourism.
Day stay for a traveler will cost 250 dollars. This includes meals, accommodation, transportation, services of a local guide. There are no direct flights from Moscow yet, only with a stopover in Bangkok or New Delhi. The flight will cost about two thousand dollars.
Tours to Bhutan are all combined. They include visiting monasteries and temples, admiring natural beauties and festivals.
Bhutan is a country that professes the philosophy “Happiness is to be here!”, and even sophisticated tourists who have seen a lot are amazed by the very friendly welcome of local residents and the atmosphere of universal love and joy that prevails in the country.
Money
Coins of Bhutan are quite rare and are used in small private shops and markets. Denomination - 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 chetrums. The monetary unit of Bhutan, the ngultrum (denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 100, 500) is pegged to the Indian rupee. It is also in constant circulation in the country. One dollar is worth 45.71 ngultrum (BTN), which is equal to 100 chetrum (Ch).
The Thunder Dragon Kingdom has two banks with branches all over the country. There you can exchange currency and travelers checks. It can also be done in most hotels. There are no cashless payments or ATMs. Banks are open from 10:00 to 13:00, except Saturday and Sunday. But small offices are also open on weekends, during the same hours.
Ngultrums canneeded to purchase small souvenirs, since holidays in Bhutan and tourist services are on an all-inclusive basis, and money is practically not needed.
Shopping
Most of the knick-knacks (fish, figurines, housekeepers, etc.) are made of bronze. The main souvenir is rice paper. The main pride of the Bhutanese are stamps of different sizes and colors with state symbols. A good purchase would be a men's or women's national outfit. It is handcrafted over six months and is expensive.
It is not customary to bargain in markets and shops, although Bhutanese may offer some discount in order to communicate with buyers. You can hint at it, but not demand it in an ultimatum form.
Tips are not given in the country. However, service personnel will not refuse them.
Flag
It is a panel of yellow and orange right-angled triangles. In the center is a white dragon. The flag of Bhutan was adopted in 1969. Yellow means secular roy alty, orange means adherence to Buddhism. The white dragon, the symbol of Bhutan, represents purity. The Tibetan name of the country is Druk, which means "thunder dragon".
He alth
When traveling to Bhutan, you need to have full comprehensive insurance that can cover transportation costs (evacuation by helicopter) and medical care. This service is not available in the country. No special vaccinations are provided for travel, but you can get vaccinated against tetanus, cholera, malaria, polio, typhoid, hepatitis A.it is advisable to consult your doctor before traveling.
Altitude sickness can begin for unprepared tourists when climbing even along a simple route (altitude 2500 m).
All water used for ingestion must be boiled. Outside the capital, only bottled liquid should be used. Vegetables should be thoroughly washed, fruits should be peeled.
Since 2004, smoking has been banned in Bhutan. The fine is 175 euros. The ban does not apply to foreign tourists.
There are many hospitals in the kingdom, each of which produces medicines. Among the local population there are cases of leprosy. The leprosarium is located in the vicinity of Thimphu.
All parts of the country have their own rescue services, their phone numbers are in local directories.
Communication
Public telephones are available only in large cities. Call centers are available from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 1 pm, except weekends. The mobile network of Bhutan uses GSM-900. The only company - B-Mobile - covers the area of major cities. In the mountains, mobile communications are often unavailable. Roaming is available to Russian users of major mobile operators.
Internet access in the kingdom is somewhat limited. But this area is developing rapidly. Large cities have Internet cafes, and hotels have their own hotspots.
Television is prohibited in Bhutan. Receivers usedto watch videos. But hotels are equipped with satellite TV with a wide range of channels.
Weather
The climate is almost always comfortable, but the best time to visit is spring or autumn. Summer is not very hot - no higher than 25 degrees. It rains infrequently at night. The local population considers the climate of their country to be cold, so chili is present in all dishes. It is even served as a meal on its own.
Ethnic cuisine
Very spicy dish - hemadatsi made from cheese and chili. Kevadatsi from potatoes, cheese and chili and shamudatsi from mushrooms, cheese and chili are not inferior to him. In Bhutan, they like red rice with a nutty flavor and stewed vegetables with herbs, ferns and spinach. On the table there are fish, meat (pork and beef) and chicken. The only non-spicy dish is momo, a cross between dumplings and dumplings. A lot of fruits. Drinks include local vodka - macaw, which is made from rice, wheat beer and tea with suza oil. Sometimes s alt and pepper are added to it. Locals eat with their hands while sitting on the floor.
Features
Bhutan on the map is represented by a large number of reserves, but their territories are often closed to tourists. Thus, the authorities take care of the privacy of the monasteries and preserve the local flora and fauna.
It is the duty of the Bhutanese to wear national dress. They are very hospitable, religious, hardworking and polite. About 90% of the population can read and write. Just ten years ago, a decree was issued banning physical punishment of students. Before themthey twisted their eyelids and ears, hit their palms and fingers with a pointer. Today education in Bhutan is free. The students are in uniform. Bhutanese receive higher education in India, and more often in Europe.
Three-star hotels in the interior tend to have a good level of service. The most luxurious hotel is the five-star Taj Tashi in Thimphu. This is a five-story building in a traditional style. The rooms are decorated with black carved wood and mosaics. Buddha paintings and huge chandeliers are everywhere.
Festivals are very often held in spring and autumn. Dances and theatrical performances have been unchanged for several centuries. People believe that by looking at dancing, one can achieve enlightenment. Having put on their best clothes, the population gathers at the monasteries before dark. The most crowded festivals are held in large cities - Paro, Thimphu, Bumtan. In addition, there are other religious holidays - the birthday of the Buddha, the departure of the Buddha into nirvana, the birthdays and death days of all kings.
