Img Credit: Pema Gyamtsho on unsplashBhutan is a Buddhist kingdom located on the eastern foothills of the Himalayan region sharing international borders with China to the north and India to the south. With a land area of more than 38,394 sq km, the country tries to keep itself isolated from the rest of the world to ensure the protection of its natural habitat and cultures. Being placed on the lap of the mighty Himalayas, Bhutan is surrounded by lush green landscapes and diverse topography which offers visitors with numerous adventures that have helped it to emerge as one of the best tourist destinations of the subcontinent.
Tourism
Bhutan highly prioritizes its nature and environment which is considered to have a rich cultural significance for the local people. Therefore the royal government of Bhutan follows a unique strategy of ‘high-value, low-impact’. This not only allows the country to safeguard its nature and culture but reduces the chaos within the country which can help offer a better tourism experience to its visitors. Bhutan is open for tourism and people can easily visit and explore its unspoiled beauty however there are a few points that need to be considered when planning for Bhutan.
Visa Formalities
Bhutan is known for its unique principles and policies that can be seen at the time you prepare for the visa. Unlike other countries which offer visas on a fortnight, weekly or monthly basis, Bhutan approves on the basis of a number of days. You need to apply for the visa prior to your visit which can be completed by filling up the online visa form or with the help of local tour operators. The approval of your visa can be time-consuming therefore it is necessary to complete the process a month ago from your visit.
Sustainable Development Fee
Sustainable Development Fee or SDF is another factor that you need to consider while planning for your vacation. SDF is an amount that is charged to every tourist for the number of days they will spend within the country. Tourists from internationals other than the citizens of India need to pay US$ 100/ day as an SDF, while citizens of India need to pay ₹1200/ day as an SDF. The major portion of this SDF is directed towards social, environmental and infrastructure development within the country.
Etiquettes
Bhutan is strict with its culture and takes huge pride in sharing with others and therefore expects respect from its visitors. No matter which nationality you are from, there are etiquettes that need to be understood and followed while you are travelling within the country. Here are some of the positive practices that you may consider when exploring Bhutan.
- Avoid wearing revealing dresses when visiting religious and sacred sites.
- Maintain peace and don’t honk while driving in traffic
- Wearing leather shoes are prohibited
- Do not feed animals or dogs while travelling
- Smoking in public places is prohibited
- Do not throw garbage in nature
Gross National Happiness
Bhutan is considered one of the happiest countries in the world and gives preference to its people more than anything else. Gross National Happiness is an approach that has been developed to create a balance between non-material value and happiness among the people of the country. There are four main pillars of Gross National Happiness which are good governance, sustainable socio-economic development preservation & promotion of culture and environmental conservation. The government of Bhutan also uses these factors to measure the development of the country based on the level of happiness of the Bhutanese people.
