Send this beautiful postcard to your loved ones featuring phallus paintings are sacred, colorful symbols painted on houses and shops to ward off evil spirits, prevent malicious gossip, and bring good luck and fertility.
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Punakha Dzong, Punakha, Bhutan Travel Postcard
Send this beautiful postcard to your loved ones featuring Punakha Dzong is situated at the confluence of Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, and is a fortress-monastery renowned for its traditional Bhutanese architecture.
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All prices displayed on this website are in U.S. Dollars (USD) unless otherwise stated. Applicable taxes, shipping charges, handling fees, or other order-related costs may be added during checkout. Shipping costs vary by destination and will be calculated and displayed before the order is submitted. International customers may also be responsible for customs duties, import taxes, or other fees imposed by the destination country.
Product images are provided for illustrative purposes. Slight variations in color, positioning, cropping, or printed appearance may occur due to differences in screens, printing processes, and production tolerances. Borders shown around product images are for display purposes only and will not appear on the final printed postcard.
Be inspired to share your journey through the timeless charm of postcards. Surprise your loved ones with our bespoke postcard collection—beautifully crafted from moments captured during our travels by esteemed professional travelers. Each design tells a story worth sending.
This page lists our postcard-collection from the Asia continent, and are available to purchase directly through Zazzle. For all other postcards, click here.
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MADE FOR TRAVELERS A beautiful reminder of your adventures or a thoughtful gift for anyone who loves to explore.
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Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan Travel Postcard
Send this beautiful postcard to your loved ones showing the Tiger’s Nest Monastery clinging to Bhutan’s cliffs like a prayer suspended between earth and sky.
* Important Notes: The product(s) mentioned here is created by Travel On The Dollar, and manufactured by and sold on our partner websites.
All prices displayed on this website are in U.S. Dollars (USD) unless otherwise stated. Applicable taxes, shipping charges, handling fees, or other order-related costs may be added during checkout. Shipping costs vary by destination and will be calculated and displayed before the order is submitted. International customers may also be responsible for customs duties, import taxes, or other fees imposed by the destination country.
Product images are provided for illustrative purposes. Slight variations in color, positioning, cropping, or printed appearance may occur due to differences in screens, printing processes, and production tolerances. Borders shown around product images are for display purposes only and will not appear on the final printed postcard.
Learn how to obtain travel permits in Bhutan, where to apply, required documents, immigration office procedures, and essential tips for visiting Punakha, Haa Valley, Bumthang, and other restricted areas. #Bhutan#Permits#TravelTips#Thimphu#Paro#Punakha#Haa
As per Bhutan government’s policy, citizens of all countries, except from India, Bangladesh and Maldives, have to book their tour through a registered travel agent and pay US$250 per person, per day to be able to secure a permit or visa. This is mandatory!
Having said that, all expenses in this itinerary are for individual travel and does not apply to the mandated travel agency’s or tour operator’s costs. However, you can get an idea of costs, along with tips and details of places you’d like to visit.
The town of Paro doesn’t have many sights to see that are in walking distance from the center, and I was not keen on traveling outside of the city to see some more monasteries! So I decided to visit some sites in the city, and after breakfast at the hotel where I was staying at, I headed out on a 20 minute walk to Rinpung Dzong.
But on the way to the monastery, I stopped by the stadium nearby. There was an archery game going on! Archery is the national sport of the Kingdom of Bhutan since 1971, and some of the best archers in the world are from Bhutan. Watching the game is free.
[Archery game in Paro]
[Archery game in Paro]
[Archery game in Paro]
Walking south from the ‘stadium’ for about 15 minutes, I reached the gate that leads to the bridge to Rinpung Dzong which is a Buddhist monastery in one part and the Supreme Court of Bhutan in the other part.
But before going to visit the Dzong, I stepped in to a store across from the gate, that provides dress rentals that you can put on and take pictures! And I had to do that! It costs BTN 200 for one hour rental.
[Wearing the national dress in front of Rinpung Dzong]
The ticket window is on the back side of the Dzong (cross the river via the bridge, walk up to the Dzong and climb the stairs on the right from the other side of the entrance). It costs BTN 300 to visit this monastery and as most of the Dzongs in Bhutan, this is also closed between 12pm and 3pm.
Rinpung Dzong is also the place to host the annual Paro Tshechu festival that is held from the 9th till the 15th of the 2nd month every year (always check the dates and times online before visiting). Introduced by Tenzin Rabgy in 1678, this ceremony’s highlight is the Thongdol, which is believed to deliver from all sins.
[Rinpung Dzong]
[Rinpung Dzong from the top]
[Inside the courtyard of Rinpung Dzong]
The road at the ticket office leads up to National Museum of Bhutan. The museum has different galleries such as anthropology, arms and armor, pre-history, manuscript, paintings, textiles, bronzes, decorative arts, philatelic items, epigraphic items and numismatics.
The original circular building visible from Rinpung Dzong suffered destruction in 2011 earthquake and the museum was moved to the building behind the original building, while it is under construction at the time of writing.
Photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum and you’re required to leave your phones, cameras and bags in lockers outside the museum. Fees for tourists is BTN 200, for SAARC countries’ citizens is BTN 50, but weirdly I was charged BTN 25!
[Original building of National Museum]
[Current building of National Museum]
Walking down from the hills gives you a great view of the Paro city in the valley. It was around 5pm when I reached Paro center, so I stopped by “Our Place” restaurant for some great local food.
[Paro valley]
[A plane about to land in the Paro valley]
[Local Bhutanese food]
Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = BTN 71 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.
As per Bhutan government’s policy, citizens of all countries, except from India, Bangladesh and Maldives, have to book their tour through a registered travel agent and pay US$250 per person, per day to be able to secure a permit or visa. This is mandatory!
Having said that, all expenses in this itinerary are for individual travel and does not apply to the mandated travel agency’s or tour operator’s costs. However, you can get an idea of costs, along with tips and details of places you’d like to visit.
Taking a private taxi from Paro to Chele La pass costs about BTN 3,000 return trip. And there are very few taxis that will have shared rides to the pass. After asking a few taxi drivers at the taxi stand in Paro, I called the taxi driver who drove me from Paro to Thimphu on day one (I had taken his contact number). He settled in for BTN 2,000 return after some haggling.
A 1.5 hour drive south from Paro will bring you to this popular destination called Chele La pass. The drive to Chele La is 40 kms and is through dense spruce and larch forests and depending on the season, you will encounter various sights such as frozen river, waterfall, rhododendron forest and yaks grazing peacefully.
I reached there on a clear day, and I could see Bhutan’s most sacred peak, Mt. Jomolhari (Bhutan’s most sacred peak at over 22,000 ft) along with Jichu Drake and adjoining peaks to the north west, as well as the view of both the valley (Paro and Haa).
[Mount Jomolhari, Bhutan]
[Mount Jomolhari, Bhutan]
Chele La Pass altitude is 3,988 meters, making it the highest motorable road of Bhutan. The surrounding area of this pass has several ancient trails and numerous untouched forest regions which makes this place the ideal spot for all the hikers.
I hiked a bit around the mountains and returned back to Paro around 3pm, and headed to the post office to get a stamp in my Postal Stamp Travelogue book.
Relaxing evening and a dinner at the hotel I was staying at was all I needed to wrap the day!
Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = BTN 71 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.
Day 6 – Taktsang Lhakhang (Tiger’s Nest Monastery) | Eight Days in Bhutan
INFO ABOUT THIS ITINERARY
As per Bhutan government’s policy, citizens of all countries, except from India, Bangladesh and Maldives, have to book their tour through a registered travel agent and pay US$250 per person, per day to be able to secure a permit or visa. This is mandatory!
Having said that, all expenses in this itinerary are for individual travel and does not apply to the mandated travel agency’s or tour operator’s costs. However, you can get an idea of costs, along with tips and details of places you’d like to visit.
Every single postcard or a picture of Bhutan will show Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched up high on the hill. Also known as Paro Taktsang Lhakhang, this is considered to be the most sacred site in Bhutan.
The monastery is located around 12kms (about 7.45 miles) from Paro center. I was up early and after breakfast at the hotel, I took a cab to reach the base point (Ramthangkha). Most taxi drivers will charge BTN 300-400 one-way in a shared taxi, but make sure to haggle and bring down to BTN 200 at the least. They will charge BTN 50 per person to drop you on the main road from where the base point is 4kms.
From the base point, Tiger’s Nest Monastery is 4.82kms (about 3 miles) one-way hike. I started my ascent at 8:30am, targeting to reach the top by wanted to reach to the top by 11am to avoid afternoon sun.
[Sign for Tiger’s Nest]
Initial part of the trail passes through a beautiful pine forest with gradual comfortable slope. There are no real markings or directions along the whole trail, but there will always be many people hiking up or down making it easy to not get lost!
The first half of the hike can be covered on horses, and many people choose to do that. It costs BTN 500 one-way per horse.
I kept walking through the forest warming up my self for around 5 minutes before I heard the sound of prayer wheels and flowing stream. This is when the forest transitions in to a mountain hike with slope getting slightly steeper and trail curling the mountain.
Here on, it is a semi-steep, 45 minute hike till you reach the mid point from where you get first glimpse of Tiger’s Nest Monastery. The views gets spectacular with each step. There are benches on the way for you to take rest and also water taps for drinking water. Take a short break at the mid-point and go to the cafeteria for some refreshments if you’re tired.
A lot of people get the glimpse of the monastery from the mid-point and decide to walk back down. But the trail gets less steep from here and it’s an easy walk on flat trek.
[Mid-point to Tiger’s Nest hike]
From here, it is another 45 minutes hike to the monastery and the trail is almost flat for a good second part of the hike. You reach the view-point from where the picture-perfect shot of the monastery is seen.
This part is where the hike ends and gives way to a set of stairs. These stairs go down to a waterfall and then again ascend up to reach the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. This also turns out to be the euphoria moment of your hike as you get a view of the Tiger’s Nest Monastery first time with that single turn to the stairs.
Inside Tiger’s Nest Monastery
Photography is strictly prohibited inside the monastery. Camera and phones must be kept at the entrance in lockers. There are multiple temples inside the monastery where you can sit in peace and meditate. At the entrance is the ‘wish stone’ where people line up to put their thumb exactly in a hole (with closed eyes) for their wish to be granted.
There is a lamp chapel where you can light a lamp by donating BTN 30. As you walk to the end, you see a panoramic view of the valley and the starting point of the hike making you proud of your accomplishment!
Tiger’s Nest Monastery Timings & Location
Winter (Oct – Mar): 8am to 5pm (Bhutanese Time)
Summer (Apr – Sep): 8am to 6pm (Bhutanese Time)
Lunch Break: 1300 to 1400 Hrs (Bhutanese Time)
Entry Fee: BTN 500 (for Indian/Bangladeshi/Maldivian citizens only) to be bought at the base point, BEFORE starting the hike.
Difficulty Level
Moderate – Difficult: It took me approximately 1.5 hours to hike up to the monastery, about 2 hours around & in the monastery and 1 hour to come down.
After reaching the back to the base point, I relaxed for a while and then walked 4kms to the main road. It’s an easy, downhill walk to the ‘highway’ across the river, leading to Paro. You can wait here for taxis passing by and it will cost BTN 50 per person in a shared taxi to Paro center.
It was about 3pm when I reached back to center, so after a full lunch at Mountain Cafe, I headed to the hotel for some siesta. Some leisure walk & window shopping in the evening along the main street followed by a quiet dinner at the hotel was the highlight of a cold, crisp evening!
Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = BTN 71 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.
What
Cost
Notes
Taxi (Shared)
$2.82
BTN 200 one-way from Paro center to monastery base point.
As per Bhutan government’s policy, citizens of all countries, except from India, Bangladesh and Maldives, have to book their tour through a registered travel agent and pay US$250 per person, per day to be able to secure a permit or visa. This is mandatory!
Having said that, all expenses in this itinerary are for individual travel and does not apply to the mandated travel agency’s or tour operator’s costs. However, you can get an idea of costs, along with tips and details of places you’d like to visit.
This was my last day in Bhutan, and my return flight from Paro to Kolkata in India was scheduled for 10:50am, which means I had to be at the airport at least 2 hours before the departure, since it was international flight.
After breakfast at the hotel in Paro, I walked to the taxi stand and took a taxi to the airport. It costs BTN 300 one-way from taxi stand in Paro town to the airport which is about 4.5kms south of the city.
[Druk Air plane at Paro airport]
[View of the Himalayas from the airplane]
A quick 1.5 hour plane ride to Kolkata and a 3-hour layover after, I took the Indigo Airlines flight from Kolkata to Mumbai, calling it an end of a fantastic trip to Bhutan!
Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = BTN 71 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.
As per Bhutan government’s policy, citizens of all countries, except from India, Bangladesh and Maldives, have to book their tour through a registered travel agent and pay US$250 per person, per day to be able to secure a permit or visa. This is mandatory!
Having said that, all expenses in this itinerary are for individual travel and does not apply to the mandated travel agency’s or tour operator’s costs. However, you can get an idea of costs, along with tips and details of places you’d like to visit.
Here’s a complete breakdown of costs per person for all the eight days of our trip to Bhutan.
Where: Thimphu, Paro, Punakha (Khuruthang, Lobesa), Haa Transport: Airlines, Taxi When: November 2018 Who: One backpacker Currency: Bhutan Ngultrum (BTN)
Note:International flights in and out of Bhutan are NOT included in the costs.
All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult. The exchange rate at the time of visiting is assumed to be USD 1 = BTN 71.
As per Bhutan government’s policy, citizens of all countries, except from India, Bangladesh and Maldives, have to book their tour through a registered travel agent and pay US$250 per person, per day to be able to secure a permit or visa. This is mandatory!
Having said that, all expenses in this itinerary are for individual travel and does not apply to the mandated travel agency’s or tour operator’s costs. However, you can get an idea of costs, along with tips and details of places you’d like to visit.
After inquiring about the public transport to Paro the previous day, I was told that there are two buses that go to Thimphu (but nothing to Paro) – 08:30 and 14:00, takes 3 hours and costs BTN 100 one-way.
It was past 9:00 in the morning when I left the hotel in Khuruthang, so taking the 08:30 bus was out of question! So I headed out to the taxi stand for a shared taxi to Thimphu (since no shared taxis go to Paro directly, only private taxis do and costs BTN 3500-3800 one-way).
But first off was a quick stop to the post office to get the stamp in my Postal Stamps Travelogue book.
There are a lot of shared taxis leaving to Thimphu until 5pm. It costs BTN 350 per person, and takes 2 hours to reach Thimphu. But our fellow passengers needed to be dropped to Lobesa, so we had to take a detour, which mean an extra one hour to reach Thimphu.
[Highway in Bhutan]
[Highway in Bhutan]
I reached Thimphu’s taxi stand at almost 12:30pm, so walked up to the center at a local restaurant for lunch, before heading back to the taxi stand for the next ride to Paro. Ample taxis run all day from Thimphu to Paro & Phuentsholing. It costs BTN 250 per person, one way to Paro in a shared taxi and takes about 2 hours.
[A monastery in Thimphu across from the road from taxi stand to city center]
[Indian lunch at a local restaurant in Thimphu]
After a few halts on the way, I reached Paro at around 4:30pm. Checked in to the hotel and went out for a walk along the main “tourist” street to the famous “Mountain Cafe”. This is a great restaurant for India food, Bhutanese food and pasta or pizza. Although a bit expensive compared to other cafes and restaurants in Paro, it’s still a great place to hang out!
[Paro]
[First view of Rinpun Dzong in Paro]
It gets really cold in evening past sunset because of November weather, so I walked back to the hotel for a laid-back night.
Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = BTN 71 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.
Day 3 – Punakha (Khuruthang) | Eight Days in Bhutan
INFO ABOUT THIS ITINERARY
As per Bhutan government’s policy, citizens of all countries, except from India, Bangladesh and Maldives, have to book their tour through a registered travel agent and pay US$250 per person, per day to be able to secure a permit or visa. This is mandatory!
Having said that, all expenses in this itinerary are for individual travel and does not apply to the mandated travel agency’s or tour operator’s costs. However, you can get an idea of costs, along with tips and details of places you’d like to visit.
Waking up this morning, I had late breakfast at the hotel I was staying at and that’s when I was told that Punakha Dzong closes between 12pm to 3pm on any day. So I headed out to see this beauty right after breakfast.
Taxi from Khuruthang to Punzkha Dzong
Walk up to the taxi stand in Khuruthang and you will find a lot of taxi drivers going to Punakha Dzong. All these are shared taxis and costs BTN 40 one-way, per person.
All taxi drivers park on the Khuruthang-side of the river and you can just cross the bridge to access the Dzong. Return taxi drivers are available until 9:30pm and costs the same amount of BTN 40 per person.
Punakha Dzong
Punakha Dzong is undoubtedly the most beautiful and charming Dzong in Bhutan, standing tall right at the confluence of two rivers Pho Chhu (Father River) and Mo Chhu (Mother River). Punakha also served as Bhutan’s capital before the honor was transferred to Thimphu in 1950s.
To reach the Dzong, you have to cross a spectacular wooden bridge. Tourists are required to pay BTN 300 as entrance fees at the ticket counter as soon as you enter the bridge. Non-Indian/Bangladeshi/Maldives citizens are not required to purchase the ticket as this is included in the tour price.
There is a temple on your left after crossing the bridge. Bhutanese parents visit the temple to get blessings for their children. Long & steep stairs lead to the big wooden entry gate of Punakha Dzong in front of the temple.
Inside of the Dzong is beautiful with a large courtyard lined with administrative buildings on 3 sides and a huge temple at the front. Wooden carving of roof and windows against huge whitewashed walls adds to the charm of this beautiful edifice. Towards the end is the ‘hundred pillar’ assembly hall temple with massive gold statues of Lord Buddha, Guru Rinpoche and Divine Madman.
[Punakha Dzong]
[Punakha Dzong]
[Entrance staircase to Punakha Dzong]
[Punakha Dzong]
[Punakha Dzong]
[Punakha Dzong]
[Monk chambers at Punakha Dzong]
[King’s Palace on grounds of Punakha Dzong]
I was told by the hotel crew that there was some celebrations going on for eight days during that week, and thousands of people would be assembled at the grounds behind the Dzong. Prayers and chanting can be heard around the entire area.
[Entrance to the religious celebrations in a compound]
[Monks chanting at the religious celebrations in a compound]
Punakha Suspension Bridge
A spectacular suspension bridge lies about 15-minute walk from the Dzong. Take an exit from the back gate of the Dzong and walk straight till you get a mud road that leads to this beautiful suspension bridge.
But I was asked to leave the Dzong at noon since they close down for three hours, so the only way to reach the bridge was to have a long detour (~ 30 minutes). I walked straight ahead on the road parallel to river till I reached an iron bridge. After crossing the bridge, I walked on the road to reach the backyard of the Dzong and from there, another 5 minute walk to reach the suspension bridge.
[Punakha Suspension Bridge]
[Punakha Suspension Bridge]
[Punakha Suspension Bridge]
It was almost 4pm by the time I walked back to the Dzong. And right next to the parking area outside the Dzong, there’s a local market where farmers come to sell vegetables and fruits. Along with the sellers, some tiny ‘restaurants’ offer snacks, tea and coffee. I wanted to see Punakha Dzong in night when its lit up. So I stayed at one of the ‘restaurants’ for snacks and coffee, until it was 6pm when they turn on the lights.
[Punakha Dzong in Night]
[Punakha Dzong in Night]
[Punakha Dzong in Night]
I took the taxi back to Khuruthang and after dinner at a local restaurant, I called it a night! There are not many restaurants in the small Khuruthang, but this one place, with no name, is located right next to ‘Yak Herder Camp’.
Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = BTN 71 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.
What
Cost
Notes
Brunch
$1.34
BTN 95 at local restaurant.
Taxi
$0.56
BTN 40 one-way from Khuruthang to Punakha Dzong.
Taxi
$0.56
BTN 40 one-way from Punakha Dzong to Khuruthang.
Punakha Dzong
$4.22
BTN 300 entrance fee.
Snacks
$2.25
BTN 160 for coffee, juice & snacks.
Dinner
$2.25
BTN 160 at local restaurant opposite Yak Herder Camp.
Day 2 – Thimphu to Punakha (Lobesa) | Eight Days in Bhutan
INFO ABOUT THIS ITINERARY
As per Bhutan government’s policy, citizens of all countries, except from India, Bangladesh and Maldives, have to book their tour through a registered travel agent and pay US$250 per person, per day to be able to secure a permit or visa. This is mandatory!
Having said that, all expenses in this itinerary are for individual travel and does not apply to the mandated travel agency’s or tour operator’s costs. However, you can get an idea of costs, along with tips and details of places you’d like to visit.
Getting Permits in Bhutan
To be able to visit all the places around Bhutan, one needs permits to those places. As I mentioned in the planning section, you get permits to Paro, Thimphu and Phuentsholing by default upon arrival to Bhutan by air. Since I wanted to visit Punakha & Haa in this trip, I needed to visit the immigration office in Thimphu to secure permits to those places. This morning was the time to get those permits!
IMPORTANT NOTE on Permits
Travelers from India, Bangladesh and Maldives have to get permits to visit different parts of the country. Entering Bhutan from any port of entry (land or air) will grant permits to Paro and Thimphu by default. If you’re entering via the land border with India at Phuentsholing, then the permit will include that municipality as well.
For travel to outside of Paro or Thimphu, you must go to the immigration office in Thimphu and apply for permits to the municipalities you wish to visit – Punakha (Khuruthang & Lobesa are cities in the Punakha municipality), Haa, Gangtey, Bumthang, etc.
Documents that are required for those permits vary and depend on where you are visiting. For example, Punakha, Gangtey and Haa require confirmed hotel bookings (not asked mandatory!), whereas for Bumthang you need the taxi driver’s name and taxi number mentioned in the application form.
The procedure is quite, but not always, straightforward –
Go to the immigration office when it opens at 9am
Fill the application form. Mention all the places you will be visiting.
Stand in line for verification by the officer.
After submission, wait for about 20-40 minutes.
Pick up your permit.
That’s the most streamlined process anyone has to go through, except that there are hurdles. Here are some of them from my personal experience, but not exhaustive:
Process – You will need to fill the application form, keep one copy of your passport front page, and one copy of your visa page. The entire application is free of cost!
There’s always a long line at the office. Everyone is pushing everyone else. The whole process is not streamlined at all! There is only one person at the application acceptance counter, whereas there are about 6 ‘officers’ actually creating the permits. This means you will be standing in line to hand over your application, so make sure everything is in order. Once accepted, the person will write the time you submitted on the top of your application, so make sure that is correct because that is what defines your number in line. The person will ask you to come back after 2 hours, but the permit will be ready within 20-30 minutes tops!
Destinations – You will receive one permit that will have all the destinations mentioned from the application form. I had asked for permits to Punakha, Gangtey, Haa and Bumthang. Since I mentioned Bumthang, I was asked to fill in the name of my taxi driver & the taxi licence plate number. I insisted that I had not booked a taxi yet and will be doing so when I was in Punakha. The lady at the counter asked me to go see a ranking officer inside, who asked me the same details saying it was required info. But if I remove Bumthang from the list, I don’t need to fill in the taxi details. So I scratched Bumthang from the list & re-submitted. My permit was approved!
After checking with some other travelers, I was told that most areas east of Punakha requires travelers to mention the transport details. If you say public transport, you are bound to have a rejection of your entire application, so always mention ‘taxi’ as means of transportation. The government wants travelers to take taxis instead of public transport, and also have the taxis booked (with an exorbitant price) before heading east. This shows that individual travel to Bhutan comes with its restrictions!
Solo travelers – For solo travelers like me, I was asked to sign an “undertaking” on a paper saying that I am responsible for my travel across Bhutan while traveling solo. This was an additional letter I was asked to submit along with my application. A few other solo travelers were asked the same.
Another solo traveler was denied the permits citing his intentions of traveling solo did not match the culture of Bhutan!
After submitting my application for permits, I walked to the General Post Office to get a stamp in my Postal Stamp Travelogue book and send out postcards to family & friends. The GPO also houses the Bhutan Postal Museum.
Walking back to the immigration office, I stopped by a cafe to grab some coffee. The permit was ready in 30 mins and having grabbed that, I walked back to the hotel to pick up my bags. My taxi driver was supposed to pick me up at 11:30am to ride to Punakha. Since I wanted to visit Dochula Pass and Lobesa on way to Khuruthang, I decided to have my own private taxi, instead of the shared taxis.
Taxi from Thimphu to Punakha
Most taxi drivers from Thimphu will charge BTN 2800-3000 one way for a private taxi from Thimphu to Punakha, stopping at Dochula Pass, and if you can negotiate the price then stopping at Lobesa as well (usually charge BTN 3500 to stop as Lobesa).
Shared taxis are available for BTN 350 per person. The shared taxis leave when they are full, which means you have to wait for them and they do not stop anywhere, but take you directly to Khuruthang taxi stand.
I negotiated the price of BTN 2,000 one-way with the taxi driver that drove me from airport to Thimphu on first day. The original price was BTN 1,800 stopping at Dochula Pass, but when I added Lobesa, he insisted on BTN 2,000.
Tip: When you are in Thimphu and want to go to Punakha, try and search for a taxi that has ‘Punakha’ or ‘Khuruthang’ written on the door. These taxis are always looking for passengers going to Punakha and will charge less (BTN 1,800 compared to BTN 2,800-3,000). If you come across that taxi then negotiate the price in advance and get it booked for your day of travel.
Dochula Pass
We started from Thimphu at noon and were out of the city in no time. After a quick stop at the immigration check point of Punakha, we reached Dochula Pass. High on top of a mountain pass, overlooking the Himalayas at 3,100 feet, is a concentration of 108 chortens (stupas) built in memory of Bhutanese soldiers killed in the 2003 war against insurgents from India.
[Dochula Pass]
[Dochula Pass]
IMPORTANT NOTE on Immigration Checkpoints
There is an Immigration Check Post at Hongtsho village just before Dochula Pass and you will not be allowed entry without proper extension.
Please ensure to get your permit stamped both at entry and return. Failing this, you may be fined or your extension may be cancelled by immigration authorities. At times, taxi drivers do not stop for the stamp, so please take care to stop as soon as you see any Immigration Check Post.
Just opposite to chortens, is the temple Druk Wangyal Lhakhang. This temple was built in 2008 to celebrate the centenary of the king’s rule in Bhutan and is famous for its unique cartoon style modern murals.
Lobesa & Chimi Lhakhang
After about a drive of 2 hours through the Thimphu-Punakha highway, we took a detour over unpaved road to the tiny village of Lobesa to visit Chimi Lhakhang, also known as the ‘Temple of Fertility’. Walk to Chimi Lhakhang passes through Lobesa village and you get a beautiful glimpse of rural Bhutan as you come across the farms and houses with unique Bhutanese architecture (huge white walls with wood carving on doors, windows and roof).
[Lobesa & Punakha Valley]
[Path leading up to Chimi Lhakhang temple]
[Chimi Lhakhang temple]
Temple is dedicated to Lama Drukpa Kunley, fondly known as ‘Divine Madman’ because of his non-conventional and ‘outrageous’ style of teaching. He was a social critic and openly challenged the hypocrisy of the established orders. Thus, the use of his Phallus (Penis) as a ‘flaming thunderbolt’ weapon symbolizes the discomfort that society experiences while facing the truth. Devotees take blessings from the wooden effigy of the lama’s thunderbolt, preserved in the lhakhang. Couples come to the temple before the birth of baby to select their names while newborns are brought by parents for blessings from Lama.
[Chimi Lhakhang temple]
Photography is not allowed inside the temple but it is equally dynamic with young monks reciting hymns and playing instruments in front of the statues of ‘Divine Madman’ and his dog Sachi. You will also be rewarded with blessings from the lama’s wooden and bone phallus.
Along the way through the village, you will see Phallus (penis) painted on almost every house of Lobesa.
[Penises drawn on houses in Lobesa]
[Penises drawn on houses in Lobesa]
[Penises drawn on houses in Lobesa]
[Penis souvenirs sold in Lobesa]
Driving back up north, it is a short drive to Khuruthang where I was staying at ‘Punakha Residency’ hotel for next few nights, to explore Punakha valley’s sights. Headed out for a walk in this tiny town of Khuruthang post dinner, before calling it a day!
Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = BTN 71 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.
What
Cost
Notes
Postcards & stamps
$5.50
BTN 390 for stamps for 12 postcards.
Coffee
$0.56
BTN 40.
Lunch at roadside restaurant
$2.53
BTN 180.
Taxi
$28.17
BTN 2,000 one-way from Thimphu to Lobesa to Khuruthang.
As per Bhutan government’s policy, citizens of all countries, except from India, Bangladesh and Maldives, have to book their tour through a registered travel agent and pay US$250 per person, per day to be able to secure a permit or visa. This is mandatory!
Having said that, all expenses in this itinerary are for individual travel and does not apply to the mandated travel agency’s or tour operator’s costs. However, you can get an idea of costs, along with tips and details of places you’d like to visit.
Day Before
After arriving at Paro airport (PBH) the evening before, the immigration process was easy, having grabbed the default permits in the passport to travel to Phuentsholing, Paro & Thimphu (see image of Bhutan Visa below). The standard rate of BTN 1600 one-way from Paro airport to Thimphu, is applied to anyone arriving at airport. The only way to travel to either Paro or Thimphu is by a taxi, and taxis are available outside the airport.
[Paro international airport, Bhutan]
Multiple forums advice not to exchange currency at the airport because they have the worst exchange rates. Moreover, I was arriving from Nepal via India, so I had enough Indian Rupees (which are accepted along with BTN) to get me by to Thimphu.
Documents required for Permits at airport
There are conflicting reports online about what documents are required for Indian/Bangladeshi citizens to secure a permit at the airport on arrival. Some say you need a confirmed hotel booking to get the permit, whereas others say nothing other than your national ID or passport.
I was asked to show my hotel booking in Thimphu, and when I presented the paper, the officer didn’t even look at it! I could have given a trash paper and they could have believed it!! But when I asked another officer about this issue, I was told that if you have a confirmed hotel booking then you get the permit for all the days you plan to be in Bhutan, else you get the permit for 5 days only. And you must go to the immigration office in Thimphu to extend your permits. I was given the permits for all the eight days.
It takes about 1.5 hours from airport to Thimphu; and it was past 6pm when I was reached my hotel in Thimphu. On my way to Thimphu, I checked with the taxi driver on exchanging USD to BTN; and also getting on a SIM card for my phone. He took me in a store next to my hotel in the main street of Thimphu to have the currency exchanged. If you exchange $100 bills then you get the ‘current’ rate, but if you exchange $20 bills then the rate was terrible!
After getting the BTNs, I headed to a local ‘mobile’ store next door for the SIM card. For BTN 730 [230 for SIM and 500 for 5GB data] (approx $10.10), you can purchase a BNT (Bhutan National Telecom) SIM card from any store. The validity is 30 days and you can top-up at most groceries stores around the country.
And post check-in to the hotel, I headed for a walk along the main road in center of Thimphu for some dinner at a local restaurant, before heading back to the hotel and calling it a day!
This Day
Thimphu is the capital and also the biggest city of Bhutan. Situated on the bank of River Thimphu Chuu, the city is nestled in a valley with old traditional touch in the north stretching to disciplined high rises as you move to the south.
I was staying at Hotel New Grand which is located on the main road Norzim Lam, and right across from the square that hosts the Clock Tower with long dragons facing towards the clock and colorful Bhutanese designs carved onto the surface of the tower. The dragons represent the independence of the dragon kingdom of Bhutan. It is one of the most well-known landmarks in the capital drawing a steady stream of people at all times of the day.
[Thimphu Clock Tower]
[Thimphu Clock Tower]
Just north of the Clock Tower is the National Handicrafts Emporium, which is a government-run souvenir emporium having a wide range of products under one roof, including traditional boots, bamboo baskets and festival masks. (Free, closed on Mondays)
[National Handicrafts Emporium]
Walk a bit north and you will come across the only manned-‘signal’ in Bhutan – an intersection where a policeman is stationed in the middle of the intersection, directing traffic. Bhutan is a country with no traffic signals at all. Not only that, there are no manned intersections in the country.
Sometimes ago, traffic lights were put here but later they were removed. Bhutanese did not find traffic lights in accordance with their culture. Yes, they value their values the most.
[The only traffic ‘signal’ in Bhutan]
About ten minutes walk from the traffic ‘signal’ is the Centenary Farmer’s Market on the banks of Thimphu Chuu river. Just north of Changlimithang Stadium, this is Thimphu’s busiest domestic market. A two story building with about 400 stalls provides farmers from around the country the opportunity to display their produce and people a chance to support the local agriculture. Vendors from throughout the region starts arriving on Thursday and Friday, and remain till Sunday night. The best time to explore the market is within these three days when the rush of trade is going on.
Wander off and in the cereal section of the Farmer’s Market, you will see a display a wide variety of rice: Boyo zaw (puffed rice), zaw (roasted rice), mekhu (Crispy rice crackers), kabchi (roasted, ground wheat), tengma (roasted, flattened maize) and kharang (pounded maize), all an important part of Bhutanese cuisine.
The market is open six days of the week, from 7:00AM to 7:00PM except Mondays.
[Centenary Farmer’s Market]
From the market, you can cross the bridge over to the other side of the river to see the weekend handicrafts market. This is where the locals setup a market all weekend, and is not impressive as it sounds!
[The bridge that spans across Thimphu Chu river]
I walked back to the city center and took a taxi to Buddha Dordenma statue, located about 7kms south of the city center. Most taxi drivers will charge anything between 1000-1400 BTN for a return trip, and will wait for you there while you visit the monument. But I negotiated the price to BTN 300 one-way, intending to walk back!
The 169 foot statue stands high on a hilltop and can be seen from any point in Thimphu on a clear day. Inside of Buddha Dordenma statue, there are 125,000 miniature Buddhas encapsulated inside of its enlightened bronze chest, ranging from 8 to 12 inches tall. This means that in Thimphu, which has a population of around 100,000, there are more Buddhas than there are human beings.
The statue also fulfills two prophecies. The first, foreseen by yogi Sonam Sangpo, is that a Buddhist statue would be built in the region to “bestow blessings, peace, and happiness to the whole world.” In addition, the statue is said to have been mentioned by Guru Padmasambhava, widely referred to as the “second Buddha,” in the eighth century.
[Buddha Dordenma]
I was lucky to find a British couple heading back to the city center, who offered a ride to me from Buddha statue to the center! Before heading to the next stop, it was late afternoon, so we decided to stop by at ‘Hotel Ghasel’ for some lunch.
Next up on the list of things to see was Tashichho Dzong, located in the north end of the city. Luckily for me, the British tourists were heading there so I hitched the ride with them to the Dzong (also known as Trashi Chhoe Dzong), which is the seat of Bhutan’s government and National Assembly.
The Royal palace is located across from this Dzong.
[Tashichho Dzong]
[Tashichho Dzong]
It was evening by the time I was dropped back to the center at my hotel. And I decided to visit the Memorial Chorten. This stupa, which is predominantly white with spires of gold, was built in 1974 in honor of the father of modern Bhutan, the third king of the country, His Majesty Jiqme Dorji Wangchuck.
This stupa is unlike others as it does not enshrine human remains. Only the Druk Gyalpo’s photo in a ceremonial dress adorns a hall in the ground floor. When he was alive, Jigme Dorji wanted to build “a chorten to represent the mind of the Buddha” and later after his death late majesty wish was fulfilled by her Queen mother Ashi Phuentsho Choden Wangchuk. Inside you will find mandalas, paintings, statues and shrines dedicated to the king.
Large prayer wheels are located to the left. The chorten attracts many elderly Bhutanese on a daily basis who circum-ambulate the chorten, whirl the large red prayer wheels and pray at the shrine. It has four entrances but only one entrance is open for devotees to visit the shrine.
[Memorial Chorten]
Walking back to the hotel, it was past sunset and after dinner at the restaurant of the hotel I was staying at, I stepped out for a walk in the crisp, cold evening of November, before calling it a night.
Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = BTN 71 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.
What
Cost
Notes
SIM card
$10.10
BTN 230 for SIM card & BTN 500 for 5GB data only, valid for 30 days.
Taxi from Khuruthang to Punzkha Dzong
Travelers from India, Bangladesh and Maldives have to get permits to visit different parts of the country. Entering Bhutan from any port of entry (land or air) will grant permits to Paro and Thimphu by default. If you’re entering via the land border with India at Phuentsholing, then the permit will include that municipality as well.
IMPORTANT NOTE on Immigration Checkpoints
There are conflicting reports online about what documents are required for Indian/Bangladeshi citizens to secure a permit at the airport on arrival. Some say you need a confirmed hotel booking to get the permit, whereas others say nothing other than your national ID or passport.
