Visitors are required to fill up the Custom Form and hand over to concerned authorities on arrival.
The following articles are exempted from duty:
If any items are disposed of in Bhutan by sale or gift, they are liable for customs duty. On departure, visitors are required to surrender their forms to the Customs Authorities.
Import and Export of the following goods are strictly prohibited:
Imports of plants, soils, etc. are subject to quarantine regulations. These items must be cleared on arrival.
Bhutan’s currency is the Ngultrum (Nu.). It is at par with the Indian Rupee, which is widely accepted in the country.
In addition, POS (Point-of-Sale) services are available nationwide, meaning visitors can pay by credit card at most hotels and handicrafts stores.
However, it is recommended to keep some cash with you for your convenience.
Dzongkha is the national language of Bhutan, but English is widely spoken by the citizens.
With great variations in altitude, weather is quite mixed in Bhutan. So be prepared to face the unforeseen weather conditions.
We expect visitors to dress modestly and respectfully especially if you are planning a visit to the monasteries, Dzongs and other religious institutions. Long pants and long sleeved tops should be worn when visiting such places. As a mark of respect, be kind enough to remove your hats, caps etc. as you enter religious and administrative premises, institutions and in any other place that you come across with the national flag being raised.
Bhutan offers immense opportunities for photography especially during outdoor sightseeing trips. However, you should check with your guide before taking pictures or filming inside Dzongs, temples, monasteries, and religious institutions as in some areas photography/filming is not permitted.
You are free to capture images of the landscape, the panoramic views of the mountain ranges, rural life, flora and fauna, distinctive Bhutanese architecture, and the exterior of Dzongs and Chortens.
Tipping is a purely personal matter. We leave it up to you as to whether you want to give a gratuity to your guides and drivers. However, if doing so, we recommend that you place the gratuity in an envelope.
Spicy and chili is what comes to the mind of a Bhutanese when we think about food! Chili cooked with cheese known as Ema Datsi is the main dish. Our love for chili, and let us not forget cheese, is evident in ALL our dishes.
Our staple diet also includes red rice and butter tea accompanied with one or two side dishes. Pork, beef and chicken are the meats that are mostly consumed. Other grains such as barley and wheat are also cultivated in some parts of the country.
Most of the restaurants offer Bhutanese food tempered to appeal to the foreign palate. It is recommended that you let yourself experience the variety of spicy dishes that Bhutan has to offer in all its glory. Let your taste buds loose!