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Details for Traveling Bhutan

http://www.romancingtheplanet.com/bhutan-entry-immigration-and-exit-for-indians/
Entry Into Bhutan
India has three entry points into Bhutan through road one each at Phuentsholing,
Gelephu (maybe used only for exit) and Samdrup Jongkhar. The best option is to use
the primary route that is through Phuentsholing. Phuentsholing shares
neighborhood with the town of Jaigaon on the Indian side. You could just cross the
border on foot from Jaigaon through an official entry point.You do not need any
permits to enter the Phuentsholing.

Getting permit to enter Thimphu and Paro


A few steps away from the entry point, adjacent to the petrol filling station you will
find the Immigration office. Just go to the first floor and fill in the immigration form
and submit it at the respective counter. Remember to submit the filled form along
with photo copy of any identification proof(like passport, ration card, election card)
and two passport sized colored photographs. Then they take your photo on their
camera and ask you to come back later after 30 minutes, though it might take
longer. In the mean time you walk to the Zangto Pelri Lhakhang and also walk to the
Dhoti Chhu river which a 15 minute walk from there. Then get back to immigration
office to collect your permit which would be valid for seven days and gives you
entry only to Thimphu and Paro.
Getting to Thimphu

Getting from Phuentsholing to Thimphu is quiet easy. Just walk to the bus stop,
there is a bus almost every 30 minutes to Thimphu, go to the ticket counter in side
the bus station and purchase a Toyota Coaster ticket that costs you Nu 200. These
buses are comfortable and take up to 6 hours to reach Thimphu. The journey takes
you through the true forests of Bhutan entering the high altitudes, where the earth
touch the clouds. It would be better if you could take the window seat to experience
the natural beauty of the mountain kingdom. On the route you need to get your
permit stamped at two check posts, the first one at Rinchending and the second one
at Tanalum. The bus driver would help you getting the permit stamped, so you need
not worry.
Extending your permit and getting special entry permits
(All other places like Punakha, Bumthang, etc)
If you want to extend your permit or get special entry permit to the other districts of
Bhutan, you need to apply for such permits at the Immigration Office in Thimphu,
which is on the far end of the Norzim Lam. If you want to get special permits for
entering the other districts of Bhutan, you need to write your whole itinerary on a
paper and submit it along with the respective form nd photocopy of your earlier
permit.

Also
http://www.consulatephuentsholing.nic.in/?0668?000
Getting There
-----------------I opted for the land route to enter Bhutan (through Phuntsholing). I took a Mumbai Bagdogra flight. From Bagdogra I hired a pre-paid taxi to New Jalpaiguri (Cost Rs
400, Time taken - 40 mins). You can also get a prepaid taxi from Bagdogra to
Jaigaon (Bhutan border). It will cost you Rs 1900.
I was under the assumption that there would be shared taxis from NJP to Jaigaon.
That's what I read on various sites. My assumption was wrong.
The road from NJP to Jaigaon is said to be in a very bad condition and my cab driver
hadn't heard about any shared taxis to Jaigaon. Most people take the train option to
go to Jaigaon. A fellow traveler who I later met in Bhutan and who was on his second
trip said that there never had been any shared taxis to Jaigaon. I don't know how
much of this is true. Anyway the road option would take a longer time than a train. If
you want to book an entire cab it would be cheaper to get a prepaid one directly
from Bagdogra.

From NJP I purchased a ticket to Hasimara (Cost Rs 42). You need to get on a train
going towards Alipurduar. Most of the locals there were clueless as to which train
goes to Hasimara. Eventually after some asking I found out that there's an Inter-City
train which starts from NJP itself which would stop at Hasimara. I got on the 5.30 PM
train which reached Hasimara at 8.30 PM.
From Hasimara there are a few options to reach Jaigaon. A shared-taxi would cost Rs
50, a shared-auto Rs 20. You can also get an entire taxi for Rs 300 - 400. Jaigaon is
only a short distance from Hasimara.

Phuntsholing
-----------------I reached the Phuntsholing gate after 10 PM Bhutan time. The security guards at the
gate examined my Passport before letting me in. I had some trouble finding a hotel.
In Bhutan it's a rule to close all establishments by 10 PM (In some places like
Bumthang it's 9 PM). I then found out how helpful the Bhutanese can be as a local
guy helped me locate a hotel. Room cost Rs 550. There was even a slight problem
having my dinner as the room boy had to get it from another hotel.
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Phuntsholing Gate)
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Phuntsholing)

Getting the Permit


----------------------Try to reach the Immigration office by 9 AM as it gets crowded after 10.30 - 11 AM
as the Indian contract workers also come to apply for their permits. It's a big red
building right next to the petrol pump.
Usually your permit should be processed within 2 hrs but if you're a single traveler
(like me) get ready for a longer time and a few questions.
I was the first one to arrive, submitted my application and went to have a breakfast
confident that I would have an early start for Thimphu as I wanted to arrive in
Thimphu before 10 PM. How I was to be disappointed. I went back after 1 - 1.5 hrs to
find the place a bit more crowded. My permit was still not processed. One of the
staff called me and asked how I knew about Hotel Tandin (There's a field on the form
where you need to enter where you'll be staying in Thimphu/Paro. I'd read about
Hotel Tandin in another post on India Mike.) and whether I'd traveled to Bhutan
before.

I went back and waited. After another hour the guy called me again and asked me
to furnish my entire trip itinerary! I submitted that too. In the mean time everyone
else is getting their permit approved and me - the first one to arrive - is still waiting.

Finally after another hour or so I got my permit. But there was a twist in that too. I
wanted an 11 day permit but was give only a 10 day one. This would later cause me
to lose another half a day in Thimphu to get a single day extension! Nice start to my
trip...
(Carry with you either your Passport or Voter id card, photocopies of Passport/Voter
id card and some passport size photos)

Getting to Thimphu
-----------------------The Phuntsholing bus stand is only a 10 min walk from the Immigration office.
Bhutan is not like India (at least like Mumbai) where regular buses are the norm.
Transport options are limited and private cabs are expensive. Since I lost the entire
morning at the Immigration office there was only one bus leaving for Thimphu at
3.30 PM. (Cost Rs 188). I enquired and found out that you can also get shared taxis
from bus stand gate for around Rs 600. However I did not see a lot of people opting
for the shared taxis. Most of the taxis were sitting idle at the gate.
The person at the ticket window assured me that the bus would reach by 8 PM as I
didn't want to reach Thimphu after 10. Another mistake...
The bus reached Thimphu at 10.30 PM (The road condition at some places is bad
and it takes around 7 hrs for the trip). It was cold and raining and most of the hotels
were closed. I was in no mood to search for a budget hotel in the rain with a 10 KG
backpack so I chickened out and booked a room in a Star Hotel called Dragons
Roots (Cost Rs 2000). So much for a backpacker experience.
(The bus drops you at Norzin Lam Road which is the main road in Thimphu. Most of
the hotels are located on this road. There are a lot of budget hotels available in
Thimphu so getting a hotel should never be a problem as long as you reach before
10 PM!)
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(Phuntsholing Bus Stand)
http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/75546
(View from Dragons Roots Hotel Room)

Sightseeing
Thimphu
1. National textile Museum
2. Bhudda Point
3. Trashi Chhoe Dzong, the seat of the central government
4.
Paro
1. Rinpung Dzong
2. Paro Airport

Punakha
1. Punakha Dzong (to stay Meri Puensum Hotel)
2. Walk through fields and villages to reach the Chimi Lhakhang, a 15th-century
monastery dedicated to the divine madman, Drukpa Kunley

Restaurants
Thimphu
1. Ama Restaurant

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