Bhutan Travel Blog

Paro International Airport is the point of entry and exit for all travelers travelling by flight to Bhutan. Only Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines operate in and out of the airport. The airlines operate daily flights to multiple major Indian cities, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand and Singapore.

As per the historical accounts, the 33rd Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo built 108 temples in one day. This herculean task was executed to subdue an ogress residing in the Himalayas who was thwarting the spread of Buddhism teaching in the region. These 108 temples were built in and across the Tibetan borders. It is also believed that these temples were built over the ogress’s body that spread across Tibet and Bhutan to suppress the demoness. Many of these 108 temples built can be seen in Tibet with Jokhang Lhakhang in Lhasa being the most popular as it is believed to have been constructed over the ogress’s heart. The best known temples in Bhutan are the Kichu Lhakhang in Paro and Jampa Lhakhang in Bumthang. These temples are one of the oldest and most sacred sites in Bhutan.

Following the launch of the Bhutan Australian Friendship Offer to celebrate the 15 years of diplomatic relations between Bhutan and Australia by the Royal Government of Bhutan, The Tourism Council of Bhutan will be organizing a road show to promote Bhutan and the promotional offer. The road show will be organized in three Australian cities on the following dates:

The interior of a fortress (Dzongs) or any other sacred religious sites in Bhutan are adorned with intricate murals. The wooden pillars providing structural stability are handcrafted into an exquisite woodwork. The inner sanctum is ornamented with meticulously sculpted clay statues gilded with gold and these statues are offered scarf made of premium fabric sewed by the best tailors in the country and the collection of sacred text penned with gold are a display of an amazing art of calligraphy passed down from generations.

The absence of agricultural resources and expertise up until recent times and lack of extensive trade with its neighbors in the early days, an average Bhutanese had minimal local produce and ingredients to explore and broaden the range of local cuisine. Aside from celebration, traditionally Bhutanese approach food strictly as a means to sustain and prepare their body for a hard day of physical labor in the fields. This lack of emotional attachment to food may have impeded the progression of Bhutanese cuisine. Preparing a Bhutanese dish can be as simple as putting all the ingredients in a pot and cooking it until it’s done.

Australian Government established formal diplomatic ties with Royal Government of Bhutan in 2002. Since the establishment, Australia has been a major socio economic development partner for Bhutan. Australia’s development assistance focuses in Bhutan’s education sector through development of human resource, providing assistance to strengthen the local institutional capacity and its assistance through the World Food Program has empowered the Royal Government of Bhutan to provide daily meals to school children improving enrollment.

Dzongs (fortresses) are ubiquitous in Bhutan. The presence of Dzongs across the country symbolizes unification and the recognition of a central authority by the people in the region. Travelers can almost sense the commanding presence these centuries old colossal structures impose on the budding modern architectures in the region. Any architectural and historical enthusiasts cannot help but marvel when they learn that these vast structures were built without any blueprints or modern technology.

To commemorate the 15 years of diplomatic ties between the Kingdom of Bhutan and Australia, The Royal Government of Bhutan launched the Bhutan-Australian Friendship offer. The initiative aims to encourage Australian nationals to visit Bhutan in 2018 to further promote the relations between the two nations.

When you learn that this country did not have electricity and a currency which is the basis of all modern economy a little over half a century ago, it takes a while to process the level of socio economic development Bhutan has achieved over time and more so the pace of development it was able to sustain to keep up with the rest of the world. This progress is a testament to a world class leadership steering this nation into the 21st century but with all the benefits of modern development, brings with it modern social issues that plague every nation.

A small village two hour drive away from Thimphu is particularly known for its paintings of penis on the wall of their houses.  The contrast of a conservative society where showing affection in public is almost a taboo, painting flamboyant erect penis on the wall of the every house in the community never fails to stun westerners.