Bhutan: the Land That Measures Happiness
Bhutan welcomes you with mountains, monasteries, and the quiet confidence of a nation that decided long ago that happiness matters more than speed. Is it really true ?
This was our (Subrata and me) six-day journey (21–26 January 2026) into the land of the Wangchuck dynasty, entered not by air, but by the most democratic route of all—an overnight train and a border gate you can walk across. The Plane fare is insanely priced at Rs 35,000 for last 3 years. The plane fare to Rome was Rs 38,000 ! So I gave up and opted for train.
Day 1 – 21 January 2026
Sealdah to the Dooars: The Journey Begins
At 8:30 pm, I boarded the Kanchankanya Express from Sealdah . The other alternative is train is Kamrup Express which leaves at 6.30 pm and drops you either at New Alipurduar Junction and New Coochbehar Junction. But for a office goer this time is not very convenient.
Day 2 – 22 January 2026
Hasimara to Thimphu: Walking into Another Country
As the train moved north, urban Bengal quietly gave way to tea gardens, forests, and the old railway corridors built by the British in the late 19th century to extract tea and timber. By morning, after NJP or Siliguri the land would feel different—and that was the first sign that the journey had already begun.
Due to the single track, the train was delayed and
arrived around 11:30 am at Hasimara, instead of the scheduled 11:10 AM.
A short shared auto ride @ Rs 50 each , I stood at Jaigaon, staring at the Bhutan Gate. On one side—noise, shops, honking. On the other—Phuentsholing, clean, calm, and suspiciously well-behaved. It took nearly 1 hour to reach Jaigaon.
The auto stopped right in front of the gate. I got
down and crossed the border on foot. It was a completely different
feeling—on this side, the crowded, noisy town of Jaigaon, and on the other
side, the beautiful, quiet, clean town of Phuentsholing.
You don’t enter Bhutan in a rush. Immigration here works on Bhutan Standard Time, which is half an hour ahead of India—and perhaps a few decades ahead in temperament.
You need a permit to enter Bhutan.
Documents Required: Voter ID Card / Passport (Aadhaar is not accepted
here). Since we carried Passport, it was easier. I recommend you take Passport with you. Thankfully the Indian network worked even in the immigration and as a result we could talk to Subrata da.He arranged a guide for rest of the days. But on the first days we were forced to take a guide to take us till Thimpur (actually he got down after two police check posts)
In the post-Covid era, you now have to pay a Sustainable Development
Fee (SDF) in Bhutan, which is 1200 Ngultrum or INR per person per day. Indian Currency is acceptable in all over Bhutan.
So, if
you plan a 4-night, 5-day trip (like we did), you'll have to pay 4800 per
person (entirely in cash).
You will need to hire a Guide for 3000 per day, even if it is from border to your hotel.
Remember: Everything is cash payment because Indian debit or Credit cards or UPI don't work in Immigration in Bhutan (with few exceptions), so carry cash accordingly.
Anyway, immigration took about 2 hours, after
which we officially entered Bhutan. One important thing to note: you can enter a certain area of Phuentsholing,
Bhutan, without any special permission. But beyond that, you must show your
permit.
From there, we left at 3.30 PM in a Santro car
(for Rs 3000 rupees) with a guide. The long drive to Thimphu began. The road climbed steadily through forests and rivers, curling into the Himalayas. The shared Taxis are not allowed for a tourist. The car stopped right in front of
Subrata da's house. Shivering in the cold, we entered the hotel and checked in. On the
way, our permits were checked at two immigration points. Keep this permit safe,
because on your return, your exit stamp will be put on it, and it will be
collected at the final checkpoint. If you carry Passport, it will be stamped on the Passport. By the way, you don't need a permit to just
visit the town of Phuentsholing.
On the way we had some Momo and Chips. After lot of effort we were able to pay by our Bank - most of them were failing. We paid Rs 125 plus 3% convenince fee of Rs 4 !
By 9 pm , we reached Bhutan’s capital—a city that became the capital only in 1961, making it one of the youngest capitals in the world.
We made Egg Curry for Subratada. He has already made Dal and Vegetables. Before that we had some red wine and Whisky. I drank only red wine.
Understand Bhutan
Bhutan: A Snapshot of the Kingdom
Geography & Size
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Area: ~38,394 sq km
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West Bengal (for comparison): ~88,752 sq km. Bhutan is less than half the size of West Bengal, yet far more mountainous.
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Terrain ranges from subtropical plains in the south to high Himalayas in the north.
Population
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Bhutan: ~7.8 lakh (0.78 million)
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West Bengal: ~10 crore (100 million+). West Bengal has over 125 times Bhutan’s population.
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Bhutan is one of the least densely populated countries in Asia.
Economy
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GDP (nominal): approx. USD 3 billion
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GDP per capita: approx. USD 3,500–4,000. Higher per-capita income than many Indian states, despite a small economy.
Economic philosophy: Bhutan follows Gross National Happiness (GNH) instead of GDP alone, focusing on:
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Environmental protection
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Cultural preservation
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Good governance
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Sustainable development
Main Industries
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Hydropower (backbone of the economy)
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Tourism
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Controlled, low-volume, high-value tourism
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Emphasis on sustainability, not mass tourism
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Agriculture
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Rice, maize, apples, potatoes
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Mostly small-scale and organic
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Cottage & handicraft industries
Forests & Vegetation
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Forest cover: Over 70% of the country (constitutionally protected)
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Bhutan is carbon negative (absorbs more carbon than it emits)
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Vegetation zones:
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Rich biodiversity, including snow leopards, takin, red pandas
Religion
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Major religion: Vajrayana (Mahayana) Buddhism
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Hinduism is practiced mainly in southern Bhutan.
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Religion strongly influences daily life, architecture, festivals, and governance.
Language
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Official language: Dzongkha
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Widely spoken: English (medium of education and administration)
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Nepali and regional dialects spoken in southern regions.
Ethnicity
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Ngalops: Western & central Bhutan (Tibeto-Burman origin)
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Sharchops: Eastern Bhutan
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Lhotshampas: Southern Bhutan (Nepali origin)
➡️ Ethnically diverse but culturally unified under Bhutanese identity.
Politics & Governance
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System: Constitutional monarchy
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Current model since: 2008
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The King remains highly respected and influential.
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Democracy introduced peacefully from the top—rare in world history.
Day 3 – 23 January 2026: Thimphu
Thimphu reveals itself slowly, and today was about understanding how Bhutan functions. We did not take any Taxi. We walked our way to 'Simply Bhutan - A
Living Museum'.
If you ever go to Thimphu, I would definitely recommend
visiting here. You can learn a lot about Bhutanese culture and traditions.
After paying an entry fee of 1000 per person, we were immediately offered a
taste of local wine. As we sipped the rum, the guide introduced us to the royal
family and some traditional Bhutanese items. Gradually, we saw a Bhutanese
kitchen, their traditional clothing, their houses (by rule, all houses in
Bhutan must have roughly the same design; no one can make it different), and
much more.
We saw the traditional method of house making with song and then we went to a hall to witness Bhutanese dance. We were offered Bhutanese tea (a bit salty) and rice and then traditional song and dance performances. We joined in, sharing the joy.
Next, we were taken to an archery ground. Archery is Bhutan's National Sport.
If you hit a target, they will start dancing to celebrate.
Our next stop was Changangkha Lha-khang. We did not enter since the entry fee was Rs 500 per person. But we walked upto that place to have a grand view of Thimpu which was magical. It was located on a small hill. Lha-khang means temple or Monastery.
Our next stop was Zorig Chusum Institute, where students learn the 13 traditional arts that Bhutan refuses to let die. Unfortunately it was closed, but we could enter their Instititute. There was not a single sole there. We went insde the Instititute. There is a entry ticket there. But the counter was closed.
Then we hitch hiked by a car to National Zoo to see their national animal, the Takin. It is only found in Bhutan. It is on the outskirt of Thimpu. Then we could have visited Buddha Point or Buddha Dordenma (2015), a 51-metre statue overlooking the valley. This
189-foot tall Buddha statue on the hillside of Thimphu was built to celebrate
the 60th birthday of the 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. It is one
of the largest Buddha statues in the world. Beneath the statue is a temple
containing 100,000 8-inch and 25,000 12-inch Buddha statues. The meticulous
maintenance is truly something to learn from.
But we skipped it, since it was late.
From there we hitchhiked to a conveneint place from where we took a Taxi @ Rs 100 to go to Tashichho Dzong (1641) which apparently opens at 5 pm as per guide of Pemako Sarbajit. Since we did not have guide , we were not allowed enter intially. After lot of persistence, we were finally allowed to enter. The entry fee was Rs 500. Dzong means Fort. It is a part monastery, part government headquarters and part Fort and entirely magnificent. This is where monks chant, ministers govern, and history quietly observes. It is overlooking the mountain. The location is stunning. Then we again hithhiked to our residence and got dropped at Crafts Bazar.
We did not have time to go to National Textile Museum, where history is woven, not written or Folk Heritage Museum or Memorial Chorten (1974), people didn’t pose for photos—they prayed. Elderly Bhutanese walked clockwise, spinning prayer wheels, living reminders that faith here isn’t ornamental.
We walked around the market with Subrata da which is veyr near to Crafts Bazar and had some Momo. The road infront of Craft Bazar is like Park Street of Bhutan and main tourist place.
They had Whisky, while I was preparing Chicken Curry for them.
I prepared Chicken Curry for all of us in the dinner - it turned out to be quite good. We watched the movie Black Coffee together.
Day 4 – 24 January 2026 : Paro: Valleys, Fortresses, and Sacred Heights
Paro is Bhutan at its most cinematic. Since 25.1.26 is Sunday, we decided to visit Punakha with Subrata da to meet our old friend Pooja di who works in Pemako, Punakha, where price per day starts from Rs 150,000 per day !! So decided to go Paro instead of Punakha, which was our initial plan. We took a car @ Rs 2500 and a guide @ Rs 2000. The typical guide fee is Rs 300. Thanks to Subrata da we got it little cheap. We felt like we are living in a Police State. We were asked so times the previous day - where is your guide. We told we are a guest. When I told the guide this SDF per day of Rs 1200 for Indians and $100 for Foreginer, forceful Guide is not a good practice. All of them parrot a simple thing - they believe in low Volume, high value. I said that means you are promoting rich people only.
We reached Paro in 2 hours time
The day unfolded through:
Ta Dzong, once a watchtower, now the National Museum. We paid entry fee of Rs 500 each.
Then we had our lunch.
Dumtseg Lhakhang - Then we went to see Dumtseg Lhakhang. We saw it from outside since we did not want to pay the entry fee.
And then we saw Taktsang, the Tiger’s Nest from a view point. Clinging impossibly to a cliff, this monastery marks where Guru Padmasambhava meditated in the 8th century. Even from the viewpoint, it commands silence. Some places don’t ask for attention—they demand respect. To go to Tigers nest, you need to stay one day in Paro and it takes 6 hours to come back.
Drukgyel Dzong (1649), built to celebrate victory over Tibetan invasions. It is under reconstruction - so we could not enter. We went around this place. It is located in a very peacefule place, beside a paddy field
Kyichu Lhakhang, among Bhutan’s oldest temples (7th century). But the counter closed, by the time we reached there. We saw it from outside.
Tamchog Lhakhang Monastery is located on a hill - we saw it from outside.
By evening at around 6.30 pm, we returned to Thimphu. We went to the clock Tower to have dinner with Subrata da in their 4th Star Property. The food was quite good.
By evening, Clock Tower Square came alive. Families walked, children laughed, and nobody seemed in a hurry—because in Bhutan, nobody is.
Day 5 – 25 January 2026 : Punakha: Where Rivers Meet and History Lives
Subrata da could not make it , since he learnt that he does not have permit to go beyond Paro - I felt like I am staying in North Korea. Mind it, he is the Chief Engineer of the most important 5 Star hotel (Pemako) in Bhutan. The road to Punakha climbs to Dochula Pass (3,100 m), marked by 108 chortens built in 2004. On a clear day, the Himalayas reveal themselves like a reward. It was quite clear, but very cold. It took around 1 hour to reach that place. There is a wonderful Coffee Shop at Dochula Pass. Do not miss it. The coffee costs only Rs 120 !
Descending into Punakha felt like stepping into a painting. The climate softened, valleys widened, and rivers shimmered.
First we reached Chimi Lhakhang (1499), dedicated to the eccentric Drukpa Kunley, the “Divine Madman.” Here, fertility blessings coexist happily with humour—because Bhutan understands that spirituality doesn’t have to be solemn.
Then we reached Pooja di's house at 1 pm to have freshly made Radish Parota with Achar. It was very nice. Her residence is located at a very picturesque place. However she felt very lonely in that place. After chatting for some time, we left at 2 pm for our next destination Punakha Dzong.
At the heart of it all stood Punakha Dzong (1637–38)—once Bhutan’s capital and still its soul. Built at the confluence of the Pho-Chhu (পছু) and Mo-Chhu (মছু) rivers. No
government work is conducted inside anymore. The palace was built in 1637-38
by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It is the second oldest and second largest
dzong and one of the royal palaces built in the dzong architectural style.
Until 1955, Punakha Dzong was the administrative center of the Bhutanese
government before the capital moved to Thimphu. UNESCO has included it as
part of Bhutan's heritage.
A walk across the suspension bridge followed—part tourist attraction, part daily commute for locals.
By evening, Thimphu welcomed me back like an old friend. We went to Craft Bazar at around 6.30 pm and bought some magnet and famous Mahakal mask of Bhutan.
We had some red wine and Whisky. I drank only red wine. We ate our left over chicken and Subrata da made some Egg Curry for us.
Day 6 – 26 January 2026
Goodbyes and the Long Road Home
Before sunrise, we left Thimphu at 6 am withour driver (@ Rs 3000) and guide (@Rs 2000) , retracing the mountain roads back to Phuentsholing, then walking once again into Jaigaon. But the driver at the last moment charged us Rs 4000, saying he did not know that we agreed for Rs 3000 and since he is coming from Paro, so he is charging Rs 4000 ! Beggars cannot be chosers. Lest we miss the train. We reached Phuentsholing at 10 am (even after a 10 minute tea break) and after exit stamp we entered Jaigaon. The moment you reach Jaigaon there is full of Chaos . Welcome back to India.
Our Kanchankanya train (at 1630 hours) tickets were not confirmed. Both Subrata and my travel agent failed to get Tatkal ticket of Kanchankanya because of huge rush. So we had to catch our Kamrup Express train at 1430 hours from New Coochbehar (or New Alipurduar). For this we hired a car for Rs 1500 from Jaigaon and reached within 2 hours. The distance is 73 Km from Jaigaon.
We passed by Torsa Tea Estate, Jaldapra Forest (Kodalbari range) and we gave lift to two Oraon ladies - who were going to their father house (Baper bari) nearby. They are originally form Ranchi. There are other tribals like Munda and Santhals in the tea garden. None of them understand each others language. We learnt that earn Rs 250 per day and get 21 Kg of rice and 13 Kg of wheat and some tea leafs.
Day 7 – 27 January 2026
At 5.40 am the Kamrup Express carried us south, back to Kolkata.
Additional Tips from blogger Pratik Mukherjee :
Nightlife in Thimphu
Nightlife in Thimphu consists of a few bars and
discos. Notable ones are Vivacity, Mozo Park, Club Ace, Space 34. The best is
Vivacity, and it's very close to the Thimphu Clock Tower (the Clock Tower is
their city center, and my hotel was nearby). The dance floor is quite good,
with good EDM, and beer and other alcohol are quite cheap. You must try their
famous whiskey, K5. Don't try the rum; it has a terrible smell. The
beer is very good; you should definitely try Druk Lager Beer. Beer
is available for 40 to 80 Ngultrum. There are no separate liquor stores in
Thimphu; you get alcohol in any grocery shop. Discos are open until 1 AM.
Food & Dining
Be prepared for spicy food. Yes, Bhutanese eat
very spicy food. In one bowl of Thukpa soup, I saw five different types of
chilies, along with lots of gravy. They use a lot of water in cooking. However,
if you tell them while ordering, they won't make it spicy. Here you can get all
kinds of Indian dishes; you'll get rice and bread.
A Word of Caution: They eat both pork and beef. Where chicken and
mutton are sold, pork and beef are also sold. So, if you have dietary
restrictions, you can eat at Hotel Ghasel in Thimphu—it's a
completely vegetarian hotel with both lodging and a restaurant.
Must-try Traditional
Bhutanese Dishes:
- Ema Datshi: Chilli
and Cheese (extremely spicy). Ema means Chilli. Dastshi means Cheese
- Kewa Datshi: Potato
and Cheese. Kewa means Potato
- Thimphu: The
Zone (serves Yak meat burger), M K Restaurant (Japanese), The Seasons
Restaurant Pizzeria, Yee-Gha Restaurant and bar, Ambient Cafe.
- Paro: Hotel
Peljorling, Hotel First Floor, Sonam Trophel Restaurant.
The Essential Cheat Sheet:
Key Points to Remember
- Time: Bhutan
is half an hour ahead of India. They use GMT +6.
- Permit: Fill
out the form and submit a xerox copy of your Voter ID or
Passport as ID proof, and keep the original with you. There can be long
lines, so if you don't get it that day, go the next morning. Once you get
the permit, leave immediately. There's a petrol pump right in front of the
Bhutan Gate; the Immigration Office is next to it on the second floor.
- Smoking: Public
smoking is not allowed in Bhutan. There are many police in Thimphu city.
If caught, the fine is 50,000 Ngultrum! Yes, fifty thousand. Failure to
pay leads to jail. They show no mercy regarding smoking. Never attempt to
bribe, or you could spend a lifetime in their jail. If you are caught by
mistake, request politely; they might forgive and let you go, but do not
bribe. Cigarettes are not sold openly in Thimphu; they are sold secretly
on the black market. You'll get everything from Navy Cut to Gold Flake,
Classic. You can smoke in your hotel room, at a disco, or at a karaoke
bar. You can bring cigarettes from India; bags are not checked at the
checkpoint.
- Money: Their
currency is the Ngultrum. Its value is equal to the Indian
Rupee, so no need to exchange money. Indian currency is accepted in their
country. All notes up to 500
are accepted. You'll even see Bhutanese currency being used in Jaigaon.
- Transport: The
Kanchankanya Express to Hasimara departs from Sealdah (platforms 13)
at 8:30 PM. The fare from Hasimara to Bhutan Gate by auto is 50 rupees and
takes about 45-60 minutes. A Santro
takes about 4 -4.30 hours. Santro fares are lower in the morning; they start
increasing around 3 PM as fewer cars are available.
- SIM Card: Buy
a tourist SIM upon reaching Thimphu because your Indian SIM won't work.
A Tashicell SIM costs 240 Ngultrum and gives 200 talk
time. Calling India costs 4 Ngultrum per minute.
- People & Language: Most Bhutanese can speak English; even
villagers understand English. They are very honest and don't believe in
cheating people.
- Local Transport: Public transport here is not good; buses run very infrequently.
In Thimphu city, taxis are possibly your only hope; The minimum fare is 100 Ngultrum, anywhere in the city. Taxi drivers
are also very honest.
- Shopping Hours: All shops close by 8 PM, but restaurants are open until 10:30
PM.
- Hotel Booking (2016 information) : Book hotels using this website: www.hotel.bt. You can find
hotels from any location in Bhutan.
- Budget: Hotel
Norling (21A & 21B, Norzin Lam, Thimphu, +975 77458579), right in
front of the Clock Tower. Double bed for 1350 Ngultrum, but if you don't
take the bill, it could be 1100 or 1200.
- Mid-Range: Hotel
Tandin, rates between 1800 - 2800 Ngultrum.
- Jaigaon: Hotel
Devi Jaigaon (www.hoteldevijaigaon.com), couple bed 650 rupees, triple bed 800 rupees.
- Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit Bhutan is from March to
May. Do not go during the monsoon, as there are many landslides. In
March, you'll need warm clothes for the early mornings and after 4 PM, but
you won't be able to wear warm clothes after 10 AM due to intense
sunlight. We found temperatures around 1 degree at 8 pm , in January 2026.
- Entry Fees: There
is entry fee of Rs/Ngultrum 500 for tourist spots .
- Cost Breakdown: Food is quite expensive. A plate of Maggi costs approx 80 Ngultrum, a
chicken dish will cost 200-300 Ngultrum, so food will be a significant
expense. But alcohol is quite cheap. In Phuentsholing, opposite the petrol
pump in front of the Bhutan Gate, there's a big liquor store where you'll
find a good collection of foreign brands at low prices. You must try Peach
Wine.
