Insider Travel Tips

Visitors from countries other than India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives require visas to enter Bhutan. US passport holders must obtain the e-Bhutan visa prior to travel to Bhutan and pay a visa fee of $40 per person per trip.

Flights to Bhutan are dependent on weather conditions. Pilots will take off and land only if they're able to see the runway and surrounding hills.

You must cover your arms and legs before entering a dzong. You cannot enter a dzong wearing jeans, an unbuttoned or unzipped jacket, short skirt, shorts, t-shirts, or flip-flops.

Bhutan charges a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) tourist tax. Visitors are required to pay $100 per person, per night for the length of their trip. This rate is in effect until 31 August 2027.

At the Sunday Weekend Market in Paro, different types of wares are available, from farm products and home-grown vegetables to exotic ferns, and farming tools. It begins at sharp 6:30 AM and offers glimpses into how the locals go about their daily lives.

An esoteric symbol bound to catch the eye is the phallus, which appears on walls and doorways, and even as sculptures and souvenirs. Phallic worship can be traced to Bon, an ethnic religion predating Buddhism.

The Bhutanese consider it disrespectful to stretch their feet in front or cross their legs. As the head is considered the most sacred part of the human body, avoid touching the head of a Bhutanese. Bhutan is the only country in the world where the sale and production of tobacco are banned.