Bhutan 2: Costs and Tourism Infrastructure

Anything and everything about gay life anywhere in the world, especially Asia, other than Thailand.
Post Reply
fountainhall

Bhutan 2: Costs and Tourism Infrastructure

Post by fountainhall »

As mentioned, during my visit tourism in Bhutan was still in its infancy. Although I made the arrangements through a Bangkok travel agency and had an itinerary with a list of hotels and guesthouses, there was no guarantee that a listed hotel room would in fact be available. That was why I was moved to a different hotel in Punakha. But the tourism department made sure that there was always a room. I discovered that staying in guesthouses and with families was much more fascinating than the 3-star hotels – apart from the absence of a bar!

Ten years later there are far more hotels. For those for whom money is no object, there are even five Aman Resort Lodges scattered through the country so that you can enjoy the epitome of 5-star luxury for your entire stay. (Now a worldwide chain, the original Aman Resort is the one in Phuket). It’s hard to find out the rates for these Lodges but I have heard they are close to US$1,000 per night (including everything – but no barboys!). Given that the cheapest room in Thimphu’s sparkling new Le Meridien is around US$450, that Aman rate does not surprise me.

Of course, the average price of hotels is vastly less expensive. A quick look at the agoda site shows that most are around $60 - $70 or so. And then there are the guest houses and home stays which are even cheaper. The problem which tends to turn many prospective tourists off is the government’s decision taken years ago that it did not want to become a backpackers’ paradise like Nepal. “High quality, low volume” was the motto, and so a minimum daily spend was placed on tourists, the exact amount depending on how many of you travel at the same time. The amount seems still to be in the $240 - $300 range, and you don’t get your visa until the authorities know that your tour covers these minimum costs. It certainly sounds expensive, but please realise that it covers just about everything you will need during your visit – meet and greet on arrival, the services of a tour guide, driver and transport throughout your entire visit, 3-star overnight accommodations, breakfasts and most other meals, and admission fees to Dzongs, museums etc. So when you factor all that in, adding also the stunning natural beauty and fascination of the country, I reckon it’s still a pretty good deal.

How long to spend in the country is a question I am often asked. Given the costs, I recommend a minimum of 6 – 2 on arrival in Thimphu, 1 at Punakha, 1 at Trongsa and 2 at Paro. You can now take a flight from Paro to Bumthang if you want to travel that far east, but I found it overall the least interesting. I definitely suggest giving it a miss unless you have lots of available time.

All visits must be organized through a Bhutan travel agency, and that inevitably means going through an agency in Bangkok or your home country. Here in Bangkok the gay agency Purple Dragon organizes 7-, 10- and 13-day visits but may well tailor a trip for shorter or longer tours.

http://www.purpledrag.com/bhutan/

I mentioned my young room boy at Punakha. In Thailand I would have had no hesitation in talking to him in the hope that a tryst could be arranged. In Bhutan at that time, though, I was aware that in such a traditional and religiously-oriented country, few gays were ‘out’. Even wandering around Thimphu after dinner, I saw guys in snooker halls and small bars, but none gave the appearance of being in any sense gay or paid much attention to me. Ten years later, the younger generation is much more accepting. Gay couples are welcomed as warmly as others even though open displays of affection are not common and not encouraged.

As the Purple Dragon website notes: “There are many great reasons for visiting Bhutan, but gay life is not one of them.” That said, though, my friend David is unmarried, gay and claimed to have a different boyfriend in several of the towns. How true this was, I never found out!
PacificaHunter

Re: Bhutan 2: Costs and Tourism Infrastructure

Post by PacificaHunter »

I did not see Purple Dragon listed as an authorized tour provider on the Tourism Authority of Bhutan web page.
fountainhall

Re: Bhutan 2: Costs and Tourism Infrastructure

Post by fountainhall »

PacificaHunter wrote:I did not see Purple Dragon listed as an authorized tour provider on the Tourism Authority of Bhutan web page.
If you check that page again, I think you will see that that list only contains the officially recognised tour agents actually based in Bhutan. Most overseas tour agents handle Bhutan tours by linking up with one on that list. I expect you can book direct with a Bhutanese tour agent if you wish. The problem is, though, what do you do if anything goes wrong with the planning? Nothing should, but when I have to go through an agency I am more comfortable booking with one I have used before, one with experience of the country and I can visit personally before departure if needed rather than one at the other end of an internet connection.
Post Reply