Asia and Oceania

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• General
 

• There is no British representation in Bhutan.  The nearest consular office is the British Deputy High Commission in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). Contact details are below.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism.  But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. See Safety and Security - terrorism.
  
  
• Travel to Bhutan should be arranged well in advance. You must arrange any visit to Bhutan through an authorised travel agent. Those travelling independently on British passports are not permitted to enter Bhutan. Further information can be obtained from the Bhutanese Honorary Consul in the UK by emailing: rutland.michael@gmail.com
  
  
• In 2010 there were no major cases of a British national requiring consular assistance in Bhutan.
  
  
• You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.

Safety and Security - Terrorism
There is a low threat from terrorism.  But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

While the threat of terrorism remains low there was a series of bomb blasts in Thimphu, Samste, Chukha and Dagana in 2008, injuring one person. There were also bomb attacks in Phuntsholing (south Western Bhutan on the Indian border) in 2006 and a series of attempted attacks in the same area in 2007.

See our terrorism abroad page.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Air Travel

Druk Air (Royal Bhutan Airlines) is the main air carrier in and out of Bhutan. Druk Air and Royal Bhutan Airlines also operate internal flights between Paro, Bumthang and Tashigang. Buddha Air has recently started its services between Kathmandu and Paro. For flight schedules please log on to their website www.drukair.com.bt (Druk Air) and www.buddhaair.com (Buddha Air). Flight services can be subject to disruption due to weather conditions. You should be flexible with your travel plans if you intend to fly into Bhutan.

You can also enter Bhutan by land. Phuntsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar in eastern Bhutan are the only land border areas open for international tourists. You can get more information by logging onto the Tourism Council of Bhutan Website: http://www.tourism.gov.bt/.

For more general information see airport security.

Safety and Security - Political Situation 
Bhutan Country Profile

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs are strict. Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

It is illegal to sell or purchase tobacco products in Bhutan. Up to 200 cigarettes may be imported, on payment of tax and import duty of 200%. You must have your customs receipt on your person if in possession of tobacco products. If you cannot produce it on demand by police you will be charged with smuggling and can expect a prison sentence of three years. Smoking is forbidden inside public spaces such as hotels, restaurants and bars.

Personal computers, cellular telephones, cameras, or any other electronic device must be registered with Bhutanese customs upon arrival. These items will also be checked upon departure.  The export of all antiques is strictly monitored. See our your trip page.

Entry Requirements - General
You will need a passport and visa to enter and exit Bhutan. Keep a photocopy of your passport visa pages and flight ticket separate from the originals when travelling.

Foreigners (apart from Indian nationals) may only enter or depart the country through certain towns such as Phuntsoling, Samdrup Jongkhar and Gelephug (by road) or Paro (by air).  Certain areas may only be visited with a special permit which will be obtained by your tour agent. Prior authority, also obtained by your tour agent, is also required to visit some of the religious and administrative buildings (Dzongs).

If you are planning to take medication into Bhutan please check the rules with the Bhutanese Honorary Consul by email: rutland.michael@gmail.com.

Entry Requirements - Visa
All visas are approved from Thimphu and are only issued to tourists booked with a local licensed tour operator, directly or through a foreign travel agent. You should allow a minimum of three weeks for payments for your trip and the processing of your visa to go through. Applications for tourist visas are submitted by the tour operator (See the Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators website http://www.abto.org.bt/ for further information). All visitors (except Indian nationals) must obtain visa clearance from Thimphu before coming to Bhutan. More information, including a list of authorised tour operators in Bhutan, may be obtained from the Tourism Council of Bhutan, PO Box 126, Thimphu, Bhutan, telephone 975-2-323251, 2-323252, fax 975-2-323695 website http://www.tourism.gov.bt/. For advice on tour companies you may contact the Honorary Consul of Bhutan in UK, by email: rutland.michael@gmail.com.

The Bhutanese Department of Tourism sets a non-negotiable minimum daily tariff for all visitors to Bhutan. The rate includes all accommodations, all meals, transportation, services of licensed guides and porters, and cultural programs where and when available. Travellers should contact the Tourism Council for the latest daily tariff.

British nationals travelling for business or other non-tourist reasons must arrange their visas through their sponsoring organisation in Bhutan.

Entry Requirements - Passport Validity
You must hold a valid passport to enter Bhutan. Your passport must be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into Bhutan.

In the capital, Thimphu, there is a reasonably well equipped hospital with modern diagnostic facilities such as ultrasound, MRI and CT Scan. Outside Thimphu, Bhutanese hospitals provide only basic health care. There are no particular health concerns but you may find the high mountain altitudes demanding. You should familiarise yourself with the dangers of Acute Mountain Sickness especially if you are trekking in remote areas. Road travel is on winding mountain roads, and those prone to travel sickness are advised to bring suitable medication.  

In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around less than 1,000 adults aged 15 or over in Bhutan were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated at around  0.2% of the adult population, which equals the prevalence percentage in the UK. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS. 

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Bhutan and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. 

See our travel health page.

General - Insurance  
You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check that your policy includes the costs of medical evacuation by air. If you are trekking then you should ensure that your travel insurance covers emergency helicopter evacuation to India. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See our travel insurance page.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then see our when things go wrong page.

General - UK Passport Applications
Standard passports are now printed in the UK via the Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong. But you still have to apply via the High Commission in Delhi. You should not send your applications direct to Hong Kong - they will be sent back to you and you will lose the money you spent on the courier charge.

General - Contact Details
There is no British representation in Bhutan. The nearest consular office is the British Deputy High Commission in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), (Tel: +91 33 2288 5172 or 73 or 74 or 75 or 76; Fax: +91 33 2288 3435). During out of office hours, please call: 00 91 11 2419 2100.

E-mail: Kolkata@fco.gov.uk

Office Hours:
Local time: 08:30-13:00 and 14:00-16:00
GMT: 03:00-07:30 and 08:30-10:30

Consular Hours:
Local time: Mon-Fri: 09:00 -13:00 and 13:30 – 16:00
GMT Mon-Fri: 03:30 – 07:30 and 08:00 –10:30

Out of Hours contact: +91 11 2419 2100

If you plan on staying in Bhutan for an extended period of time you may wish to establish contact with the Consular Warden for Bhutan who is able to provide a link with FCO consular officials and disseminate key information during an emergency (please note the Consulate in Kolkata should always be your first point of contact).

Contact details for Consular Warden in Bhutan:

David Crighton Young
Mobile No: +975 - 77337727
E-mail: davidyoung21@gmail.com