Immigration process: All Indian tourists will have to acquire a permit to enter Bhutan and the immigration formalities are quite strict in the country. The immigration office is at Phuentsholing, and the ideal time to acquire the permit will take 2/3 hours. However it will also depend on the rush available on that particular day and also the pending permits issued from the previous day, so it might take a maximum of 5 hours too. Without acquiring these permits, tourists will not be allowed to travel ahead of Phuentsholing as they are checked at about 3 check posts on the way.

Smoking: Bhutan has strictly banned smoking in the country and anybody caught smoking or carrying cigarettes will have to suffer heavy penalties at the hands of the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP). Drinking however is allowed but misdemeanours and erratic behaviour after drinking and that too at public places will be considered an offence.

Local Timings: The Bhutan Standard time is half an hour ahead of Indian Standard Time (e.g: if it is 5.30 pm in India then it is 6.00 pm at Bhutan) and all the timings at Bhutan whether office, restaurant, sightseeing spots opening and closing times are according to BST.

Indian Food: Although the cooks are learning, most of them in the hotels are not well accustomed with Indian food items so the taste of the same food items in India to that made in Bhutan may be different. Also, chapatis and rotis etc may not be upto the standard expected all the time.

Bhutanese Dish: People in Bhutan usually have sparse meals compared to Indian meals. The traditional dishes are usually made with cheese (yak or cow milk) and chillies. It would be advisable to observe caution if your palette does not agree to spicy food or if you are lactose intolerant. However, rest assured the traditional Bhutanese is much healthier than average Indian cuisine.

Sweet Dish: Bhutan traditionally has no system of having any dessert items after meals. So expect to find tinned fruits or tinned rasgullas etc only for dessert most of the time. Also, the items in dessert usually will be less in quantity since these tinned items are imported from India or other foreign nations and they are very high priced.

Language: The Bhutanese people ideally know these four languages: Dzongkha, Nepali, English and Hindi. Thanks to the Television, people are learning Hindi well nowadays although they are not yet well versed, but most Bhutanese folks will be able to answer to you in English at least.

People: Bhutan is comparatively a laid back country and the people there are happy with what they have. The hospitality industry is picking up pace in the recent years but the level of efficiency may not be similar compared to the rest of the world. So while dealing with any hotel/restaurant staff or shopkeepers etc please try to maintain patience as they may be slow in their work but will ultimately get the work done.

Roads: The road conditions are comparatively good throughout Bhutan except for the roads to Punakha and Bumthang. However, Bhutan being a fully hilly country, expect the roads to have twists and turns all throughout; so the people who have travel sickness or vomiting tendencies during travel are requested to take caution.

Traffic: The traffic rules are very strict and the drivers always have to maintain a strict speed limit. As such, the tourists are requested to maintain timings as suggested by the tour leaders and guides during the tour so as to complete all the sightseeings and reach each destination within time. Also, you have to expect a few yards to reach the sightseeing spots, as the vehicles will be able to take you only to the allowable points or parking spaces.

Taktshang Monastery: This is one of the most popular sightseeing spots at Bhutan and is located atop a hill. However, to reach it, one has to hike for about 2-3 hours up and about 2 hours down (so people with arthritis, heart, breathing problems and senior citizens are advised to observe caution and if possible refrain to go on this hike).

En route Tea/ Coffee: The traditional tea/ coffee at Bhutan is essentially buttered tea (suja) which would not always suit the Indian stomachs. There usually are not many proper traditional tea shops at Bhutan so do not expect to find many on the way either. Also too many unscheduled halts on the way would mean missing out on some sightseeing spots. It is suggested therefore to have the tea/ coffee offered every evening at the hotel where you shall be staying.

Shopping: During your tour, you will have the option of visiting the markets at Thimphu and Paro. You will find more traditional items at the market at Paro while you can also visit the handicraft market at Thimphu provided you were able to finish the rest of the sightseeing spots before. However, most of the goods are either imported or hand-made, so in comparison to many markets in India, the products will be high priced, in addition the shopkeepers do not bargain much.

En route washrooms: The population of Bhutan is very much less as compared to India so most of the road ways connecting the different districts (dzongkhags) will seems to be deserted but full of natural sceneries. As such, there are not many washrooms enroute or even if they do exist, they are not well maintained because there are not enough people there to act as caretakers. There are however washrooms at the enroute lunch sites and/ or sightseeing spots that you shall visit. You are therefore advised to consult the guide in advance so as to negate any discomfort during your travel.

Dress Code: Bhutan is a Buddhist country and most of the sightseeing spots have some or the other religious significance. Also since the overall outlook of Bhutan is conservative, there are some dress codes to be followed at certain sightseeing spots. Likewise In some Religious places like monasteries, Dzongs etc, you are not allowed to wear Cap/Sunglasses/Half sleeves shirt/t-shirt with round neck. If it’s half sleeve, then it should be having collared neck and if its round neck, then it should full sleeves. For more information guests are advised to consult the Guide/Driver at the start of the day’s sightseeing so as to avoid any confusion later.