One of the most unique aspects of visiting Bhutan is what it takes
to get here. You have to pay a set fee
for every day you’re in the country. At
this time of year (high season), it’s $230, or $270 for the solo traveler. That sounds like a lot of money, and I don’t
deny that it is. But you get a lot for
that money. My $270/day paid for a
driver, tour guide, hotel, food (but not drink) and entrance fees to historical
sites. You can pay more to stay at nicer
hotels. For example, my accommodations
were probably slightly below the level of an American Motel 6, though they each
had a restaurant. I doubt that more than
$40 of my $270 daily fee went to the hotels.
You can pay as much as $1,000 a night at luxury hotels like the Aman
chain, which has several locations near the most popular Bhutanese tourist
destinations. But the day I pay $1000
for a night in a hotel is the day … well, that’s just not going to happen.
And it is mandatory to have a driver and tour guide. Non-Indian or Bangladeshi citizens cannot be
unaccompanied. I’m not sure whether this
is a jobs program for the local citizenry, a way to prevent Westerners from
harming the natural environment or the local culture, or simply a way to price
Bhutan out of range for the $20/day backpackers you find throughout Southeast
Asia.
I would add that Bhutan is particularly good for the solo
traveler. For example, 2 people
traveling together would pay $460/day for the same driver, tour guide, and
hotel room (though obviously they’d get more food!). Double that for a family of 4. For the solo traveler, $270/day is a
relative bargain.
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| The daily $270 fee covers a lot, but if you want this dried fish from India at the Thimphu Weekend Market, you'll have to pay extra. |
And while I’m not really qualified to comment, I think Bhutan
should be a good destination for female solo travelers. I have met several along the way. Bhutan has a surprisingly large police
presence in the cities (another jobs program perhaps?) and the crime rate is
very low.
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