Bhutan
The manners and customs of the Bhutanese are in many respects unique. The strongest influence on business and social conventions is the country's state religion, and everywhere one can see the reminders of Buddhism and the original religion of Tibet, Bonism. The majority of the Bhutanese live an agrarian lifestyle. The political leaders of the country have historically also been religious leaders. For years the country has deliberately isolated itself from visitors, and has only recently opened up to the outside world, a policy that is now to some extent being reversed. Recent economic policy has concentrated on export industries, particularly electric power generation and transmission to India.
While some incidents of pickpocketing and purse snatching are reported, there is relatively little crime in Bhutan and violent crimes are exceedingly rare. However, as in any traveling situation, visitors should be alert in crowded markets and avoid public transport, due to safety issues. Occasional robberies have been reported against travelers to rural areas of the country, but these have been rare.
There are comfortable hotels, cottages and guesthouses. Hotels have hot and cold running water, electricity and room telephones. Restaurants are scarce and most tourists dine in their hotels.
International direct dial. Telephone services are restricted to the main centers. Country code: 975. All other calls must go through the international operator. Outgoing international code: 00. Telex services are available in main centers, but are liable to disruption. Airmail letters from Bhutan is subject to disruption, due to the highly prized nature of Bhutanese stamps, which often results in their being steamed off the envelopes en route.
Electricity is 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
220 volts AC, 50Hz.
D,F,G
Restaurants are relatively scarce and most tourists eat in their hotels. National specialties:
• Meals are often buffet-style and mostly vegetarian.
• Cheese is a very popular ingredient in dishes and the most popular cheeses are datse (cow’s milk cheese), sometimes served in a dish with red chillies (emadatse), and yak cheese.
• Rice is ubiquitous, sometimes flavored with saffron.
• The country is replete with apple orchards, rice paddies and asparagus, which grows freely in the countryside. There are also over
400 varieties of mushroom.
• Fat brown and rainbow trout swim amid the glacial waters of the Pa Chu River, but these will not be caught by Bhutanese Buddhists. However, recent restrictions on meat-eating have lapsed ever so slightly. Meat and fish are now imported from nearby India, and Nepali Hindus living in Bhutan are licensed to slaughter animals. National drinks:
• The most popular drink is souza (Bhutanese tea). Tipping:
Not widely practiced.
