Tipping

Typically people tip their guide and driver instead of bringing gifts to them. As for tipping your guide and driver, an average tip for a guide would be $7-$10 a day, and an average tip for a driver would be $5-$8 a day. Some people tip more and some people tip less. Any amount will be appreciated. It is OK to tip in US dollars.

 

Gifts

Generally it is discouraged to hand out gifts to the children you see along the way because they will then start asking/begging for more gifts in the future when they see other tourists. However, it is fine if you wish to give a gift to a host/hostess or to their children, though it's not necessary.

 

For adults, soap, photo albums, or even inexpensive jewelry would be nice for the women. Bhutanese men like long socks (the kind that go all the way up to the knee--"over the calf" is what they're called). For kids, pencils, pens, notebooks, candy, and toys would make nice gifts.

 

Monastery etiquette

In the Buddhist culture, people make offerings when visiting monasteries and temples. You are welcome to make offerings. An offering of 10-15 ngultrums is appropriate.

 

Do not leave your purses, cameras, or other valuables outside of the temples when entering. To prevent theft, please take them inside with you.

 

You will need to remove your shoes when entering temples. You may wish to bring socks with you because sometimes the floors can be cold. Your guide will inform you where it is permissible and not permissible to take photographs.

 

Money matters:

Most of your expenses are covered in your tour payment: accommodations, meals, a licensed English-speaking guide, and a driver and vehicle, plus staff, food, and equipment for treks. Expenses not covered are beverages (except coffee and tea), gifts/souvenirs, personal items, tips to driver and guide, and travel insurance.

 

Credit cards are accepted at only a few high-end tourist shops. You cannot purchase ngultrums (Bhutanese currency) prior to arriving in Bhutan, but you can easily buy ngultrums at the Paro airport, at Bhutan National Bank and the Bank of Bhutan, and at major hotels in Thimphu and Paro, all of which accept traveler's checks and/or dollars and various other currencies. It is best to buy ngultrums at the airport to avoid making a special trip to the bank later. When visiting smaller towns, it is wise to bring ngultrums for your purchases, though it's often possible to pay with dollars.

 

 

 

Money name and Exchange Rate

The currency is called ngultrum (Nu).

Exchange rate on August 2, 2009 :  1 US$ = 47.865 NU / 1 New Taiwan dollar = 1.4609 Nu

For any up todate quote go to http://finance.yahoo.com/

Information p3

Or http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/          

Other useful web sites

The official government site - home page looked great but many details are missing or non existence when you to those pages:  www.bhutan.gov.bt

Official Department of Tourism Web site at good resource for all matters relating to travel to Bhutan including licensed operators:  http://www.tourism.gov.bt/tour-operators/bhutan-gateway-travel.html

Bhutan has only one airline “Druk Air”.  The air line started to offer various tours starting in 2009. The web site is:  www.drukair.com.bt