Driving distance within Bhutan

Mode of transport within Bhutan is by motor vehicles only. There are no domestic airlines or trains in Bhutan. The main highway runs from west to east connecting all the major towns and district of Bhutan.

Places Distance in KM Time (Duration)
From To

Thimphu - Paro - 65 km - 1 hr 30 min

Thimphu - Phuentsholing - 176 km - 6 hrs

Phuentsholing - Bagdogra (India) - 170 km - 4 hrs

Thimphu - Ha - 115 km - 3 hrs 30 min

Ha - Paro - 60 km - 2 hrs 30 min

Thimphu - Wangdue Phodrang - 77 km - 3 hrs

Thimphu - Punakha - 72 km - 2 hrs 15 min

Punakha - Wangdue Phodrang - 13 km - 30 min

Wangdue Phodrang - Trongsa - 129 km - 4 hrs 30 min

Trongsa - Bumthang - 68 km - 2 hrs 30 min

Bumthang - Mongar - 198 km - 6 hrs

Mongar - Lhuentse - 76km - 3 hrs

Mongar - Trashigang - 90 km - 4 hrs

Trashigang - Trashi Yangtse - 55 km - 2 hrs

Trashigang - Samdrup Jongkhar - 180 km - 6 hrs

Samdrup Jongkhar - Guwahati (India) - 110 km - 3 hrs

Samdrup Jongkhar - Phuentsholing - 380 km - 9 hrs 30 min

Radio and Television

For many years, Bhutanese prided themselves on keeping their culture clean from outside influences, and as such, modern technology arrived into the Kingdom many years after it was universally accepted in nearly all other countries. The first radio service was broadcast for thirty minutes on Sundays (by what is now the Bhutan Broadcasting Service) in 1973. Bhutan became one of the final nations to receive television service, in June 1999.

Medias in Bhutan

1. BBS Bhutan Broadcasting Service (Radio & TV)

2. Kuensel (Daily News Paper)

3. Kuzoo FM90 (Youths Program FM Radio)

4. Radio Valley 99.9 FM (FM Radio)

5. Centennial Radio 101 FM, 104 FM, 105 FM (Radio Station)

TENTATIVE FESTIVAL DATES FOR 2009

1 Punakha Dromche Punakha 3rd – 5th March

2 Punakha Tsechu Punakha 6th -8th March

3 Bulli Mani (Chummi) Bumthang 12th – 14th March

4 Tharpaling Thongdrol Bumthang 11th March

5 Tangsibi Mani Ura, Bumthang 11th – 14th March

6 Gayden Chodpa Ura, Bumthang 24th – 26th March

7 Chorten Kora Trashiyangtse 11th March & 26th March

8 Gomkora Trashigang 2nd – 4th April

9 Paro Tsechu Paro 5th – 9th April

10 Chhukha Tsechu Chhukha 7th – 9th April

11 Ura Yakchoe Bumthang 5th – 9th May

12 Nimalung Tsechu Bumthang 30th June – 2nd July

13 Kurjey Tsechu Bumthang 2nd July 10th

14 Wangdue Tsechu Wangdue Phodrang 26th – 28th September

15 Tamshingphala Choepa Bumthang 28th – 30th September

16 Thimphu Drupchen Thimphu 23rd – 27th September

17 Thimphu Tsechu Thimphu 28th – 30th September

18 Tangbi Mani Bumthang 3rd – 5th October

19 Shingkhar Rabney Ura, Bumthang 24th – 28th October

20 Jakar Dzong Tshechu Bumthang 26th -29th October

21 Jambay Lhakhang Drup Bumthang 2nd – 6th November

22 Prakhar Duchhoed Bumthang 3rd – 5th November

23 Sumdrang Kangsol Ura, Bumthang 13th -16th November

24 Mongar Tsechu Mongar 25th – 27th November

25 Pemagatshel Tsechu Pemagatshel 25th – 27th November

26 Trashigang Tsechu Trashigang 26th – 28th November

27 Namkha Rabney Tang, Bumthang 27th – 28th November

28 Nalakhar Tsechu Bumthang 2nd – 4th December

29 Chozam Rabney Tang, Bumthang 2nd – 5th December

30 Trongsa Tsechu Trongsa 25th – 27th December

31 Lhuntse Tsechu Lhuntse 25th – 27th December

32 Nabji Lhakhang Drup Nabji, Trongsa 31st Dec. 09– 4th Jan.10

Monks and Monasteries - Lhakhang

Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) Monastery, Paro Bhutan

Monks join the monastery at six to nine years of age and are immediately placed under the discipleship of a head Lama. They learn to read chhokey, the language of the ancient sacred texts, as well as Dzongkha and English. Eventually they will chose between two possible paths: to study theology and Buddhist theory, or take the more common path of becoming proficient in the rituals and personal practice of the faith.

The daily life of the monk is austere, particularly if they are stationed at one of the monasteries located high up in the mountains. At these monasteries food is often scarce and must be carried up by the monks or their visitors. The monks are poorly clothed for winter conditions and the monasteries are unheated. The hardship of such a posting is well-recognized; to have a son or brother serving in such a monastery is very good merit for the family.

Bhutan Monks (Lamas)

A monk’s spiritual training continues throughout his life. In addition to serving the community in sacramental roles, he may undertake several extended silent retreats. A common length for such a retreat is three years, three months, three weeks and three days. During the retreat time he will periodically meet with his spiritual master who will test him on his development to ensure that the retreat time is not being wasted.

Each monastery is headed by an abbot who is typically a lama, although the titles are distinct. The highest monk in the land is the chief abbot of Bhutan, whose title is Je Khenpo. He is theoretically equivalent in stature to the king.

The Central Monk Body is an assembly of 600 or so monks who attend to the most critical religious duties of the country. In the summer they are housed in Thimphu, the nation’s capital, and in the winter they descend to Punakha dzong, the most sacred dzong in Bhutan, where Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal’s mortal body has been kept under vigil since the late 1600s.

People and National Dress

Bhutanese women have traditionally had more rights than women of surrounding cultures, the most prominent being the presumptive right of land ownership. The property of each extended Bhutanese family is controlled by an anchor mother who is assisted by the other women of the family in running affairs. As she becomes unable to manage the property, the position of anchor mother passes on to a sister, daughter or niece.

Bhutan National Dress Gho for Men

Men and women work together in the fields, and both may own small shops or businesses. Men take a full part in household management, often cook, and are traditionally the makers and repairers of clothing (but do not weave the fabric). In the towns, a more ‘western’ pattern of family structure is beginning to emerge, with the husband as breadwinner and the wife as home-maker. Both genders may be monks, although in practice the number of female monks is relatively small.

Bhutan National Dress Kira for women

Marriages are at the will of either party and divorce is not uncommon. The ceremony consists of an exchange of white scarves and the sharing of a cup. Marriages can be officially registered when the couple has lived together for more than six months. Traditionally the groom moves to the bride’s family home, but newly-weds may decide to live with either family depending on which household is most in need of labor.

All Bhutanese citizens are required to observe the national dress code, known as Driglam Namzha, while in public during daylight hours. Men wear a heavy knee-length robe tied with a belt, called a gho, folded in such a way to form a pocket in front of the stomach. Woman wear colorful blouses over which they fold and clasp a large rectangular cloth called a kira, thereby creating an ankle-length dress. A short silk jacket, or toego may be worn over the kira. Everyday gho and kira are cotton or wool, according to the season, patterned in simple checks and stripes in earth tones. For special occasions and festivals, colourfully patterned silk kira and, more rarely, gho may be worn.

Additional rules apply when visiting a dzong or a temple, and when appearing before a high level official — a white sash (kabney) is worn by male commoners from left shoulder to opposite hip, with other colors reserved for officials and monks. Women wear a narrow embroidered cloth draped over the left shoulder, a rachu.