Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [197]
If there is an electric water heater (called a geyser) in the room, turn it on as soon as you check in. The water flasks in hotel rooms are not always filled, and there is no assurance that the water they contain is boiled (Click here).
Some hotels have a dotsho (traditional hot-stone bath), a simple wooden structure containing water warmed with fire-heated rocks. The red-hot rocks tumble and sizzle into the water and a grill protects the bather’s skin. Expect to wait up to two hours for the rocks to heat up and to pay extra for the experience.
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ACTIVITIES
There are lots of things to do in Bhutan after you have had your fill of dzongs and temples, and several tour operators are developing activities in an effort to convince visitors to stay longer and discover more about Bhutan. For details of companies offering activity-based tours in Bhutan, Click here.
There are many possible day hikes, particularly in Thimphu, Paro and Bumthang, and these are described in the relevant destination chapters. For serious treks ranging from three to 25 days, see the Trekking chapter Click here. Horse riding is available in Paro and on some treks, but remember the Bhutanese adage: It is not a horse that cannot carry a man uphill, and it is not a man who cannot walk downhill.
Bird-Watching
Bhutan is rightly celebrated for its wintering populations of the vulnerable black-necked crane, but with over 600 recorded species and a spectacular range of habitats (Click here) this tiny country is a bird-watchers’ paradise.
Although several companies specialise in bird-watching tours (Click here), Bhutan’s plentiful mature forests and lack of hunting makes any travel a bird-spotting opportunity.
General wildlife viewing is generally confined to Royal Manas National Park in the south, currently off-limits because of the dangers posed by separatist groups in India, but the closure was under review at the time of research.
Fishing
Fishing with lure or fly for brown trout is possible in many rivers, though it is frowned upon by many Bhutanese. A licence (Nu 500 per day) is required and fishing is prohibited within 1km of a monastery, temple, dzong or shedra (religious school). A closed season applies from October to December and fishing is banned on many religious days throughout the year. The most popular lure is the Tasmanian Devil available in general shops in Thimphu. Yangphel Adventure Travel (www.yangphel.com) operates fly-fishing tours and encourages a ‘catch and release’ approach.
Golf
There’s an international-standard golf course in Thimphu and there are small courses in Haa and Deothang. The Thimphu course is used mainly by Bhutanese and expatriates, though it welcomes tourists playing there. It is popular with Japanese golfers both for the experience and because it’s very inexpensive compared with green fees in Japan. For details Click here.
Cycling
Mountain biking is rapidly gaining popularity with Bhutanese and expats, who have formed the Bhutan Bicycle Club ( 02-321905; www.bhutanmtb.com), which has mountain bikes for hire (Click here). Some adventure travel companies have organised trips that allow bikers to bring their own cycles and travel throughout Bhutan accompanied by a ‘sag wagon’ for support. Long journeys are challenging because there’s a lot of uphill peddling and approaching vehicles roar around corners, not expecting cyclists. Local cycling excursions in the Paro, Thimphu and Bumthang valleys offer a safer and less strenuous mountain-biking experience. A number of dedicated trails have been developed in Phobjikha (Click here) and Punakha (Click here).
Rafting & Kayaking
Though rafting