Fifth Day
We leave Punakha for Paro, arriving after about three and a half hours by bus.
To visit Bhutan, tourists pay a Sustainable Development Fee, or SDF, of 100 dollars per person per night. Indian citizens, regarded as coming from a sister country, pay 1,200 ngultrum, around 12 dollars.
Behind this is Bhutan’s longstanding “High Value, Low Volume” tourism policy.
They explained it simply:
“We want tourists, but not huge numbers: visitors who contribute value to the country and have spending power.”
The aim is not merely fewer tourists, but greater value from tourism while protecting nature, culture and the way of life. The funds support environmental and heritage conservation, infrastructure, education and long-term development.
You cannot understand today’s Bhutan without its approach to happiness.
Its system is Gross National Happiness, or GNH.
It is more than a survey asking how happy people are. It is an approach to development assessing living standards, health, education, environment, culture, time use, good governance, community relationships and psychological wellbeing together.
The famous happiness idea rests on the belief that economic growth alone is insufficient. It is integrated into education too.
Our hotel overlooks Paro Airport from above.
In the town square, we happen upon a talk by the country’s highest religious authority, the Je Khenpo.
The current holder is Trulku Jigme Chhoeda, Bhutan’s 70th Je Khenpo.
Being a reincarnation is not required: the position is chosen from senior monks with many years of study and meditation.
Religious teachings and ceremonies drawing thousands of people are taking place during our stay in Paro.
We then visit the National Museum of Bhutan.
It occupies the old Ta Dzong, or watchtower, above Paro. Built in 1649 to protect the valley and Rinpung Dzong below, it was later converted into a museum after losing its military role, opening to the public in 1968.
The building itself is impressive: an old circular, seven-storey watchtower, whose interior has been beautifully used for exhibitions. You keep turning as you move up or down.
Collections cover Bhutan’s religious history, art, thangkas, weapons, clothing, everyday objects and wildlife.
For me, it was one of the most impressive buildings in Paro.