Phuentsholing

From World travel guide

Phuentsholing (also sometimes spelled Phuntsholing) is the second largest town in Bhutan (population around 40,000) and is located on the Indian border, next to the town of Jaigon.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 6 Buy 7 Eat 8 Drink 9 Sleep 10 Budget 11 Mid range 12 Get out 13 Contact 14 External links

Understand

Phuentsholing is the point of entry for travelers arriving by bus from Kolkata and Siliguri, and as it was declared a 'free zone' in 2001, visitors can enter the town and spend a night without a Bhutanese visa [NOTE: THIS IS NO LONGER THE CASE]. However, the town functions primarily as a place where Bhutanese and Indians do business, and there is little of interest to tourists. The architecture is modern, and there is no dzong or famous monastery. However, like all of Bhutan, it does offer a clean, pleasant and safe environment in which to go about your business. In short, if you are in the area, it is worth visiting the town, but don't go out of your way to do so.

Get in

• There are direct bus routes from Kolkata and Siliguri. It is an overnight journey from Kolkata, and the Bhutan Government buses depart from the Esplanade Bus Station in Kolkata at 7PM on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and from the Phuentsholing Bhutan Post office at 3PM on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The journey takes around 18 hours and costs 300Rps/Nu. The buses are comfortable, but because much of the highway through West Bengal is like the surface of the moon, don't bank on getting much sleep on the way. From Siliguri there are two routes. One is via Sevak Bridge and the other goes through Alipur and Hasimara. It is better to take the second route if you are prone to car sickness as the condition of this road, which forms part of the main Siliguri - Guwahati Highway, is better. The Bhutan Government buses depart from Siliguri Bus Station on Hill Cart Road at 7:30AM and 1:30PM everyday.
• The nearest Railway station to Phuentsholing is New Coochbihar of West Bengal, India which is almost 3 hours bus journey from Phuentsholing. Bus fare to the station is arond 60 Rs. from Phuentsholing (in June 2005).

• Visa - if you are planning to enter Bhutan proper, non-Indian nationals will need to visit the Indian immigration office (located next to Hotel Kasturi in Jaigon - about 400 meters from Bhutan Gate) to receive an exit stamp in their passports. Those with documents to enter Bhutan need to present these along with two photographs and US$20 fee to the immigration department at the sub-district office (drungkhang) in the town. After verification, a stamp is entered into your passport, which in order to enter the country proper, will need to be shown at the immigration check point at Rinchending, 5 kms above the town on the main Thimphu road.

Get around

The town center can easily be covered on foot, but there are an abundance of taxis for journeys out of town.

See

• The Crocodile Breeding Centre on the banks of the river behind the bus station. The crocodiles are bred in order to be released in a nature reserve.
• The gate at the border (called Bhutan Gate) - not much to see, but it makes a good first photograph for your Bhutan photo album.
• Natural beauty of the surroundings.
• Chukha Hydrothermal Project.
• Karbandi Monastery. After an Indian pilgrim became pregnant after praying at this monastery to conceive, the temple has become a regular port of call for couples wishing for children. For those who do not have parental ambitions, the view from the monastery over Phuentsholing and the Bengal Plain is still worth making the trip. The monastery is located a short distance above the town. Take a cab up and walk back.

Do

• Wander round the town and plan your journey in or out of the country.

Buy

• Phuentsholing does not have any handicraft gift shops, so do not leave your souvenir shopping until your departure from here.
• The town has a good selection of supermarkets, electrical and computer shops and a fresh vegetable market.

Eat

• Being on the Indian border, the town has a great selelection of Indian restaurants.
• Pastry Shop in the Tashi Commercial Complex has a good selection of cakes and pastries and a small coffee shop over looking the town's prayer wheel in which to relax and enjoy them. Tel:252246

Drink

Sleep

Budget

• Central Hotel PO Box248. Tel:252172. E-mail:centralhotel@druknet.bt - as the name suggests, this older hotel is smack in the center of town - popular with business types. Single without TV:325Nu, single deluxe:450Nu. Standard double:550Nu, Deluxe double:650Nu.
• Hotel Peljorling, PO Box149. Tel:252833 - a centrally located hotel. Single:450Nu, Double:550Nu.

Mid range

• Hotel Druk - the largest and main tourist hotel in town garden and patio for sitting out - located near the main gate.
• Hotel Motithang - good but a little expensive.
• Hotel Namgay, PO Box99, Tharpai Lam. Tel:252374. E-mail:hotel_namgay@yahoo.com - a pleasant, centrally located hotel. Deluxe:2,000Nu & 2,500Nu. Standard:1,100Nu & 1,300Nu.

Get out

• There are daily bus survices to Thimphu, Paro, Ha and other places.

Contact

• The area code for Phuentsholing is 05. When calling from overseas, dial +975 5 XXXXXX
• E-mail: Connections in Phuentsholing are not fast, but one of the better places is Phajoding located on the first floor on the main street leading from Bhutan Gate, across from the entrance to Hotel Druk. NB: International phone calls and internet service is much cheaper in India, so you might consider crossing over into Jaigon to make your contacts.

External links

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