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I explained in an earlier post how the government of Bhutan charges a minimum USD $200 per person per day fee to all tourists irrespective of what they do, a fee that’s set to increase to $250 next year. I went on to explain why, if you can afford it, this fee might be worth paying in view of the many unique experiences Bhutan offers.

This is my follow-up post, for there is a converse argument. If you think you would like to visit Bhutan but don’t think you’ll be able to afford it or justify the expense, there are alternatives, such as Darjeeling, Sikkim, Ladakh and Nepal, that offer many of the same things much more cheaply. Whether you’re looking for beautiful scenery, Buddhist culture or mountains to climb, all of these things can be found elsewhere. Why pay $200 per day for them? If you’re travelling on a budget or are only looking for a variation on the things Bhutan offers, here are five reasons why I think the $200 per day is not worth stumping up for. Much is made of the fact that Bhutan only introduced television sets in 1999, and many people think of it as an inward-looking insular Shangri-La, untouched by the trappings of the modern world. But make no mistake: Bhutan is moving rapidly into the 21st century, with good roads, an international airport, and plenty of internet cafés to choose from in the capital Thimphu. I remember one bar I visited in Thimphu being plastered in posters of Manchester United players. The owner had become a Man Utd fan after watching live English Premier League football piped in by satellite TV. He was even able to fill me in on the footy scores I’d missed while out on trek. There are other less obvious reasons why Bhutan is no Shangri-La. We think of it as a non-violent Buddhist nation where its kings are introducing democracy voluntarily and stray dogs multiply because nobody wants to have them put down. This may be true, but there is also a sinister side, no different from many other countries. In the last 20 years around a sixth of its population, more than 100,000 people, mostly Hindus, have sought refuge in India and Nepal after complaining of persecution in their own country. There is also an Indian underclass. While driving by road from Wangdue to Thimphu I remember being surprised by the number of road crews labouring by the side of the road which seemed to be staffed mainly by women. Upon enquiry I was told that these were Indian citizens who had come over for work with their families, and that their husbands were probably sleeping in the tin shacks that we passed close by. Read more...http://www.markhorrell.com