Regional tourists travelling under Bhutan’s 24-hour Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) waiver will soon be allowed to visit two additional attractions near Phuentsholing.
From September, visitors will be able to travel to Milarepa Lhakhang, about 15 km from Rinchending, and the Pachu Community Ecotourism Site, roughly an hour from Phuentsholing, during the Harvest Festival. Currently, tourists using the waiver cannot travel beyond the Rinchending checkpost. Under the new arrangement, visitors must book an approved tourism package and travel with a licensed guide.
The expansion aims to encourage tourists to stay longer in Phuentsholing and boost local businesses, including hotels, tour operators and guides. Authorities are also introducing standard procedures for visitor registration, movement and monitoring.