Shopping in Bhutan

Shopping in Bhutan 

Shopping in Bhutan offers unique, handmade treasures. To protect the country’s history, the law strictly prohibits the buying or selling of antiques (items over 100 years old).  Shopping in Bhutan is a special experience. You can take home handmade items that reflect the country’s culture and traditions. Bhutan has colorful fabrics, paintings, wooden crafts, baskets, and special souvenirs. Each thing tells a story about life and festivals in Bhutan. Every item describes Bhutanese festivals and daily life. Shopping also helps local artists and lets you take home something real and meaningful.

Important Note

Bhutan protects its cultural heritage and history. You cannot buy or sell antiques in Bhutan, which are items over 100 years old. Some religious or cultural items, such as thangkhas, sacred artifacts, or traditional crafts, may also require special export permits to take them out of the country. Always check local rules when shopping in Bhutan to ensure compliance with the law.

Popular Bhutanese Souvenirs

Bhutan has many handmade items that show its rich culture. These items are part of Bhutan’s “thirteen traditional arts and crafts.” The most popular souvenirs include:

Postage Stamps
Bhutanese stamps are unique and colorful. You can get personalized stamps with your photos at the General Post Office in Thimphu. The Postal Museum is for display only, so you cannot buy stamps there.

Hand-Woven Fabrics
Bhutan is famous for bright, handmade fabrics. Visitors often buy scarves, stoles, and traditional clothes like kira (for women) and gho (for men). These fabrics are made from silk, wool, or cotton and colored by hand. They are beautiful, wearable, and excellent souvenirs.

Carved Masks
Wooden masks are painted and decorated. They are used in religious dances and festivals. Many people buy them to hang on walls as decorations or keepsakes.

Woven Baskets
Baskets and mats are made from bamboo or cane. They are light, strong, and useful, great for home use or as gifts.

Thangkas
Thangkas are sacred Buddhist paintings on cloth. They often show gods, mandalas, or spiritual stories. Small ones are used for decoration, while big ones are for religious purposes.

Wooden Bowls (Dapas)
Wooden bowls and cups, called dapas, are carved by hand. They are both beautiful and useful, making perfect gifts and showing traditional Bhutanese life.

Handmade Paper (Desho)
Desho paper is made from local plants. It is eco-friendly and can be used for notebooks, gift wrapping, or craft projects.

Metal Objects
Metal items include jewelry, bells, and ritual objects made from gold, silver, or copper. They have beautiful Bhutanese designs and show outstanding skill.

Important Shopping Rules

• No Antiques: You cannot buy or sell items over 100 years old.
  
• Export Permits: Some religious or cultural items need special permission to take out of Bhutan. The National Handicrafts Emporium can help with this.
  
• Payment Tips: Cash is best, using Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN) or Indian Rupees (INR). Small shops may not accept big notes like 500 or 2000 INR. Credit cards are accepted in Thimphu and Paro, but a small 3–5% fee may apply.
  

Popular Things to buy in Bhutan

• Postage stamps
  
• Hand-woven fabrics (scarves, stoles, kira, gho)
  
• Carved wooden masks
  
• Woven bamboo or cane baskets
  
• Thangkhas (Buddhist paintings)
  
• Wooden bowls (dapas)
  
• Handmade paper (desho)
  
• Metal items (jewelry, bells, ritual objects)
  

Tips for Shopping in Bhutan

• Follow Bhutanese laws and traditions.
  
• Ask if you need special permission to take religious or cultural items out of the country.
  
• Bring small cash notes for local markets.
  
• Buy from government-run handicraft stores to ensure authenticity and support local artisans.

Shopping in Bhutan: Popular and frequent purchases by tourists in Bhutan include postage stamps, lovely hand-woven fabrics, carved masks, woven baskets, thangkhas, wooden bowls, handmade paper and finely crafted metal objects. Buying and/or selling of antiques is strictly not allowed in Bhutan. Shopping in Bhutan is like exploring a treasure trove of culture, where every handmade item tells a story of the country’s rich traditions and artistic heritage.