Southern Bhutan

Southern Bhutan is the country's subtropical lowland belt, bordering India along its southern edge and sitting at a much lower elevation than the Himalayan valleys most travellers associate with Bhutan. Centred on Samtse district, the region's warmer climate supports rice, fruit and cardamom farming rather than the alpine agriculture found further north, and its population includes a significant Lhotshampa (ethnic Nepali) community with its own distinct language and traditions.

Southern Bhutan sees very little international tourism compared to the western and central regions, and infrastructure for visitors remains limited. For Singapore travellers, it is not a typical stop on a Bhutan itinerary, but its lowland farming towns and India border crossings offer a markedly different, largely unseen side of the kingdom for those travelling overland between Bhutan and neighbouring India.