Want to avoid last-minute ATM runs. Do most hostels in Bhutan take card payments at check-in
In Thimphu, I saw a hostel with a card terminal, but it wouldn’t read my international card. Everywhere else - Paro, Haa Valley - was strictly cash. Bhutan is beautiful but not geared towards card payments at the budget level. Carry ngultrum or rupees and don’t wait until the last minute to withdraw. The ATMs from Bank of Bhutan are your best bet, but they don’t always connect. If you want stress-free travel, cash is essential here.
I went to Bhutan with the hope of using my card, but in practice it just didn’t work. Hostels in Thimphu refused to accept it, and ATMs were often offline. I had to use cash everywhere. Indian rupees worked fine as long as they were smaller notes. Don’t count on paying by card, even if a hostel lists it on a booking site. Best move is to come prepared with cash, since getting money out last minute can be a real hassle.
Bhutan isn’t card-friendly at the budget level. I stayed in Paro and Punakha, and every hostel or guesthouse I checked into requested cash. Even some midrange hotels didn’t have working card facilities. Internet reliability is the main issue. You’ll see card logos on doors, but nine times out of ten they’ll tell you “cash only.” My tip: withdraw in Thimphu from BOB (Bank of Bhutan) ATMs and keep plenty on hand before heading to rural areas.
In Bhutan, everything is more traditional. Most hostels and guesthouses in Thimphu and Paro asked me to pay in cash. Only one place in Thimphu had a card reader, and it didn’t accept foreign cards. ATMs are present but don’t always connect, so don’t rely on them for last-minute withdrawals. If you want to avoid trouble, bring enough Bhutanese ngultrum for your whole stay, or even Indian rupees, which are widely accepted.