Royal Manas National Park (RMNP)

When I reviewed Manas NP for India I wasn't even considering that Bhutan may have listed the Royal part in their northern section as a tentative inclusion to the world heritage program. *checks the map* Indeed, and unsure if they plan of an extension. The park stretches through the border and on the map one could not tell you they are different. Is this a Sundarbans phenomenon where both countries just decided to inscribe their parts? Probably not. Manas NP was a great park before the trouble with the Bodo tribe started. Bhutan wasn't even in the UNESCO program at the time. Nowadays the Indian side is very poor and has hardly recovered. It feels empty and encroachment, poaching are still a problem despite guards, fences and strict rules on visiting.

Visiting as an Indian nationals allows you to do a full day tour to the Bhutan side. As an “other” national one doesn't get the option. However, the guide will still take you to the border and beyond before heading back, maybe 30 minutes tops. You have to ask and perhaps “negotiate”.

Just as landing in Paro gives you that different kind of feeling of fresh air and enlightenment, the forest beyond the basic “border control” just feels thicker, denser, mysterious and I swear I saw more animals in 30min up here than the rest of the tour. What gives? Okay so it's not really fair to say this is because one is in Bhutan. The more …