Tourist Delights of Pakistan
Pakistan is often in the news for wrong destinations but one just has to scratch a little beneath the surface to discover that the country has ample potential to emerge as a prominent name in the sector of travel and tourism. Here are some of the destinations in Pakistan worth buying airlines tickets to. Date : Saturday, March 05, 2011
Peshawar
Sharing borders with Afghanistan, this stupefying destination seems to transport one to a different dimension altogether. Peshawar is well connected as many of the airlines operating flights to Pakistan serve the city. These include Air Arabia, Air Blue, Saudi Airline, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airline, Emirates Airline, Shaheen Air International, and Pakistan International Airlines. A couple of options for booking tickets with cheap flights to Pakistan can be Shaheen Air International and Pakistan International Airlines. Shopaholics visiting Peshawar can scratch their itch for shopping at the numerous bustling winding bazaars, gourmets can tingle their taste buds with succulent kebabs and other lip smacking Pakistani cuisines.
One can even see the open trade of smuggled goods at the Peshawar. However, it is not advisable to go there without proper escort and it is absolutely unthinkable to buy any of the items on the restricted side of the border, no matter how tempting it seems. Peshawar also does not lack in terms of sightseeing attractions. Some of the most compelling crowd magnets in the city are the Bala Hisar Fort, the amazing Peshawar Museum stocked with rare Gandharan Art, the grand All Saints Church and Cunningham Clock Tower, the Ghor Khatri, the tranquil tomb of Ziarat Rahman Baba, a Sufi saint, and the Qissa Khawani. While the Bala Hisar Fort is the mute witness of a bloody turbulent past, the Quissa Khawani is a place, which once echoed with the jolly shouts of merchants.
Lahore
Lahore, a melting pot of different cultures and ethnicities is full of tourist trappings and remains a popular destination amongst many travellers booking flights to Pakistan. While the Mall Road makes for an electrifying nightlife, the Food Street with its extensive array of Mughlai cuisines entraps the gourmet. Those with arty tastes would do well to experience the splendour of performing arts at the Alhamra Arts Centre. Lahore also has ample spoilers for shopaholics, with some of the most well known spots for retail hot spot being Ferozson's, Classic, Camera Street, and Almadina Perfume Center. If the pace of the city seems to be a tad too overwhelming, one can always escape to the Shalamar Gardens. Stretching for some 80 acres, this stretch served as the Mughal’s royal pleasure garden. Needless to say, the Shalamar Gardens is like an oasis of serenity. Lahore is the setting of quite a few amazing monuments as well, with the most notable ones being Lahore Fort, Jehangir's Tomb, Masjid Wazir Khan, Minar-e-Pakistan, Shahi Qila, and Badshahi Masjid. The famous polo matches are also not to be missed. These matches double up as centres of people watching as they are frequented by celebrities and other famous interesting personalities. Lahore is at its colourful best during festivals such as Eid and the Urs Religious Festival.
Karachi
Karachi is a seamless blend of pristine beaches, dazzling retail therapy, astounding museums, and quite a few magnificent structures. Karachi also has a very rich cultural scene and those looking for nightlife can take their pick from mellow Asian classical ghazal music as well as sensuous cabaret performances. Scores of upscale restaurants as well as the joints of Khadda Market, Boat Basin, and Burns Road dish out unforgettable cuisines. The vibrant city centre along with numerous swanky malls spoil shopaholics for choice. The beaches offer some wonderful outdoor fun by way of camel and horse rides. Those with a fascination for wildlife can treat their eyes to the sight of a rare species of marine turtles at the Hawkes bay beach. With the busy Jinnah International Airport of Karachi being well served by numerous cheap flights to Pakistan, air travel to the destination proves to be quite cheap.
Islamabad
Throughout South Asia, the well planned city of Islamabad is hailed for its verdant greenery. Serene lakes, abundant gardens, endless sightseeing attractions, cheap scrumptious food, and a compulsive shopping scene – Islamabad has all this and much more. This hotspot is also reputed to be the cleanest city in Pakistan and a shining name in the country's tourism industry. A number of art galleries and museums such as Islamabad Museum, Lok Virsa Museum, and National Art gallery charge up the atmosphere with a high voltage cultural charm. The Lok Virsa Museum is famous for its rich Central Asian, Iranian, and Chinese cultural memorabilia. Islamabad is also highly famous for Taxila and numerous other surviving chunks of history. Taxila is one of the most sacred spots for Hindus and Buddhists alike. Islamabad also offers excellent mountain biking terrains.
