BEST HOLIDAYS DESTINATION

BEST Holiday & Travel Destination - PAKISTAN

DECORLOOT

Are you looking for adventure holidays, so it’s time to visit Pakistan as the country is now amongst the top destinations with low cost tourism. Pakistan was named the top holiday destination for travelers for the year 2020 by the United States-based luxury and lifestyle publication Conde Nast Traveler. Forbes ranked Pakistan as one of the ‘coolest places’ to visit. Lonely Planet termed Pakistan as being "...tourism's ‘next big thing’ for more years than we care to remember. The country is geographically and ethnically diverse, and has a number of historical and cultural heritage sites. The upsurge in tourism in the past few years has been aided by the Government of Pakistan's recent decision to end mandatory No Objection Certificates for foreign tourists seeking to visit certain parts of the country.

I won’t be wrong in saying that the world is waking up to the enormous tourism potential Pakistan has, the year 2020 could be pivotal in shaping the tourism industry of the country. It could put Pakistan firmly on the adventure map for travel enthusiasts. Travel company Wild Frontiers named Pakistan as the country to travel to in 2020. The British Backpacker Society in 2018 had also ranked Pakistan the number one travel destination in the world. The British Backpacker Society has awarded Pakistan third place in the highest potential adventure travel destinations for the 2020s.

Pakistan is a travel gem, and is one of the world's most exciting travel destinations right now. It has spectacular colors of nature in, which offers various shades of life.  You can find a number of positive reviews of the tourist attractions in the country by travel bloggers, YouTube v-loggers, magazines and adventure clubs on internet. As a tourist paradise, Pakistan offers much more to travelers and tourists. It suggested adventure tourists. In addition to touring the Karakoram Highway, visit the bustling markets of Karachi, taste the delectable flavours of the Punjab in Lahore and grab tea with some of the friendliest people that you will ever meet on the story-tellers street of Peshawar. In addition to all this Pakistan has more peaks taller than 22,965ft than China and Nepal combined, making it an almost magnetic spot for adventure travelers and intrepid hikers. In Lahore, the sight of 100,000 worshipers crammed into the sandstone 17th-century Badshahi Mosque will leave you breathless, while Mughal-era architectural masterpieces stand resplendent on bustling street corners.

In this blog I will just mention the various places that will be of great attraction to the tourists and make Pakistan a “Tourist Paradise” a “Fairy Land” and a spectacular memory element for all those who will visit it. After this blog I will be writing a series of blog province wise about the tourist attraction of those provinces of Pakistan.

 Here I will just highlight places in Pakistan to explore through tourism.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

Ø  Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeological_Ruins_at_Moenjodaro

Ø  Taxila: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeological_Ruins_at_Moenjodaro

Ø  Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takht-i-Bahi & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seri_Bahlol

Ø  Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shalimar_Gardens_(Lahore) & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahore_Fort

Ø  Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makli_Hill

Ø  Rohtas Fort: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohtas_Fort

Other Historical places of Pakistan that one can visit include:

·         Badshahi Mosque, Lahore – mosque built in 1673 during Mugal Empire

·         Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta – mosque built in 1647 by Shah Jahan

·         Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore – mosque built in 1635 by Shah Jahan

·         Tomb of Jahangir, Tomb of Asif Khan and Akbari Sarai Gateway in Lahore – mausoleum built in 1637

·         Tomb of Bibi Jawindi, Baha'al-Halim and Ustead, Mosque of Jalaluddin Bukhari, Uch Sharif – five monuments of historical figures

·         Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Multan – tomb for Sufi Shah Rukn-e-Alam

·         Chaukhandi Tombs, Karachi – tombs built during Mughal Empire

·         Central Karakoram National Park - largest protected area in northern Pakistan

·         Deosai National Park - a high-altitude alpine plain and a national park in Gilgit-Baltistan

·         Hingol National Park - a national park in Balochistan

·         Hiran Minar and Tank, Sheikhupura – built by Mughal Emperor, Jahangir in 1606

·         Mehrgarh, Balochistan – one of the oldest Neolithic ruins and archaeological sites

·         Rehman Dheri, Dera Ismail Khan – historical ruins of Indus Valley Civilization

·         Harappa, Punjab – historical ruins of the Bronze Age

·         Katas Raj Temples - temples near Chakwal which are attributed to Hindu Shahis Eras dating from about 615-950 CE

·         Nagarparkar Cultural Landscape - an important center of Jain religion and culture in Sindh

·         Mansehra Rock Edicts, Mansehra – earliest writings of the 3rd century BC

·         Ranigat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – archaeological remains of a Buddhist monastic complex

·         Shahbazgarhi Rock Edicts, Mardan – inscriptions of the Mauryan emperor, Ashoka

·         Baltit Fort, Hunza Valley – Tibetan-style fort built in the 13th century

·         Derawar Fort and the forts of Cholistan Desert - located in Punjab

·         Ranikot Fort, Dadu – one of the largest forts in the world

·         Port of Banbhore – archaeological site of historical port city on the Indus River

·         The Salt Range and Khewra Salt Mine - the second largest and oldest salt mine in the world

·         Karez System - in Balochistan

·         Ziarat Juniper Forest - a juniper forest in Ziarat, Balochistan

Some other worth seeing landmarks:

v  Mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah (who was the founder of Pakistan) in Karachi

v  Noor Mahal in Punjab

v  Khaplu Palace in Khaplu

v  Altit Fort in Hunza Valley

v  Bagrot Valley

v  Bala Hissar Fort in Peshawar

v  Chaqchan Mosque in Khaplu

v  Frere Hall in Karachi

v  Khaplu Palace in Khaplu

v  Mahabat Khan Mosque-A Mughal Era mosque in Peshawar

v  Faisalabad Clock Tower and the Eight Bazaars

v  17th and 18th-century Tombs of Talpur Mirs

v  Faiz Mahal of the Talpur Mirs

v  Samadhi of Ranjit Singh

v  Mughal built the tomb of Asaf Khan at Shahdara Bagh

v  Empress Market built during the rule of the British Empire

v  The tomb of Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first Sultan of Delhi and founder of the slave dynasty

v  Mohatta Palace, built in 1927

v  18th-century Omar Hayat Mahal

v  19th-century Italian chateau Noor Palace

v  The 3000BC built the fort of Kot Diji and Faiz Mahal in Khairpur

v  16th-century built the fort at Skardu

v  Nagar Fort at Chitral

Post-independence Heritage sites of Pakistan include:

o   Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore

o   Grand Jamia Mosque, Lahore

o   Faisal Mosque in Islamabad

o   The mausoleum of the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah

o   Bab-e-Pakistan a memorial site for the victims of the independence

o   Pakistan Monument in Islamabad

o   The mausoleum of Allama Muhammad Iqbal

o   The Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar - Sufi Saint in Sindh

o   Gorakh Hill, Dadu – situated on one of the highest plateaus of Sindh

o   Ski resorts and areas

o   Malam Jabba ski resort

o   Naltar ski resort

o   Nathia Gali

o   Shimshal

o   Rattu

o   Astore

Valleys of Pakistan with scenic beauty Includes:

Ø  Astore Valley

Ø  Bagrot Valley

Ø  Chitral Valley

Ø  Hunza Valley

Ø  Indus Valley

Ø  Leepa Valley

Ø  Kaghan Valley

Ø  Kalasha Valleys

Ø  Khaplu Valley

Ø  Kumrat Valley

Ø  Neelam Valley

Ø  Naltar Valley

Ø  Skardu Valley

Ø  Swat Valley

Ø  Yasin Valley

There are many Lakes with enthralling beauty in Pakistan:

v  Attabad Lake

v  Ansoo Lake

v  Banjosa Lake

v  Chitta Katha Lake

v  Dudipatsar Lake

v  Hana Lake

v  Karambar Lake

v  Mahodand Lake

v  Manchar Lake

v  Pyala Lake

v  Rush Lake

v  Saiful Muluk

v  Shangrila Lake

v  Shounter Lake

v  Sheosar Lake

List of some of famous waterfalls in Pakistan includes:

ü  Dhani Waterfall

ü  Chotok Waterfalls

ü  Jarogo Waterfall

ü  Manthokha Waterfall

ü  Sajikot Waterfall

ü  Shingrai Waterfall

ü  Pir Ghaib Waterfall

ü  Hanna-Urak Waterfall

ü  Neela Sandh Waterfall

In addition to all these enticing beautiful place there are many other things to see in Pakistan which includes:

Ø  Hindu pilgrimage sites in Pakistan

Ø  Sikh Gurdwaras in Pakistan

Ø  Museums in Pakistan

Ø  Parks and gardens in Pakistan

Ø  Shopping malls and markets.

Ø  Cinemas and cultural centers

Ø  Hotels, restaurants and other eateries

In short I can say that if you haven’t seen Pakistan and its beauty then you really have missed so far a pearl on the earth. Once you will visit Pakistan you will come again and again as it’s scenic beauty and hospitality of it’s people will mesmerize you.  In the last I would like to mention that you can visit Pakistan in any season and in any month of Pakistan as its beauty will welcome you whenever you will plan to tour Pakistan, It has complete four seasons with attractions for every season in every part of Pakistan

“WHAT YOU ARE WAITING, PACK YOU BACKPACK AND COME SEE THE PARADISE ON EARTH”

BY: OVAIS ASAD KHAN