Interesting Things To Do In Bahawalpur & Day Trips To Take From The City Of Nawabs

Rich history clamped with marveling architecture with a touch of urban style infrastructure and one of the largest deserts in Pakistan to its name – here’s a complete guide on the jewel of South Punjab, the city of Nawabs, Bahawalpur in Pakistan.

Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad… you will be bombarded by the name of these places and the plenty of amazing out worldly things you can do in these cities when planning a trip to Pakistan. Well, all of these cities are amazing in their own ways but on the downside, they are crowded, busy, umm yes polluted (Karachi and Lahore I am looking at you), and for all the female travelers out there, a lot of unwelcomed stares too!

Also Read: All About Female Travel In Pakistan

A city very commonly overlooked by travelers coming to the country is Pakistan’s City of Nawabs – Bahawalpur. Located close to the Indian border, Bahawalpur is one of the two largest cities in South Punjab alongside Multan. There are plenty of unique things to do in Bahawalpur thanks to the flourishing history of the city.

Ruled by the visionary Nawab Sadiq who made Bahawalpur a developed city and way ahead of its time, he also decided to make Bahawalpur a part of Pakistan and not India in 1955 after the Indo-Pak independence from the Brits. Even after becoming a part of a democratic state, the royal palaces of Bahawalpur still stand tall as a testament to the rich history which the city bears.

Bahawalpur is my favorite city in Pakistan for many different reasons!

The history buff inside me loves Bahawalpur for the obvious reasons I stated above. Other than that, even though surrounded by a desert and many small underdeveloped towns and villages, Bahawalpur has a modern infrastructure, good and clean road networks, chic cafes, and shopping areas that complement the urban lifestyle and tourism opportunities in the city as well.

Now I should stop bragging about all the reasons that made me fall in love with the city, here are the top things to do in Bahawalpur that will make you a fan of the city, just like me!

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Darbar Mahal

Among all the beautiful palaces of Bahawalpur, the most iconic one that standouts the rest is the Darbar Mahal. ‘Mahal’ in Urdu means palace as Darbar Mahal was the official residence of the ruling Nawab (King) of Bahawalpur. Built during the 1905s by the king himself, the palace is made with white marble and the dome structure resembles the worship place of Sikhs, depicting the religious tolerance of the Nawab. The palace is surrounded by a vast garden from all sides, a resting place for the king which has now turned into a museum and a complex for the female royalties.

Now the Darbar Mahal is used as the administrative council of the armed forces, so it is closed for the public. I visited the palace as a part of the Bahawalpur city tour with Coyote Trails Pakistan who arranged for special permission to visit Darbar Mahal with a guided tour. If the marvelous structure of the palace intrigues you to see it in person, I’d highly recommend booking a tour with Coyote Trails Pakistan.

Gulzar Mahal

Will you believe me if I tell you that you can see a somewhat replica of the Taj Mahal in Pakistan? Well, the next mahal on the things to do in Bahawalpur list is a miniature replica of the famous Taj Mahal in India. To provide a guarded recreation center for the female royalties of the kingdom, the Nawab of Bahawalpur built the Gulzar Mahal.

The white marble structure increases its resemblance with the Taj Mahal and the unique Victorian and Islamic architectural design adds more to its glory. Nowadays, Gulzar Mahal is very commonly used for movie shootings so entry to the palace can be restricted as it is not officially open for the public. I was able to visit it as a part of the guided tour by Coyote Trails Pakistan.

Noor Mahal

If Darbar Mahal and Gulzar Mahal have disappointed you for being close to the general public, Noor Mahal is here for your rescue! Among all the things to do in Bahawalpur, Noor Mahal is the only palace that is open for the public. In fact, it is the largest entertainment arena in the city with regular cultural and folk music shows. To get a taste of the royalty in the city of Nawabs, Noor Mahal can also be visited from the inside. You can fancy a guided tour or a walk by yourself through the grand passageways in the palace and the main courtyard area, which is open for the public. The entry fee for the palace is 50 Pakistani Rupees.

Sadiq Garh Palace

When in the city of Nawabs, one cannot get enough of the royal palaces owned by the Nawabs. The final Mahal in this list of the unique places to visit in Bahawalpur is the Sadiq Garh Palace, the largest palace in Bahawalpur. The Sadiq Garh Palace was built around 175 years ago and it took 1500 workers to complete the construction of the palace. For a long time, the palace was used for the main administrative purposes by the Nawab, however, now it is left abandoned and struggles to find its lost glory.

Unlike, all three other palaces of Bahawalpur, the Sadiq Garh Palace is not under the armed forces administration and lack of care from the authorities has left the palace in a declining state. The exteriors of the Sadiq Garh Palace can be visited by the general public without the need for special permits.

Walled City (Old Bazaar)

I will not blame anyone for not knowing that just like the very popular and touristy walled city of Lahore, Bahawalpur also have a walled city old bazaar. Nawab Sadiq built the city of Bahawalpur guarded by seven gates. The gates are named with reference to the cities they are facing – the Multani gate faces towards the city of Multan, the Shikarpuri gate towards Shikarpur, and the Bikaneri gate towards Bikaner in Rajasthan, India. Now the city has expanded way beyond the boundaries of the seven gates, but to get a real taste of the old city, a visit to the chaotic narrow alleys of the bazaar is a definite must! All the alleys look the same and they are loud and crowded at any given time of the day.

Sadiq Mosque

In one of the cluttered closed alleys of the walled city is the magnificent Sadiq mosque, the largest mosque of Bahawalpur. A tiny small passage from the old city bazaar leads to the mosque. You will be surprised by seeing the giant and quiet white marble mosque right in the heart of the noisy bazaar. The 200 years old mosque is a marvelous structure with close resemblance to the architecture of the Wazir Khan mosque in Lahore and the Shah Jahan Mosque in Thatta. There are no regulations regarding the non-Muslims not allowed inside of the mosque, however, for visitors, it is best to only stay till the outside courtyard and not enter the praying area.

Sadiq Central Library

If you fancy seeing glimpses of the Victorian architecture in Bahawalpur, the Sadiq central library or also called the Bahawalpur Central Library is the place to be. The bibliophiles consider the Sadiq central library as an identity of the city’s rich relics and its glorious culture. The library is stocked with more than three hundred thousand books on different subjects. The all white marble structure of the library also makes it a visual treat and earns it a spot in the places to visit in Bahawalpur list.

Chic cafes and Chai Dhabaas’

I have talked a lot about the old palaces and bazaars of Bahawalpur, but that is not all the city has to offer. I was pleasantly surprised by seeing plenty of chic cafes and cute chai dhabaas’ across the streets of Bahawalpur. One such cool place to sip a coffee at is the Victoria café with a very urban vibe that will make you feel like you are chilling in a café in Lahore or Islamabad. For all the chai lovers out there, Chai Chaska is a cool place that serves good tea in a pleasant ambiance.

Best Places To Stay At Bahawalpur

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Day Trips From Bahawalpur

One of the reasons which makes me love Bahawalpur so much is the fact that there are many unique places to visit on a day trip in addition to all the amazing things to do in Bahawalpur. So, if you have any extra days on hand, you should consider visiting at least of these places that can be easily visited on a half-day trip from Bahawalpur.

Cholistan Desert and Derawar Fort

It is impossible to picture Bahawalpur without the beautiful golden sand desert of the Cholistan that surrounds the city and the giant but lonely Derawar fort sitting alone in the heart of the desert. For a detailed overview and itinerary on visiting the Cholistan Desert, read my complete guide on the Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally and Places To Visit In The Cholistan Desert.

Lal Sunhara National Park & Blackbuck Sanctuary

A UNESCO declared biosphere and one of the largest national parks in South Asia, the Lal Sunhara National Park lies barely 40km outside of the city of Bahawalpur. Surrounded by lush green trees and a manmade lake, the Lal Sunhara park is an ideal picnic spot to get a break from the hustle-bustle of city life. There is a dedicated area and a park with small eateries, ideal for families to visit. Another part of the national park is a Blackbuck sanctuary, which is the only blackbuck sanctuary in Pakistan.

A short guided tour in the sanctuary later, I got to know that it homes around 296 blackbucks and more than a thousand brown deer. The rare animal is nurtured, bred, and taken care of by the poachers and hunters in the protected area of the sanctuary. There is no cost to enter the park and the blackbuck sanctuary. My visit to the Lal Sunhara National Park was the best day trip from Bahawalpur I took!

Uch Sharif

There is so much history in the places to visit and things to do in Bahawalpur that it can overwhelm anyone! But for all my history buffs out there, there’s more the city and its surroundings can offer you. One of the most popular day trips from Bahawalpur is a trip to the historic city of Uch, which in respect to the mausoleums in the city is popularly called Uch Sharif. The history of the city goes back to the times when it was discovered by Alexander The Great during his invasion of the Indus Valley.

Around 75km away from the city of Bahawalpur, Uch Sharif is prominently famous for the shrine of Bibi Jawindi and Jalaluddin Bukhari. All the dome-shaped giant mausoleums constructed in a compound are the main attraction to see for anyone visiting Uch Sharif. These are nothing more than cemented graves, however, their grandeur despite being plagued by the test of time and lack of attention by the authorities earns the mausoleums of Uch Sharif a spot on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Pakistan.

Multan – The City of Saints

Any visit to South Punjab cannot be completed without visiting the city of saints along with the city of Nawabs. Around 80km from Bahawalpur is a metropolis and the largest city of South Punjab – Multan, the 7^th largest city of Pakistan. The city is famous for its connection with the famous Sufi saints who came to the city during the medieval era. Today, the shrines in Multan, particularly, the shrine of Shah Rukn-e-Alam is the central attraction for anyone visiting the city. A melting pot of culture and history, Multan displays Sufiism at its best with Sufi music that can be heard at the shrines, unique architecture, old buildings, and of course the Multani halwa (a sweet local dessert unique to the city of Multan).