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Voykit pocket guide · Pakistan
Bahawalnagar
Half a day covers the zoo and parks; not a base unless you have family in the area. One night if passing between Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan.
Bahawalnagar is a small city in Southern Punjab, about 90 km east of Bahawalpur. It has a zoo, a few parks and a local bazaar. Most travellers use it as a stop on the road between Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan or as a day trip from Bahawalpur.
- Country
- Pakistan
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- May–Aug (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PKR
- Money
- Pakistani rupee (PKR, Rs) in cash for almost everything outside big-city hotels and malls; carry US dollars as backup.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 2,000–4,000 excl. bed · Mid Rs 4,000–8,000 excl. bed · High Rs 8,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jazz, Zong, Telenor and Ufone sell SIMs with passport and biometric registration at franchise shops (not usually at the airport).
- Emergency
- Police 15 · Rescue 1122 · Edhi ambulance 115
- Plugs
- Types C, D · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two- and three-pin sockets; power cuts (load-shedding) are common, especially in the north.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 5–10%.; Driver / guide: Rs 1,000–3,000 a day.; Hotel staff: Rs 200–500.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; squat toilets with a water jug or hose elsewhere.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Tea at a local stall | Rs 30–60 |
| Simple meal (daal, roti) | Rs 200–400 |
| Pizza at Italian Pizza | Rs 400–800 |
| Rickshaw ride (within city) | Rs 100–300 |
| Bus to Bahawalpur | Rs 200–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BHV · Bahawalpur Airport
- About 90 km (56 mi) west; taxi or bus to Bahawalnagar, about 1.5 hAbout 56 mi (90 km) west; taxi or bus to Bahawalnagar, about 1.5 h
Typical fares
- Bahawalpur Airport → Bahawalnagar taxi
- about Rs 4,000, about 1.5 h (check)
- Rickshaw city centre → Arifwala Bypass
- Rs 200–400
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Rickshaws and taxis within the city; walking covers the centre. For longer trips, hire a car with driver.
See and do
Known for
- Bahawalnagar Zoo
- Satluj Park
- Tehsil Bazar
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bahawalpur | Bus or taxi, about 1.5 h | About 1.5 h |
| Chishtian | Bus or rickshaw, about 30 min | About 30 min |
| Fort Abbas | Bus or taxi, about 1 h | About 1 h |
Sleep
- City centre (near Chowk)
- Closest to bazaar and food streets; Paradise Hotel and Naseeb Food Cafe are here.
- Arifwala Bypass
- New Asif Family Park area; quieter, a few guest houses.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام علیکمassalamu alaikum |
| Thank you | شکریہshukriya |
| How much? | کتنا ہے؟kitna hai? |
| Where is the bus stand? | بس اسٹینڈ کہاں ہے؟bus stand kahan hai? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Assalam o alaikum', right hand on heart; handshakes between men; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first
- Hospitality: Accept tea; let hosts pay the first time; avoid: Refusing all offers
- Dress: Shalwar kameez is comfortable and appreciated; avoid: Shorts and sleeveless tops
- Shrines: Cover heads, shoes off, sit quietly at qawwali; avoid: Filming without permission
- Conversation: Cricket, food and family are safe topics; avoid: Religion, India and the army with strangers
Scams and watch-outs
- Extreme summer heat: carry water and avoid midday sun.
- Friday midday prayers close many shops.
- Last buses to nearby towns leave by late afternoon; check at the bus stand.
Bahawalnagar is generally safe for tourists, but avoid walking alone after dark in quiet areas. Keep valuables out of sight in the bazaar.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bahawalnagar yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Bahawalnagar Zoo
- Satluj Park
- Tehsil Bazar
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bahawalnagar district government: mcbahawalnagar.lgpunjab.org.pk/
- Wikivoyage: Bahawalnagar, revision 5338451 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5338451
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/bahawalnagar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.