Things to do in Islamabad & Rawalpindi
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Pakistan Monument
Shakarparian is also the site of the impressive reddish-brown granite Pakistan Monument, conceived to represent Pakistan's diverse culture and national unity. Flanked by well-tended gardens and shaped like an unfurling flower, the four main 'petals' represent the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), with the three smaller 'petals' depicting other regions, including Kashmir.
A museum showcases post-independence memorabilia.
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Daman-e-Koh
A picnic spot and lookout in the Margalla Hills, Daman-e-Koh has panoramic views over Islamabad and, on the rare clear day, south to the Salt Range. It's a splendid spot to get a sense of the city's layout, with the Shah Faisal Mosque a breathtaking sight. To get here, hop off intercity minibus 1 or 6 at 7th Ave and catch a Suzuki at Khayaban-e-Iqbal, or walk up the steep path behind the small Marghzar Zoo for about 30 minutes.
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Pappasalli's Italian Restaurant
With an attractive interior, delicious food and courteous service, Pappasalli's is deservedly popular. There are plenty of tempting pasta dishes, including a hearty spaghetti bolognaise, as well as ample other choices such as minestrone and steak Tuscany. For dessert there's a divine tiramisu as well as some glorious ice creams including praline.
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United Bakery
Bakes excellent cakes, cookies, savoury snacks and fresh bread (loaves and rolls). Chocolate donut/éclairs and sandwiches. Birthday cakes can be ordered here.
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Shah Faisal Mosque
The eye-popping Shah Faisal Mosque, nestled at the foot of the Margalla Hills, is one of Asia's largest and reflects an eclectic blend of ultramodern and traditional architectural design styles. Topped by sloping roofs (a stark contrast to the traditional domes found on most mosques), the main prayer hall and courtyard is said to hold around 100,000 people. Most of its cost (pegged at about US$120 million today) was a gift from King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.
Designed by a Turkish architect, Vedat Dalokay, and built between 1976 and 1986, the mosque's geometric design (modelled on a desert tent) and clean lines make the impressive scale hard to discern until you are up…
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Lok Virsa Museum
Lok Virsa Museum houses a fascinating array of traditional handicrafts including embroidered costumes, old jewellery and intricate woodcarvings - it is well worth a visit. The reference library has resources on history, art, crafts, traditional music and ethnography. Books and other media of folk and classical music can be purchased at the bookshop. Photography inside the museum is prohibited.
For Lok Virsa Museum, you can continue walking over the hill from Shakarparian lookout; or from Zero Point bus stop cross the road, bear right and enter the woods on a path where an approach road joins the Rawalpindi road (the continuation of 8th Ave), a 15-minute walk. A taxi from…
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Mr Books
Mr Books
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Nurpur Shahan Village
About 4km northeast of the Diplomatic Enclave, Nurpur Shahan Village village is a shrine to Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi. Also known as Bari Shah Latif or 'Bari Imam', he was a 17th-century Sufi teacher and Islamabad's unofficial patron saint. Thursday evening can be very festive, with pilgrims and trancelike qawwali (Islamic devotional singing). Foreigners are welcome but should always dress conservatively.
In the last week of May the carnival-like urs (death-anniversary festival) of Bari Shah Latif is celebrated here. Minibus 3 heads to Nurpur Shahan from Rajah Bazaar in Rawalpindi, via Aabpara. Bus 120 leaves from Karachi Co (east of Islamabad), via Sitara Market and…
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Taxila Excavations
Most of the main sites are within 2km of the museum. There's a large map of the site outside the museum and each site is signposted from the road and has an information board at its entrance. By car you can see most of the sites in a short half day. Walking and/or taking a sedate tonga will keep you busy for six or seven hours. Entrance to all the sites costs Rs200. Pay once and retain the ticket, which you need to show at each site to gain entry.
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Margalla Hills
The Margalla Hills are full of hiking trails that snake their way up ridgetops and down through forested valleys. Hiking Around Islamabad, available in major bookshops, provides details of hikes ranging from short walks to three-day excursions. It also provides a natural history background and handy hints for preparation. The walks can be steep, and it's usually hot and dry so take plenty of water and don't walk alone.
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Truck Workshops
Just beyond Rajah Bazaar on Railway Workshop Rd are rows of truck workshops where you can sometimes see trucks being decorated with the vibrant art that typifies Pakistani road transport. To find these trucks, take the Ganj Mandi Rd from Fowara Chowk, and once you reach the tonga (two-wheeled horse or pony carriage) stand, turn left over the bridge. Continue along this road for about five minutes.
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Taxila Museum
The rewarding Taxila Museum is closed the first Monday of each month and closes early (14:00) during Ramazan (Ramadan). It houses many of the significant finds from the Taxila site, particularly from the Kushan era. These include exquisite Buddha sculptures with intriguing Mediterranean faces, temple friezes, silver and bronze artefacts and old coins. Photography is prohibited.
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Pakistan Army Museum
The Pakistan Army Museum is next to the Army Library (behind the Pearl Continental Hotel). It houses a handful of well-kept galleries exhibiting a limited but interesting collection dating from prehistoric times. Items include rifles, swords (including some Turkish ones), Stone Age hand-axes, a former Russian missile system and, rather oddly, an Australian harpoon.
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Shakarparian
Known as Shakarparian, the urban wilderness south of Islamabad has an arboretum with trees planted by dozens of foreign heads of state, as well as sculpted gardens, and panoramas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi from the east lookout.
To get to the hill lookouts, get off the bus at the Zero Point stop, cross the road and follow a path for 20 minutes up the hill.
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Ayub National Park
Named after General Ayub Khan, the first of Pakistan's martial law administrators, the rather staid Ayub National Park south of the Cantonment has 900 hectares of paths, gardens and lakes (with hire boats). To get here, take an airport-bound Suzuki from Rawalpindi and get off at Kucheri Chowk, then take the right fork and travel for about 1km.
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KC Grill
Hobnob with Islamabad's upper crust at this stylish restaurant, which offers pleasant indoor and outdoor seating. Menu items include chicken filled with blue cheese, mushroom lasagne, tempura prawns, salmon-and-cheese quiche, chicken teriyaki, fat steaks and an assortment of chargrilled burgers. There's also a selection of Pakistani dishes.
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Saidpur
Just east of the zoo in Margalla Hills, a road leads northeast for 1km to Saidpur, a (formerly Hindu) village still famous for pottery. Scheduled to open at the time of reasearch was a 'Model Village' which will showcase Pakistani cultural traditions and handicrafts from various regions, including Balochistan and Sindh.
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Tours
The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, or PTDC, can organise day tours of Taxila as well as other destinations - note that tours may only run with minimum numbers, making it advisable to book at least a few days in advance. Prices are available on application. Many travel agencies also offer (tailor-made) tours.
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Rajah Bazaar
The buzzing Rajah Bazaar is a kaleidoscope of people and merchandise spreading in every direction from chaotic Fowara Chowk. You could spend hours exploring the colourful, crowded streets and buy anything from batteries to a new set of teeth. Dotted around are crumbling stone towers marking old Hindu temples.
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Haleem Ghar
This buzzing and unpretentious Pakistani restaurant cooks up food that's pleasing to both the palate and pocket. Possibilities include chicken tikka, biryani or, for the more adventurous, brain masala. Solo women and families can avail themselves of the restaurant's family section.
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Red Onion
Just the spot to cool your heels, this relaxing retreat has a Continental focus with a splash of Chinese and Pakistani dishes. There's everything from burgers and pizzas to mutton masala and chicken with green olives. Cheese aficionados should not miss the 'Just Say Cheese' pizza.
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Wang Fu
A reliable Chinese option with a yummy selection of dishes, from podgy dumplings to squiggly noodles. There's plenty to choose from including sesame prawns, chicken with almonds, garlic fish, shrimp fried rice, spicy honey wings and Sichuan beef.
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Zone Bowls
Zone Bowls is a 10-lane, fully electronic bowling alley in a rather lifeless little shopping centre. To get to Zone Bowls, enter the park via the west entrance off 10th Ave. A taxi from the Blue Area costs around Rs60.
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Sunday Bazaar
On the block between Municipal and Garden Rds in Islamabad's Aabpara, this lively bazaar springs to life most Sundays as a huge handicrafts market with carpets, leather, jewellery, clothing, Afghan curios and more.
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Dragon City
This welcoming Chinese restaurant has lots of commendable Cantonese and Sichuan dishes, with favourites including the belly-warming soups, Mongolian chicken and garlic prawns. The vegetarian selection is limited.
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