Tourism has been on everyone’s mind since the past few years and when we talk about growth in the specific niche, Pakistan has surely come a very long way. It wasn’t long before that people had a different mindset against Pakistan, even New York Times labeled Pakistan as THE MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRY IN THE PLANET. Seeing that imposition and now, Pakistan has been awarded the most beautiful traveling destination of the world that too for two times in a row that is 2018 and 2019.

Almost everyone outside Pakistan used to think that this is a country, which is swarmed in vast desserts, almost majority of the population are terrorists, and everyone wears a veil. Now those very people are craving to visit Pakistan because of the addictive sceneries and mesmerizing culture. Pakistan has been blessed, as it is one of the most beautiful countries on the planet, everything ranging from the culture to food is jaw dropping, literally! Although, that being said, it is not that much easy to travel to Pakistan, you need to be fully prepped.

So today in our guide, we will be giving you some of the most necessary and useful tips for travelling to Pakistan, and enjoying the various bounties the country can offer.

Pakistan- An Introduction

You need to know where you are travelling before you make the actual arrangements, the public image of this country was shrouded in mystery before, and people thought that this was a country in the Middle East not South Asia, and thus everyone used to call Pakistanis- Arabs.

The official name of Pakistan is the Islamic Republic Of Pakistan, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah founded it in August 14, 1947. It has over 205 million people and is statistically the sixth most populous country on the planet. Now this is a country, which was made after the partition, when the rule of British ended. India was founded alongside Pakistan and then East Pakistan became Bangladesh.

Now Pakistan may seem a young country but the history attached to it is very ancient, remnants of the Indus Civilization can be found in parts of Pakistan. This is a country that many tried to conquer, some succeeded while some failed miserably. The famous conquerors of Pakistan were Alexander The Great, The Mughal Sultanate and The British Raj.

Pakistan is not so different as the other countries as it has been convoluted in conflict, and that is both internally and externally. Pakistan has also grown over all these years and it is now a very strong nuclear power. It has the sixth-largest army in the world and it has only strengthened from the past.

The Languages Spoken In Pakistan

Pakistan is home to many things, and a myriad of languages comes within. You would be surprised to know that the citizens of Pakistan speak more than two languages, and that is what I can say the least. The main official language of Pakistan is Urdu and the secondary language used is English. 

When you would be visiting Pakistan, you would come to know that rarely you come across a place where no one speaks English. It is good to know Urdu, but once you travel to the rural areas then the local languages would be most commonly used.

Apart from Urdu and English there are plenty of other languages too which are spoken in Pakistan. The list of languages range from Sindhi, Balochi, Pashto, Punjabi, Potohari, Shina and many others. Now this should be noted that every particular culture have their own languages which people prefer more than Urdu or English. Such as Punjabi is common in the Punjab region and Balochi is famous in the Balochistan region of Pakistan.

The Various Cultures In Pakistan

 Just like other countries, Pakistan is a country diverse and rich in culture. Although the culture is indeed very vibrant, we can say that there are also some conservative people and thus they uphold the culture like that. We can say that the main dictation over the country is of religion and because of that culture too is affected.

When it comes to hospitality then we can easily say that Pakistanis are the most hospitable people you can ever come across. Their friendliness doubles up when they see that you are a foreigner that has come to visit their country. They might kidnap you for lunch, dinner or just as simple as a cup of tea.

Truth be told, the foreigners in Pakistan are often treated as loyalty. That is also the sad reality which Pakistanis face because majority of the time these foreigners become leeches and exploit those being nice with them. If you visit Pakistan, the least you could do is be nice with the people there and bring sweets for their family if you decide to visit their homes. Souvenirs will also help in this regard so make the best out of the situation.

When it comes to clothing, the culture in Pakistan is both conservative and liberal. In some parts it is too liberal whereas it can become equally conservative. Although dressing modestly is the best option here, you need to cover your body properly. I would suggest that you do try their shalwar kameez as they are majorly preferred, are stylish and available everywhere. For men shorts, tops and trousers are okay but then again if you really want to blend in with the crowd then again, shalwar kameez is the best option to choose.

Although, keep this is mind that Pakistanis are very protective of women whether they are their own or foreigners, if someone tries to misbehave with you then don’t hesitate to slap the guy/girl. Surely someone will come to your aid.

When one travels a country, many aspects have to be known, since you would be travelling to a wide range of areas. Tipping is a very common and appraised gesture which spans around every country. Tipping is what you do when really goes out of their way to help and accommodate you, carefully examine the situation and then tip. Also, when tipping remember to do it accordingly, don’t tip too much as you would be then raising the expectations for future travelers.

The Different Religions In Pakistan

Religion is a very controversial and sensitive topic that cannot be discussed with that much freedom in Pakistan. Majority of the people in Pakistan are muslims whereas you will find some Christian, Hindu and Sikh communities.  

As you might have guessed, the head religion of the state is Islam and the and the head of the state has to be Muslim. When you plan on travelling to this beautiful country be mindful of the religion as it is based on sharia law. Being respectful will only show the respect people can give and thus ultimately take. 

Religion plays a very important role in the entire structure of Pakistan, although that being said it is also one of the worst countries for religious minorities as they are not treated well. My advise to you would be enjoy your trip fully and just steer clear out of any religious statements.

Food Choices In Pakistan

 When it comes to food, Pakistan is really diverse and delicious but one cannot say that it is particularly healthy. When you plan to visit Pakistan, you will be introduced to a lot of streaming and popular food options ranging from delicious kebabs to biryani, we suggest that you try everything this beautiful country has to offer.

Lahore and Karachi are known for THE BEST food in all of the country and in my opinion, this statement stands fully accurate. Now this should also be known that food isn’t that much expensive in Pakistan so if you want to try out everything, that won’t be a problem.

Conclusion

Pakistan is one of the most beautiful, exotic countries on the planet, the people are amazing, and the culture too is amazing. We hope that through our guide, there has been some understanding about the various aspects of travelling there. If you do make the decision of visiting then BON VOYAGE!