How to Find Cheap Hotels in Islamabad, Pakistan
Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, is a unique city in that it's so new. This city was created in 1959 as a cultural and government center. As a result, most of its residents are from other parts of Pakistan, and Islamabad is quite empty on the weekends. Carved out of a forest of oak, eucalyptus and banyan, Islamabad is nevertheless a place rich in history and tradition.
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Instructions
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Find Your Accommodations
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Choose a room at a hotel from one of the major chains. These accommodations can be fairly cheap.
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Consider one of Islamabad's local hotels, which can have many of the same amenities as the major chains, but at a cheaper price of around $20 to $40 per night.
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Stay at one of the local guesthouses, which will allow you better perspective on Pakistani culture. Rooms can cost less than $20 per day.
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Pick one of Islamabad's clean and cheap hostels, which can cost as little as $3.50 per day.
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To book accommodations, contact Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation at 011 (+92) 51 9272017-8 or visit their Web site (see Resources, below). If calling internationally but not from the United States or Canada, call 00 (+92) 51 9272017-8.
Get to Islamabad, Pakistan
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Fly into Islamabad International Airport.
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Use the city's bus lines to get to your hotel.
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Use the rail system, one of the last remnants of British colonialism, to travel outside of the city. The trains are well maintained and have air conditioning.
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Try the small minivan services, which can be a very cheap way to get around, as an alternative to taxis.
Discover Islamabad
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Visit the distinctive Saudi Pak Tower in the commercial Blue Area of town, a mixture of modern and traditional Islamic architecture.
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Stroll through Lover's Garden at Quaid-i-Azam University, and visit the campus' cafes and fairs.
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Take a trip to the Lok Virsa Museum, which is considered one of Pakistan's finest cultural centers.
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Tips & Warnings
The monsoon rains come every year from July to August, and flooding is common in the city. Try to plan your adventure around this.
When traveling by bus, choose one of Islamabad's extremely colorful and heavily decorated bus lines, which will give you a true taste of life in Pakistan.
Telephone country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
Avoid traveling after dark in the city. Thieves from all over Pakistan are known to descend upon Islamabad at night, especially on the weekends when residents head back to their villages.
Due to its proximity to the Pakistani Mountains to the north, earthquakes are quite common in Islamabad, often exceeding 5.0 on the Richter Scale. Damage rarely occurs, however, and most of the locals pay little attention to seismic activity.
