Travel Diary: Madyan of Pakistan's Swat Valley
- By Dua Shah -
- Oct 19, 2023
Northern areas of Pakistan exhibit unparallel natural beauty and are among the exquisite places existing anywhere. Nature has endowed this region with enormous attraction as it is visited by a lot of visitors every year. Swat valley is universally-acclaimed for its heavenly locale and it is full of breathtaking scenery.
Swat valley is accessed through Malakand Hill district and the hilly portion of this part of the country extends up to the intensely valued locale of Kalam.
While going up to Kalam one comes across an exhilarating place call Madyan that in its own right is a popular hill station. It is not very far from the primary city of Swat valley, Mingora, and its swinging countryside is extremely alluring.
The road leading to Kalam is full of naturally beautiful spots but Madyan is simply outstanding. The meandering Swat River flows along Madyan giving it a divine presence.
One of the most outstanding features of this magical river is the abundance of trout fish that is reputed to swim against the tide of this raging river. Trout is in great demand in the country and tastes wonderful.
Agriculture and tourism related businesses like handicrafts outlets, restaurants and hotels are the main sources of income of Madyan. Quite a large number of residents of Madyan are also working abroad particularly in the Middle Eastern countries sending precious foreign exchange back to Pakistan.
Madyan is described as a perfect valley owing to its ideal weather conditions that are greatly admired by tourists. Swat River flowing beside Madyan is perfectly transparent and conveys a majestic feeling. The wooden hanging bridges connecting different villages together are a treat to watch and are the centre of attraction.
The place is full of pleasant aromas emanating from the surrounding hills and the atmosphere is most captivating.