The primary draw is Derawar Fort, a colossal 18th-century mud-brick fortification rising 30 metres from the Cholistan Desert floor, visible for kilometres in every direction. The fort is not accessible to the public interior but the exterior walls — 1.5km in circumference — are imposing, and the adjacent Abbasi Mosque and royal tombs can be visited. Getting there requires a 4WD or sturdy vehicle across desert tracks.
Noor Mahal, a grand Italianate palace built in 1872, stands in the city centre. The interior has been restored and is open to visitors. Gulzar Mahal and Sadiq Ghar Palace add to the concentration of Nawab-era architecture. The Bahawalpur Museum, near the central library, covers the region's history through Harappan artefacts, Islamic art, coins, and Cholistani crafts.
Lal Suhanra National Park (35km east) protects a large area of desert and scrubland, home to blackbuck antelope, chinkara gazelle, and large numbers of migratory waterbirds around its lake. The park has rest houses and camping.