"Jalalabad was a pleasant town. Its wide streets were lined with giant peepul and neem trees, the buildings, often two- or three-storey affairs, were largely free of war damage and the climate, though hot, was dry and manageable. There were orchards of orange trees and great swathes of green wheat fields and rice paddies irrigated by the Kabul River; it was easy to see why it had been used as the winter capital by the old Afghan royal families."
- Jonny Bealby, For a Pagan Song

Jalalabad is a medium-sized provincial Afghan town, and closely resembles many Pashtun towns on the Pakistani side of the border, down to the autorickshaws. There are few sights to see in the town itself. Despite its founding by the Moghul Emperor Akbar, the only ruler to leave his mark on modern Jalalabad has been Amir Habibullah., who was assassinated near the city in 1919. Habibullah built a palace, the Seraj-ul Emorat in 1910, set in gardens close to the Spinghar Hotel. Habibullah's mausoleum lies across the road from the Serja-ul Emorat, amid a grove of Jalalabad's famous orange trees. Like many of Habibullah's commissions (such as the Darulaman Palace in Kabul), the building is an incongruous neo-classical structure, only the marble tomb itself is recognisably Afghan.

The Buddhist remains at Hadda were largely destroyed by Soviet bombing in the 1980s, with the few remaining carvings on the stupas smashed during the Taliban's iconoclastic orgy in April 2001. On leaving Jalalabad on the Kabul road, it is possible to see the remains of monk's cells in the hills above the Kabul River.

Where to Stay
The main hotel in Jalalabad is the Spinghar Hotel, set in large grounds in the centre of the town. Rooms with bathroom cost around US$25. There are a few cheap hotels around Chowk-e Mukharabat, but they may refuse to take foreigners.

Where to Eat
The Spinghar Hotel has a restaurant, otherwise there are lots of chaikhana and kebab places in the bazaars.

Transport Connections
Most people will stop in Jalalabad in transit between Kabul and the Pakistani border at Torkham. Plenty of minibuses and shared taxis ply these routes. The road east to Kabul is currently (summer 2005) being upgraded, with a temporary road diversion causing potential delays. The scenery is spectacular, in particular the climb up Tangi Gharu gorge to the Kabul plateau. By minibus it takes around five hours to reach Kabul. From the Jalalabad it takes two hours to reach Torkham on a sealed road.

Security
Security in Jalalabad is generally reasonable, although travellers should bear in mind the Jalalabad is a Pashtun town and anti-western sentiment may manifest itself at times. Outlying areas should be regarded as potentially unsafe due to Taliban sympathisers in the rural population. Since 2003 there have been a small number of attacks directed at NGO offices in the area, carried out by suspected Taliban and Islamist elements. A notable flare-up were anti-American demonstrations in May 2005 which led to several protestors being shot and the evacuation of international staff, as well as the closure of the Kabul-Torkham highway. During the civil war, this road was notoriously bandit-ridden, particularly around the town of Sarobi, which should still be avoided where possible. Security is generally good now, but travellers should check the security situation before travelling.

Other Info
The Pakistani consulate at Charahi Marastoon will generally issue transit visas in 24 hours. Applications must be made in the mornings.