Ancient and picturesque Iran is located in Southwest Asia. Its northern shores are washed by the Caspian Sea, in the south by the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
Iran is considered to be the cradle of world civilization. Priceless historical monuments, ancient dilapidated cities, statues, rich culture, hospitable people, excellent cuisine - these are just a few reasons that motivate you to visit this fabulous country.
Climate
The country's climate is characterized as sharply continental, with significant temperature fluctuations (depending on the season). The northwest is characterized by cold winters and cool summers. In the north and on the shores of the Caspian Sea, winters are warm (above 0 °С) and very comfortable summers (not higher than +29 °С).
In the south, winters are mild, but summers are too hot and humid (over +40 °С). The driest regions are the central and eastern regions, which are also characterized by rather high temperatures.(+38 °С in summer). The most favorable seasons for visiting Iran are autumn and spring. To find the most comfortable time for yourself, you should decide on the destination and purpose of the trip. For example, in Tehran it is quite comfortable in summer, and the resorts of Iran (Persian Gulf) will meet you with unbearable heat. Therefore, it is better to visit the country in autumn.
Resorts of Iran
Iran can hardly be called a country where beach holidays are actively developing. The resorts of Iran are somewhat unusual for Russian tourists. Various restrictions and religious norms, to put it mildly, do not contribute to the development of the tourism industry and the creation of large and equipped beaches. A country that has a huge potential (access to the Persian Gulf and the Caspian) does not actually use it. A small “indulgence” was received by the island of Kish, which we will discuss below. Many resorts in Iran, photos of which you can see in this article, are known for their healing hot springs.
Kish Island
This small island is located in the Persian Gulf, in the south of the country. If you are interested in the beach resorts of Iran, you should know that this islet is the most popular of them. Its economy is focused on tourism - comfortable hotels, large shopping centers have been built here, attracting foreign guests.
The central beach resort of this Muslim country has a special feature: hotels do not have their own coastal recreation areas. Here you can visit the male and female (closed) beaches, located away from the hotels. There are few pools here, visit themallowed separately for women and men. In a public place, the fair sex can only bare their ankles.
It's not easy for men to bathe either. Swimming is allowed on the men's beach, located next to the Daryush Hotel. In public places, water procedures are prohibited. It's a pity! The sea on this island is crystal clear. In January, the water temperature rises to +23 °С.
The coast of Kish Island is sandy. Many tourists believe that the local beaches are better than in the UAE. You can visit them completely free of charge. Iranians themselves, guests from the UAE and guests from other countries of the Persian Gulf like to relax on the island. No more than 5% of tourists are travelers from Europe and Western powers.
Hotels
The island's hotel infrastructure is updated annually. According to tourists, the best hotels on the island are Shayan International 4, Mariam Sorinet 4, Flamingo 3. Basically, they offer guests only breakfast. But there are many restaurants and cozy cafes around the hotels, so there are no problems with food.
Attractions
There are many wonderful places on Kish Island that are of interest to vacationers. For example, in the north you can see the ruins of Harire - an ancient city, and near the west coast there is a huge ship. This is a Greek ship that ran aground fifty years ago. Tourists with children will be interested in visiting the large Aquarium andDolphin Park.
Fans of ancient architecture will certainly be interested in Muslim mosques, striking in their beauty, luxury and original architectural solutions. The resorts of Iran (Persian Gulf) offer not only a beach holiday, which many Europeans will find somewhat unusual, but also rich excursion program, sightseeing of monuments and historical places.
Caspian Sea
East of Azerbaijan, Iran has access to the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. The coastline here is 724 km. The provinces of Mazanderan, Gulistan and Gilan go to the sea. These Iranian resorts in the Caspian are not always included in traditional tourist routes, however, these places are popular with residents of the capital and its environs.
Climatic conditions
The Caspian territories of Iran are distinguished by a mild and warm subtropical climate, which contrasts with the dry continental Iranian plateau. In winter, average temperatures do not exceed +10 °C, and in summer the weather is very comfortable for recreation: +26 … +27 °C. Rainfall is 1500 mm.
This region, unlike the main part of Iran, receives moisture not only in winter, when Mediterranean cyclones pass, but also in summer, when constant winds blow from the north. In August (the warmest month), the water temperature is +28 °C. In October-November it drops to +17 °C. Such a climate attracts not only local residents, but also foreign visitors to Iran. Resorts on the sea (Caspian) are famous for excellent fishing. There are bream and salmon here,sturgeon and mullet.
Mazanderan
The province of Mazanderan stretches along the southern coast. It includes several developing resort towns. To the west is Ramsar. This is the most attractive place on the coast. There are no historical or architectural attractions here, but this lack is made up for by picturesque landscapes and a mild Mediterranean climate.
The town is located between the hills that cover the green subtropical forests and the sea. The hot springs of this town, as well as baths with healing water, are very popular with vacationers. This resort has been used since the beginning of the 19th century - here is the ancient palace of the last Shah of the country, Reza Pahlavi.
The main resorts of Iran in the Caspian Sea, in the province of Mazanderan, are located on the site from Mahmudabad to Babulsar. Here, on the coast of the Caspian Sea (for about 70 km), magnificent hotels and sanatoriums have been built, and cities smoothly flow into one another.
Babulsar and its surroundings do not have natural attractions, but it is famous for its developed tourist infrastructure and, above all, excellent hotels.
Holidays for ski lovers
Ski resorts in Iran allow you to actively relax from November to April. The main resorts of the country are located in the regions of Mazandaran and Kalardasht. Let's take a look at some of them below.
Design
Dizin (900-3550 m) is considered to be the best Iranian ski resort in the country. It is located a little north of Tehran, in the Alborz mountain range. Quite a high altitude, steep slopes, a significant difference in altitude and excellent snow cover attract even fans of aggressive skiing here.
The trails, which sometimes do not have time to process with snowcats, sometimes resemble the descents of Cheget of the second stage. During the season, the snow cover reaches two meters on the middle slopes and three meters on the upper ones. From the center of the village to a height of 3500 meters, two lines of the gondola cable car were laid. There are three chair lifts next to it.
Toshal
This resort (1600-3730 m) is located 60 km from Tehran and is a popular holiday destination for residents of the capital. They jokingly call it "home". The peaks of Shakhnechin (3900 m) and Toshal (3964 m) merge into a powerful mountain wall. The resort has two ski areas (main): the first one starts at an altitude of 2950 m, the second - at 3850 m.
The skiing season lasts from November to April. The total length of the tracks is 17 km. Descents of different categories of difficulty are presented here in equal proportion. Toxal is home to the longest gondola lift in the world, taking skiers to the slopes of a vast ski area.
The snow that covers the slopes of the resort is a true freerider's dream. The so-called dry "powder" appears under the influence of moist air currents from the Caspian Sea. Cold winds dry them up and they fall to the surface as snow.
Iran Hotels
Iran offersto its guests two types of hotels - traditional and typically European. The first option involves living in a natural caravanserai in oriental style. Such hotels are located in Shiraz, Isfahan and Yazd. The European hotel is a traditional block building with many monotonous rooms and endless corridors. It is better to take care of accommodation in advance. Although Iran is not the most popular tourist destination, there are influxes of tourists.
Resorts of Iran (Persian Gulf): reviews
Most of the tourists who happened to visit the resorts of Iran note that lovers of beach pastime, swimming and sunbathing should choose Spain or Egypt. This type of recreation here has conditions that are not quite familiar to a Russian.
At the same time, Iran is worth seeing for everyone who loves the beautiful nature, cultural and historical sights, as well as the unique modern buildings that this country is famous for.
