Ancient and picturesque Iran is located in Southwest Asia. Its northern coast is washed by the Caspian Sea, in the south - 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, winters are warm (above 0 ° C) and very comfortable summers (not above +29 ° C).
Winters are mild in the south, but summers are too hot and humid (over +40 ° C). The driest regions are central and eastern, which differ in rather high temperatures (+38 ° C in summer). The most favorable seasons for visiting Iran are autumn and spring. To choose the most comfortable time for yourself, you should decide on your destination and purpose of the trip. For example, in Tehran in the summer it is quite comfortable, and the resorts of Iran (the Persian Gulf) will meet you with unbearable heat. Therefore, it is advisable to visit the country in the fall.
Iran Resorts
Iran can hardly be called a country where beach holidays are actively developing. Iranian resorts for Russian tourists are somewhat unusual. 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 with 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 Iranian resorts, photos of which you can see in this article, are known for 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 Iranian beach resorts, you should know that this island is the most popular of them. Its economy is focused on tourism - it has built comfortable hotels, large shopping centers that attract foreign visitors.
The central beach resort of this Muslim country has a special specificity: 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 basins; women and men are allowed to visit them separately. In a public place, the fair sex can only bare her legs ankle-deep.
It is not easy with bathing men. On the men's beach, located next to the hotel "Daryush" swimming is allowed. 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 ° C.
The coast of Kish is sandy. Many tourists believe that the local beaches are better than in the UAE. You can visit them for free. On the island, the Iranians themselves like to relax, guests from the UAE and guests from other countries of the Persian Gulf. No more than 5% of tourists are travelers from Europe and the Western powers.
Hotels
The hotel infrastructure of the island is updated annually. According to tourists, the best hotels on the island are Shayan International 4 *, Mariam Sorinet 4 *, Flamingo 3 *. Mostly they only offer breakfast to guests. But around the hotels there are many restaurants, cozy cafes, so there are no problems with food.
sights
Kish Island has many wonderful places 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, stranded fifty years ago. Tourists with children will be interested in visiting the large Aquarium and Dolphin Park.
Lovers of ancient architecture will certainly be interested in Muslim mosques, striking in their beauty, luxury and original architectural solutions.
The resorts of Iran (the Persian Gulf) offer not only a beach holiday, which many Europeans will find somewhat unusual, but also a 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 overlook the sea. These Iranian resorts in the Caspian Sea do not always include traditional tourist routes, however, local residents are popular with residents of the capital and its environs.
Climatic conditions
The Caspian territories of Iran are characterized 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 relaxation: +26 ... + 27 ° C. Precipitation 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. This climate attracts not only local residents, but also foreign visitors to Iran. Resorts on the sea (Caspian) are famous for excellent fishing. Here bream and salmon, sturgeon and mullet are found.
Mazanderan
Mazanderan Province stretches along the south coast. It includes several developing resort towns. In the west is Ramsar. This is the most attractive place on the coast. There are no historical or architectural attractions, but this drawback is made up for by picturesque landscapes and 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 are very popular with vacationers, as well as baths with healing water. 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 shores of the Caspian Sea (for about 70 km), magnificent hotels and resorts have been built, and the 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
Iran's ski resorts allow you to actively relax from November to April. The main resorts of the country are in the areas of Mazandaran and Kalardasht. Next, we will consider some of them.
Disin
The best Iranian ski resort in the country is rightly considered Dizin (900-3550 m). It is located a little north of Tehran, in the Alborz massif. Quite a great height, steep slopes, a significant difference in altitude and excellent snow cover attract here even fans of aggressive skiing.
Tracks, which sometimes do not have time to handle the snow groomers, sometimes resemble the descents of Cheget second stage. In season, the snow cover reaches two meters on the slopes of the middle and three meters on the upper. From the center of the village to an altitude of 3,500 meters, two lines of the gondola cableway were laid . Next to it are three chair lifts.
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 starts at an altitude of 2950 m, the second - at 3850 m.
The ski season lasts from November to April. The total length of the tracks is 17 km. In equal proportions, slopes of different categories of complexity are presented here. Toshal has the longest gondola lift in the world, which takes skiers to the slopes of a vast ski area.
The snow covering 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. Cold winds dry them and they fall to the surface in the form of snow.
Iran Hotels
Iran offers its guests two types of hotels - traditional and typically European. The first option involves living in a natural caravanserai in an 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 route, there are influx of tourists.
Resorts of Iran (Persian Gulf): reviews
Most tourists who have visited Iranian resorts say that lovers of beach time, swimming and sunbathing should choose Spain or Egypt. This type of vacation here has conditions that are not quite familiar to a Russian.
At the same time, Iran is worth seeing to everyone who loves beautiful nature, cultural and historical sights, as well as the unique modern buildings that this country is famous for.