Iran: Hidden Countries

Tuesday 28 April 2009

Axis of evil? Home of hospitality more like. Iran's got the beaches, the mountains, the food, culture and cuisine to make it a top tourist spot, so what are you waiting for?

Why? Ever since renowned foreign travel and culture expert, George Bush, labelled Iran as an ‘Axis of Evil’ people have been wary of this ‘rogue’ Middle Eastern state. But times are changing; Obama’s attitude towards Tehran is much warmer than his predecessor and the truth about Iran is becoming apparent.

Far from being evil, the reality is that everyday Iranians are renowned for their culture of hospitality towards foreign visitors and Iran has a huge amount to offer the traveller.

There’s the ancient, historic capital of Tehran, a busy, bustling metropolis; Isfahan, the former capital with stunning architecture, tree-lined boulevards and a great bazaar and Shiraz, home to renowned Persian poets and known for its beautiful gardens.

There’s also  the impressive ruins of Persepolis, a vast city-like complex that is now a symbol of Iranian nationality; the shimmering deserts of Dasht-e-Kavir and Kavir-e-Lut and the beaches on the Caspian Sea and Persian gulf, the coral coast of Kish Island which is also home to Dariush Grand Hotel, one of the top ten in the Middle East.

And unbeknown to many, Iran also has massive snow-covered mountains (in excess of 5000m high!) that offer excellent winter sports in ski resorts like Dizin and Shemshak.

Danger and Difficulty? The British FCO advises against travel anywhere near the Iran/Afghan boarder and the Iran/Iraq boarder – but travel to rest of the country is unlikely to be problematic.

On the contrary, those who have ventured to Iran tend to return home with stories of incredible hospitality and keenness of the locals to show visitors that the people of Iran are kind and cultured.

The crime rate in Iran is very low, making it a safe country to travel regardless of race, religion or gender, but it is important to follow local law and customs; for example women should wear long sleeves and cover legs and hair; men should not wear shorts (except on the beach).

It should also be noted that the import, sale and consumption of alcohol is banned in Iran. Instead of bars, socialising often takes place in tea houses where rich, fruit flavoured tobacco is smoked through elaborate water pipes called Ghelyoon.

Iranian cuisine is superb with a diverse range of relatively healthy dishes that utilise fresh produce. Western style fast food is also readily available.

Should I visit Iran? If you want to experience somewhere exotic, very rich in history and culture, with a vast range of things to see and activities to do, plus very friendly people: yes. If you want drunken nights out on the town: no. It’s also a good value country; once you get there, the cost of hotels, food and travel are cheap compared to Europe.

Getting there and around: Independent travel is common in Iran. Visitors will need a visa, which can be easily obtained from your nearest Iran Embassy (see IranVisa.co.uk)
For more information about visiting Iran see: Irpedia.com

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Read more from the Hidden Countries series