© Lonely Planet Publications 310 Southeastern ﺍﻳﺮﺍﻥ ﺟﻨﻮﺏ ﺷﺮﻗﯽ

This is frontier territory. And like the best frontiers it combines harsh landscapes, periodic banditry and warm welcomes to form a unique and exotic travelling experience. There are real dangers, so it’s important to read the boxed text ( p325 ) before heading this way. The region stretches east across ancient province, through high deserts scarred by brown snowcapped mountain ranges and coloured by occasional oasis towns and seasonal lakes. Kerman is the main city and is, in effect, the cultural border separating the Persians of the central plateau and the more eastern-oriented Baluchis, whose dress and customs feel more Pakistani than Iranian. Following ancient caravan routes southeast across the edge of the forbidding Dasht-e Lut, most travellers will stop in historic Bam and then , the capital of Sistan va Baluchestan province (where smugglers criss-cross the deserts and the rule of law is tenuous).

For travellers, the region hasn’t been quite so attractive since the Bam earthquake in 2003 flattened the city and wrought havoc upon the monumental adobe Arg-e Bam. Rebuilding work on the Arg is ongoing, and Bam’s soothing date groves and strong tradi- tion of hospitality still reward a visit. But taking in a few other places will round out your trip. Sleeping in the cave hotel in Meymand is a fun way to start, and Kerman itself is interesting, and an ideal base for day- and overnight-trips to the small but historic towns of and Mahan, excursions to nomad communities and camel-trekking trips. But the highlight is surely the journey to and the Kaluts, where enormous ‘sand castles’ stand like broken teeth punctuating the earth for as far as the eye can see and you can sleep in a ‘million star hotel’.

HIGHLIGHTS

„ Sleep in a cave in Meymand (opposite ), the troglodyte village without a million tourists Kaluts „ Marvel at the gardens and historic Kerman mausoleum in Mahan ( p319 ) Mahan Rayen Meymand „ Lunch in Kerman’s Hamam-e Vakil Bam Chaykhaneh ( p318 ) „ Watch sunset over the Kaluts ( p321 ), then bed down under a million stars „ Wander through the Arg-e Bam ( p322 ), still a highlight even after the earthquake „ Check out the less-imposing but more-intact ‘new Arg’ at picturesque Rayen ( p321 ) SOUTHEASTERN IRAN

113-southeastern-ira5.indd3-southeastern-ira5.indd 331010 88/04/2008/04/2008 11:14:0611:14:06 AMAM M A

SOUTHEASTERN IRAN 4 1 : 4 1 : 1 1 311

8 (380km) With 0 To Quetta 0 120 miles Meymand 2 /

4 River 0 / 88/04/2008 11:14:14 AM Saravan P A K I S T A N River Bahu Kalat Hirmand A F G H A N I S T A N A F G H A N I S

N Taftan Pishin

Zabol A Khash Shahr-e Sokhta T Mt Taftan (4042m) Tasuki Gavator S Lake Sistan (bathhouse) was being re- 00 200 km E Tis

River H 0913 356 3442 for Mr Hajirahimi, or 0351 Iranshahr

A02 C

Bandan U s n i a t n u o M n a r k a M Lake Zahedan x Hamun L ( Kuh-e Khajeh Konarak under

A River A78 Railway

carpets on the floors, beds carvedcarpets on the floors, S I S T A N A T S I S B construction hammam hammam Nikshahr Sistan va SOUTHEASTERN •• Meymand IRAN Baluchestan Nosrat Abad River Nikshahr

Bampur The three meals are prepared by vil- prepared meals are The three Jonub Fahraj stored when we visited. stored Sleeping & Eating it’s best the most from Meymand To get house sleeping in a cave to stay overnight, in thousands of changed that has barely valley near the of On the west side years. variousthe entrance to town, eight rooms of into the been converted size have Guesthouse by her family for generations. Given her her Given by her family for generations. might mother is 97 and her father 115, she has project be onto something. A university museum and the cave built an interesting village Southeastern Southeastern Iran lage women and often involve ingredients ingredients involve women and often lage grown locally. namad into the walls and warm lighting, it’s easy to Bathrooms to another time. be transported showers. but clean, with steaming shared are and speaks is the manager Mr Hajirahimi enough most questions. English to answer 622 5857 in Yazd; www.meymandtour.com; per person full www.meymandtour.com; 622 5857 in Yazd; board first/subsequent nights IR350,000/200,000). Khorasan-e L u t

Rostam Abad River

D a s h t - e Jadid Arg-e Bam

Kaluts M o u n t a i n s Halil Shafi Abad Shahdad Jask Gulf of ﻣﻴﻤﻨﺪ (wool Mahan A02 (96km) P a y e h To Birjand ὄ ὄ Minab Kerman Rudan

(4374m) o z

Mt Lalezar m

Rayen r o namad Zarand Joopar H (4420m) Kerman Mt Hezar f

o

Hormozgan t

Bardsir i

O M A N

Rafsanjan Qeshm Island

a

Gahkom r

t

Lahijan S Behabad Bafq 1 A R A B A79 1 Bandar Abbas U N I T E D 3

A79 Yazd

Meymand E M I R A T E S

d Fahraj d Shahr-e Babak n i Lengeh . Bandar-e Yazd 5 a r i - Kish n Island Zein-o-din Mehriz Taft r A02 e Harat t Fars s G U L F a Meymand isn’t exactly busy, but it sees Meymand e P E R S I A N Suryan SOUTHEASTERN IRAN SOUTHEASTERN h Lavan Island (Bavanat) To Bushehr (375km) To Shiraz (90km) t Safa Shahr To Shiraz (275km) MEYMAND pop 60 in summer, 130 in winter / elev 2240m old,’ said ‘This mosque is about 180 years the guide, ‘it’s the newest building in the a troglo- Meymand, Welcome to village.’ about equidistant from Shiraz, village dyte has been Meymand and Kerman. Yazd than 3000 continuously occupied for more originally been and is thought to have years The village by sun-worshippers. inhabited homes 2560 rooms in 406 cave consists of a valley, though most dug into the walls of It’s similar to Cappa- now uninhabited. are smaller albeit on a much docia in Turkey, tourists. scale…and without the hordes of that the elderly village enough day-trippers to selling taken locally woven women have wild herbs and traditional nomad baskets, hats (about IR60,000) made of soaked and pressed until it mats together). until it mats together). and pressed soaked for you, someone to translate If you have Den- too. interesting, pretty the herbs are us herbs Salma prescribed tally challenged and told us and headache, diabetes to treat their medicinal use has been understood Book stay your lonelyplanet.com/hotels at u o s - 3 113-southeastern-ira5.indd 311