©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd خليج فارس Persian Gulf Includes ¨ Why Go? Kish Island 214 Quick – turn around: there’s an entire travel experience Bandar-e Lengeh 219 that you probably haven’t even considered. While you’ve Bandar Abbas 219 been planning your Iranian sojourn around the jewels of Qeshm Island 222 the country’s rich history (Esfahan, Shiraz, Yazd), to the southeast the Persian Gulf is equally deserving. Explore the Hormoz Island 227 magnetic islands of Kish, Qeshm and Hormoz, which are absurdly easy to combine and are altogether different. While Kish is unashamedly glam and glitzy, Qeshm and Hormoz are refreshingly void of large-scale development and offer Best Places to a chance to glimpse a more traditional way of life – not to Eat mention an array of geological wonders. Along the coast, ¨ Bandar (p221) soak up the vibes of lively Bandar Abbas and make a beeline for the delightful town of Kong, whose historical centre is ¨ Fanoos (p220) peppered with charming old houses and monuments. Thus, ¨ Kolbeh Darvish (p217) you’ll have the full monty. ¨ Mir Mohanna (p218) ¨ Shabhaye Talai – Golden Nights Beach Restaurant When to Go (p226) The gulf is hotter than Hades between April and November, with temperatures averaging 35°C and occasionally climbing ¨ Kaleng (p226) as high as 50°C. Not surprisingly, life adjusts accordingly – most businesses start early and then shut up shop from about noon to 5pm. Best Places to During No Ruz (Iranian New Year; 21 March to 3 April) Sleep the entire coast is inundated by swarms of domestic tour- ¨ Atilar Hotel (p220) ists and most hotels are full – avoid travelling here at this time. Try to visit during winter, when the temperature aver- ¨ Mr Amini’s House (p225) ages between 18°C and 25°C, humidity is relatively low and ¨ Mrs Fattahi’s House crowds are nonexistent. (p225) ¨ Toranj Marine Hotel (p217) ¨ Ecotourism Hotel (p219) 214 History Kish Island is first recorded in the memoirs جزيره کيش Kish Island % 076 / POPULATION 27,000 of Nearchus, the Greek sailor commissioned Welcome to Iran’s Sunshine Coast, or Iran’s by Alexander the Great to explore the Per- Costa del Sol. However you label it, say hello sian Gulf in 325 BC. In the Middle Ages Kish to this attractive island that, since the 1970s, became an important trading centre under has become a beach resort where visitors its own powerful Arab dynasty and at one can swim, shop and sample a laid-back and time supported a population of 40,000. The relatively liberated local lifestyle. Iran’s most main town was Harireh, which is believed hedonistic spot, Kish is booming. Hotels, to be the town referred to by the poet Sa’di apartment blocks and retail complexes (it in his famous work Golestan (Rose Garden). enjoys free-trade-zone status) dominate the Kish was known for the quality of its once-empty desert landscape and domestic pearls; when Marco Polo was visiting the tourist numbers are on the rise, especially in imperial court in China, he remarked on winter, when it’s freezing cold on the main- the beauty of the pearls worn by one of land. Kish is largely ignored by foreign tour- the emperor’s wives and was told they had ists, though. That’s a shame, because a visit come from Kish. In the 14th century Kish here is a great way to experience Iran from fell into decline and it remained obscure an altogether different perspective. Leave the until the 1970s, when it was developed as sight-laden cities of the mainland and come a semi-private retreat for the shah and his here to enjoy sea, sand and sun in a relaxed guests – complete with international air- atmosphere. PERSIAN GULF GULF PERSIAN GULF port, luxury hotels and a casino. R 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 ^#B5usheh5r 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 #\#\ #\ Fasa 5 5 Ahra5m 5 5 Firu5z 5 \#5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Rishahr #\ #\ Abad #\ 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 D5arab 5 5 /·A795 5 5 Bahmani Khormuj 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 #\ K Jahrom I 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 S 44 H 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5#\ Gah5kom 5 IS 5 5 5 5 Kan5gan 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Dayyer #\ #\ #\ Khonj la 5 5 5 5ä# Si5raf 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 #\ 44 #\ Lar ND ND 5 5 Ban5dar-e T5ahari5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Ban5dar 5 5 #\ Rudan 5 5 5 5 5 5 Lam5ard 5 5 5 5 5 5Abba5s R5ainbow#\ Asaluyeh #\ 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 #1 5Valle5y Me Bandar-e –# Minab hra #5 #\ 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 n5 Ri 5 Po5l 5 5 Bandar-e Bandar-e ver #\ Hormoz Island 5 5 5 5 5 5Dehr5iz 5 5 5 5 5 5 #\ La5ft #] 5 5 #\ Aftab Charak Kong Ù# Qeshm Town 5 5 5 5 5 La5van 5 5 #\ 5#\ 5 5 5 #4 5–# 5Larak5 Island Island Kish #2 Qeshm 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 –#5#\ 45 5#] 5 5 5 5 5 Island Masheh Island Chahkooh Hengam #3 5 5 P5ERSIA5N GU5LF 5 5 5 5 5 Ban5dar-e5 Ca5nyon5 Is5land 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5Harir5eh 5 L5enge5h 5 5 5 5 Strait of OMAN 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 545 5 5 5 5 5 Hormoz 5 QA5TAR 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Abu Musa UNITED Gulf of Island Oman e# 0 100 km ARAB 0 50 miles EMIRATES Sharjah #] Persian Gulf Highlights 1 Bandar Abbas (p219) of historical buildings and 4 Chahkooh Canyon Soaking up local vibes while houses (p224) Marvelling at this wandering through the 3 Harireh (p215; Kish sculptural canyon, one of animated streets of this city Island) Exploring this many geological wonders on and visiting its fish market. splendid old city that Qeshm Island 2 Kong (p219) Immersing comprises the remains of a 5 Rainbow Valley (p227) yourself in a traditional port large house and an old port Wandering in a Martian town blessed with plenty landscape on Hormoz Island .