Kish Island, Iran

Kish Island is located in the northeast of the Persian Gulf and enjoys considerable popularity among residents of the country and tourists – today it has the status of the most visited resort in Iran. Despite its modest size (it occupies just over 90 sq. km), the coral island of Kish attracts travelers with calm seas and beautiful sandy beaches, and divers with amazingly beautiful corals, around which colorful marine life boils. See CITYPOPULATIONREVIEW for weather information.

How to get there

Airplanes from Tehran fly to Kish Island three times a day, once a week there is a flight from Shiraz, and in the season there are charters from Isfahan.

History

Kish Island was mentioned in historical reports more than 3 thousand years ago: even then the island was known for its pearl mining. The island began to turn into a resort place much later, the first hotels appeared here in 1960. And the end of the Islamic revolution was the beginning of a new era of free trade for the island, which entailed the construction of large shopping and entertainment centers and modern resort complexes. To date, about 50 hotels, several dozen shopping and sports centers have been built on the island.

The first mention of Kish Island appeared more than 3 thousand years ago: even then the island was known for its pearl mining.

Rules and Tips

Do not forget that Iran is a Muslim country with strict rules. For example, a woman can be on the street only with a scarf tied around her head. Local beaches also have their own unspoken laws, where women are required to swim in clothes, with the exception of a special beach for women.

Diving and other entertainment

One of the main tourist destinations on Kish Island is diving. There will be something to see for both beginner divers and experienced certified divers.

The local dive centers will provide you with the necessary equipment and support, and the coastal coral reefs will delight you with the diversity of the underwater world. Off the coast of the island you can see groupers, angel fish, butterfly fish, snappers, moray eels, barracudas, turtles, rays. Among the popular sites for underwater adventures, you can choose between: Big Coral, Oyster Bank, Jurassic Park and Southern Rift.

In addition to diving, there are many other interesting sports activities on Kish Island. For example, you can rent a bike and go explore special routes, of which there are more than fifty on the island.

Horseback riding is another option for traveling around the area. The local sports complex “Olympiysky” offers tourists tennis courts, playgrounds for playing football, volleyball and basketball, swimming pools and much more. Of course, given the proximity of the sea, it is not surprising the variety of water sports: water skiing, windsurfing and yachting.

Attractions of the island

There are on the small island of Kish and its attractions. To the north are the ruins of the ancient city of Harire, to the west, a giant ship that has run aground.

It even has its own Aquarium and Dolphin Park, which includes a dolphinarium, a butterfly park, a fragment of the rainforest, an exotic bird park, an orchid garden and a cactus park.

And underground, at a depth of 16 m, a whole city of Kariz is being built, in which various shops, restaurants and even a museum will one day be opened.

Kish Island, Iran