Try a different experience! We take you surfing in Iran! Located between Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iran’s geographical and political landscape isn’t the best for asurf trip without annoyances. Iran has 3 coasts overlooking 3 different seas and while the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf are too closed to produce waves, the Gulf of Oman, connected with the Indian Ocean, is much more active. The Baluchestan region and its Makran coast continue into Pakistan, offering endless opportunities to discover new waves in both the bays and headlands of this deserted and poorly populated coastal area. Inland, the narrow coastal plain rises quickly into the mountain range, so most of the population works in the fishing sector in small ports or small fishing villages, for this reason the name is Makran which means “fish eaters”. Boats abound in a village like Tang, but their owners rarely depart from the daily routine to accompany surfers to ride the waves on the hammer-shaped peninsula just 2km from the village. Getting to the area around Gurdin is quite complicated; if you haven’t a 4WD the left of Pozm, since it is located right under a cliff, will be unreachable. You can find the best waves at the end of the Konarak Peninsula but a naval base makes the area closed to any kind of excursion.
The situation improves by moving further east from the airport thanks to a reliable coastal road. Arrange with the employees of the Aab marine desalination plant to access the beach break just behind the walls. Counting over 50,000 inhabitants, Chabahar is a city with a very high growth rate as it is the only large ocean port in Iran with free trade. The northern beaches are too protected from storm surges, but on the other side of the city, Darya Bozorg (“Big Sea”) respects the characteristics of its name. This beach, easily accessible, should be checked even if despite the numerous reefs present, most of the waves haven’t much power. For safer waves, head east to Lakposht where you will find a good beachbreak where only turtles live. Stop by the fish cannery in Maahi: here you have a great view to choose which pointbreak is working better. Unfortunately, however, there is no way to walk the 20m (60ft) cliff that separates the sea from this point. The only way to reach the spot is by taking boats that depart from Ramin. Ramin offers the best combination of surf quality and accessibility to the spots. West of the port there is a beachbreak with a good frequency of waves although not too fast and powerful. To the east there is a left pointbreak nicknamed Kabab. The waves here start offshore with a large mass, then as soon as they enter the bay they start to break creating one of the most tubing waves in the area. There is another long pointbreak near the shrimp factory, Meygou, but the left isn’t very clear and the cliff prevents access a bit. From here you can find a series of consistent beachbreaks with a lot of potential. Bod, located in front of a windmill isn’t the best of these but still the waves are quite powerful and fun. It is also very easy to find given the presence of the mill. All the other beachbreaks in the area are close to the mountains: Mars on the road to Beris, which has a large harbor and a couple of points. One of these offers a very fast and wraparound left but requires a large swell to start breaking and a long row to get up to the cliff slopes. The latest gem of the area is Gwatar. The water flows into the sea thanks to artificial irrigation channels that form a rivermouth curved to the right that stretches for 100 meters into the muddy water. Since the water receives factory drains near the shrimp farm, its quality is questionable, and therefore only sharks could enjoy its turbidity. The final option before Pakistan is a point where a couple of rights break, but since this area is occupied by a police fortress, these waters may not be worth the annoyances of getting there and thus remain insurfaced. 
Tariff per person, starting from:
| Departure | Double |
|---|---|
| From 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020 | upon request |
Notes
The swells that hit this area are all of monsoon origin. In June, July and August, the SW winds constantly send 3-12ft waves; conditions with larger waves are only possible with the rare tropical storms. Usually the waves are never so bigger but unlike many European locations that in the summer are characterized by flat periods, here in the summer it is possible to surf almost every day. The province of Baluchestan is located in an area where the winds from the South (Nambi) and those from the North (Gourich) intersect, but during the surfing season, the monsoons will only bring weak onshore winds. The tides follow semi-daily patterns with daily irregularities, even reaching 10ft (3m) in spring tides.
How to get there: A visa may be difficult to obtain, especially in the United States. Iran is a large country and Chabahar (ZBR) is 2200km (1367mi) away from the capital Tehran (THR), where all international flights land. The construction of a long railway is planned, but flights are available at $ 150 r / t in the meantime. On the return flight, surfboards will be loaded into the plane only if the hold isn’t full of fish boxes.
How to get around: The coastal road is easily accessible and allows multiple control of the spots. Local taxis can be useful as both guides and translators, but finding a free one could cost as much as $ 60-80 per day. Police checkpoints are frequent but usually don’t cause problems. The road east of Chabahar is mainly coastal, while the road to the west goes inland. Gasoline is extremely cheap.
Accommodation and food: The best hotel in Chabahar is the 4-star hotel Lipar located in the free zone (80 $ for a double per day). Sepideh, Daryayi and Keshtirani are much cheaper options for sleeping in the city. Kebab served with rice is the typical local dish. No beer, try the doogh, a fizzy drink created from a mix of yogurt, spices and automatic herbs. Food is cheap as the cost of a full meal is around $ 2-3.
Climate: Chabahar is next to the Tropic of Cancer and it is a gateway to the monsoon wind of the Indian subcontinent and tropical fronts. Its climate is tropical as it is located near the sea. This area is the hottest in Iran during the winter, with average temperatures around 19 ° C (66 ° F), and the coolest during the summer, with temperatures around 32 ° C (90 ° F). This place is called “Char-Bahar”, which means “4 springs”, thanks to its soft warmth and the breeze from the Gulf of Oman. The average of annual rainfall is around 110mm. The trees are always green throughout the year; this is the most beautiful area in the country. A swimsuit is enough for surfing all year round, except in winter when a short wetsuit is recommended.
Nature and culture: The free zone allows you to go shopping thanks to the presence of shops; the fishing villages do not. Visit the Mars mountains or the GelFeshan volcano. To get a taste of true Persian culture, fly to Isfahan, the capital of culture. Low prices for skiing in high altitude resorts and fantastic rock climbing near Tehran.
Dangers and annoyances: Beachbreaks can hide rocks; remember that you are very far from everything. Heat is the greatest danger, don’t go anywhere without water. Iran is an Islamic country, so don’t break the rules.
Practical advice: English is rarely spoken. Persian (Farsi) is the official spoken language, but the locals also use “Baluchi” which is a language derived from the Hindi languages. Even if temperatures reach 40 degrees, the dress code requires long sleeves. The t-shirts in the hinterland and the swimsuit in the water seem to be tolerated… obviously only for men! Bring lots of paraffin and at least 2 boards.
The tariff does not include
Duration: 8 days / 6 nights
from € 242 - Excluding flights
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