Opinions on Iran

Caprica

Has anyone been to Iran? Was thinking of doing something different for my holdidays next year. Was on a trip last year and met a few people who raved about the country and it kinda got me thinking. Obviously it would be an escorted trip.

Any opinions out there? Good, bad or indifferent!

Frank Grimes

Caprica wrote: »

Has anyone been to Iran? Was thinking of doing something different for my holdidays next year. Was on a trip last year and met a few people who raved about the country and it kinda got me thinking. Obviously it would be an escorted trip.

Any opinions out there? Good, bad or indifferent!

I was there for about 6 weeks in 2006 and had an amazing time, the people I met were some of the nicest people I have encountered in any country I've ever been to.

There are a huge amount of things to see in the country, it's easy to get around the country (I was in the main cities, didn't get a chance to get to some of the more remote parts) - just avoid going there around Nowruz, the Persian new year, as things pretty much shut down completely for about a week or thereabouts. Same with events in the Islamic calendar - I was there during Muharram and things shut down for a day or two so I had to stock up on food etc. so check that your trip doesn't coincide with Ramadan or the Eids.

I travelled alone, I went overland from Syria via Turkey, I don't think an escorted trip is really necessary but that's just my opinion. Between the Iranians you will invariably meet, along with other travellers, you won't have much of a problem getting around.

fricatus

I'd be very interested to hear what people have to say in this thread. I've long wanted to go to Iran, after I spent six months sharing a flat with Iranians in Madrid. They're certainly a hospitable bunch, very friendly, not at all like the "mad mullahs" they're made out to be. And their cuisine is one of the world's undiscovered delights!

With a tiny baby just born, there's no way we're going to be going anywhere (let alone Iran) on holidays any time soon, but it's definitely on my bucket list. I worked with a guy a few years back who's living in Dubai now and I still keep some contact with him on Facebook - he's been to Iran twice now and has raved about it each time.

Adiboo

I'd second not taking an escorted trip. The Iranians are some of the nicest you'll meet and very hospitable. I think the escorted tour would damper your experience of the country.

yew_tree

I just saw this thread and while I am sure Iran is a lovely country with many nice people, would it be wise for a "westerner" to visit this country with the current tension?

LiamMc

yew_tree wrote: »

I just saw this thread and while I am sure Iran is a lovely country with many nice people, would it be wise for a "westerner" to visit this country with the current tension?

No idea what you mean, people from Connemara have as just as much right to travel as anybody else.

Caprica

Thanks for the replies. Not so sure on doing the trip solo, don't drive or speak Farsi. Last year I travelled to Central Asia with Dragoman, I really enjoyed the trip and would like to do something similar again. The trip was a mix of homestays, camping, some hotels, found it a really good way of travelling and seeing a country in a different way. That was kinda the option I was thinking of going with.

BuilderPlumber

Iran is a great and very interesting country with friendly people. It has a very poor government that is repressive, incompetent and spends 99% of its time fighting between themselves for the last 34 years rather than solving the issues of the country. This hardly makes its regime unique!

If you go to Iran, avoid all political talk of any kind, do not get involved in local political causes and don't condemn any of the leadership no matter what.

Irish people would have no problems there from a political perspective and both our countries are on friendly terms. It is safer definitely than a lot of places. At least as safe as Turkey or Spain. Definitely FAR safer than Egypt or Israel. However, the Iraq and Afghan/Pakistani border areas should be avoided as should all of Sistan Baluchistan province in a similar way to how the parts of Eastern Turkey that border Iraq and Syria should be avoided.