Life & Style | Travel

Kish weekend blues away

A short sail and an even shorter flight from Dubai, the isle of Kish in Iran is not just a place to change visas, it offers a welter of wonders and should be seen for its own sake.

  • By Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:00 May 11, 2007
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  • Image Credit: Daniel Bardsley/Gulf News
  • The ruins of the old town of Harireh, which dates back to the eighth century.
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For most people in the UAE, the Iranian island of Kish is just a place where others go to change their visas.

The isle, which sits in the beautiful green-blue waters of the Gulf just off the coast of mainland Iran, is rarely thought of as a destination in its own right.

However, given that Kish does have attractions for the tourist and is very close to Dubai as well — four-and-a-half hours by boat and a short hop by plane — I headed there for a weekend.

Travelling on the fast ferry Tavous 2, I enjoyed fine views of Dubai as we left Port Rashid on a bright, sunny afternoon. The boat reached Kish late in the evening. The following morning, I set out to explore the area.

Stunningly quiet

If you are used to traffic jams and bustling shopping centres in Dubai, this place could not be more different. I wandered from my hotel to one of the beaches on the north coast of the island and was struck by how empty it was.

Close to the seafront was a beautifully manicured park with some interesting statues, but no one to look at them. It felt like a ghost town.

Though walking along the seafront is nice, you need a car to explore Kish properly. After I got hold of a driver, my first stop was on the southwest corner of the island, where a picturesque wreck of a Greek ship lies.

This 7,061-tonne steamship was stranded off the coast of Kish in 1966. After attempts to float her off proved unsuccessful, her owners gave up and decided to leave her where she was.

Considering that the vessel, named Koula F but referred to by everyone on Kish as "the Greek ship", has had to cope with the full force of the sea for more than 40 years, she is remarkably well preserved. Indeed, the ship is a stunning sight — a hulk of rusting metal anchored just off shore, a gigantic testament to the vulnerability of human endeavour at sea.

The vessel attracts plenty of onlookers at all times of the day but the area nearby, which has been turned into a park with benches and stalls, is particularly busy during the evenings.

Around town

Leaving the ship behind, we drove along the south coast of the island. There are few real attractions for the visitor here, apart from the countless deserted beaches.

This part of the island is more sparsely populated than the northern shores and has a barren, bleak feel to it. It is a relatively short drive as the island is only 91sq km in area and it would probably take two to three hours to walk from one end to the other.

There is much more to see if you head up the developed east coast — including the Dariush Grand Hotel which, in keeping with its name, really, is grand. The design of this five-star hotel was inspired by Persepolis, the ancient Persian capital, and the elaborate courtyard area in front of the hotel is especially impressive.

Further up the east coast I came to Sadaf, the main town on Kish, which has a nice pier and sandy beach where Iranian families on holiday mingle with visa-change workers. Of course, as this is Iran, women are dressed conservatively with headscarves but, like the rest of the island, the beach has a laid-back feel and all visitors feel welcome.

Queit spot

Working our way around the island, we came to the ruins of the old town of Harireh, which dates back to the eighth century.

According to the sign beside the remains of the city, it once stretched across 3km. Now, though, it takes just a matter of seconds to walk from one end to the other. The various arches and courtyards, with their Islamic style, give a flavour of what the city must have looked like in all its glory centuries ago.

Not far from Harireh is Kariz-e-Kish, an old underground water system that has been turned into a popular tourist attraction. It is said to be more than 2,000 years old, although the restoration has perhaps been a bit heavy-handed and the attraction seems to have lost most traces of antiquity.

Nevertheless, it is a fun place to wander through, with numerous multicoloured lights, small waterfalls and various museum pieces displayed in alcoves in the walls. The underground city is particularly popular with families and is an excellent place to take children to.

Once I had seen the sights Kish had to offer — if you keep up a brisk pace, it takes about half a day to take in most of the highlights — it was time to head to the beach.

I found a quiet spot on the north coast and enjoyed a leisurely afternoon swim with barely a soul for company. With the sun setting in the sky, it was a wonderfully picturesque spot. Yes, there certainly is a lot more to Kish than changing visas.

Go there... Kish

From the UAE
From Dubai: Kish Air flies daily. Fare: Dh445

From Abu Dhabi: Kish Air flies three days a week. Fare: Dh550

From Sharjah: Kish Air flies daily. Fare: Dh400
(All fares exclusive of taxes)

— Information courtesy City Travel Point LLC


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