Chabahar Gulf

Chabahar is the only ocean port in Iran, which is located on the shores of the Makran Sea and the Indian Ocean. This port is located in southeastern of Iran in the beautiful province of Sistan and Baluchestan. This city is bounded in the north by Nikshahr city, in the east by Pakistan, in the west by Kerman and Hormozgan provinces and in the south by the Oman Sea.

The reason for naming Chabahar is having a spring weather in all four seasons of the year. Therefore, it can be said that this city is one of the few ports in Iran with a temperate climate in all seasons. In Chabahar, the minimum temperature is 19 degrees Celsius in early February and the maximum temperature is about 31 degrees Celsius from early July to early August.

Chabahar beaches have attracted the attention of many tourists due to their unique features. For instance, families and children go to some beaches that are inside the bay and are shallow and pass their time there. Families can enjoy watching the majesty of some other beaches, which are famous for their huge waves, from the top of the cliffs. A number of beaches are also well-known for their unique appearance, such as the pink color of the water. Some of these famous beaches are: Makran beach, Tang luminous beach, Tiss beach, rocky beach waves (Bris beach), Lipar lake, Chabahar turtles beach, and Darak beach.

From a cultural point of view, Chabahar is a city that is loyal to its customs and has tried to preserve it.Men and women’s clothing and the beautiful Baluchi’s music and song have always accompanied these people throughout history. Needlework is one of the most important and ancient arts of Baluch women, which has been inspired by conceptual and geometric designs, daily life and motifs of animals and plants, especially indigenous animals and plants. The colors used in women’s needle work clothing vary from north to south of Sistan and Baluchestan. As we get closer to the sea, brighter colors are used in women’s clothing. This difference is due to climate change, which has manifested itself in women's clothing. Baluchi women’s clothing is a manifestation of the original art and culture of these people. In addition to needle work, beautiful art of mirror work is also used to decorate clothes and decorative objects. The majority of Chabahar residents are Sunni Muslims, and Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are among their most important holidays.

In this port city several festivals are held according to customs every year, some of which are as follows:

Monsoon Festival

Monsoon festival is held every August in Chabahar Free Zone with the aim of introducing Baluchi customs, less known Baluchi local food, Baluchi needle work and Baluchi music and dance. Monsoon is derived from an Arabic word which means season. The festival is held in summer when Monsoon seasonal winds start blowing on the shores of Oman Sea. One of this festival’s attraction is its coincidence with the season of chabahar’s geysers and mud volcanos. The participants are local people who are trying to introduce their art and culture to tourists. This festival is run by the Cultural Heritage and Handicrafts Organization of Chabahar Free Zone.

Surfing Festival

These competitions are held along with training courses for those who are interested. At the opening of this festival, diverse capacities of local and tourism regions of Sistan and Baluchestan are introduced. The Monsoon phenomenon is the flow of air from the Indian subcontinent that creates a low-pressure environment in summer. In Chabahar, which is the only ocean port city in Iran, by creating monsoon winds and rains and increasing sea waves, it creates a desirable weather, which has led to a boom in surfing in Chabahar. Holding such festivals due to the international range of surfing sports can attract many sports’ tourists and make the local community economically and socially vibrant.

Fajr international fashion and clothing festival in Chabahar

The festival is held in Chabahar with the participation of 18 European and Asian countries.The purpose of holding this festival is to share and try to strengthen and to preserve the art of needlework and prevent the forgetting of some of the most original abandoned patterns with the presence of experts from other countries. By holding this festival, efforts have been made to combine this original art with modern ideas and art to globalize the needlework.

Zimel music festival

Zimmel Music Talent Festival is held in Chabahar every year from April 1st to 10th to introduce the propagation of rich Baluchi customs and music among the youths, and also they have instruction for locals and tourists.

This port city has recreational facilities and welfare amenities so many people travel there every year. Some of the tourist attractions of Chabahar are as follows: Martian Mountains, Baan Mesiti Caves and Temple, Mud volcanos, Bahu Kalat Protected Area (Gando Habitat), Shir Govaz village (small India), Ramin village (village of book lovers), local museum, Dezak Great Mosque, sacred fig tree, and Tiss Great Mosque.

In this port city, there are ecotourism resorts (especially in rural areas and in regions which have beautiful tourist attractions), suites, inns, and hotels (with different service qualities, 2, 3, 4, and 5 star) which are ready to host tourists throughout the year.

In some regions there are native people as guides and in tourist attractions there are professional guides who try to provide information about those places for tourists.

As Chabahar has rocky ecosystem, coral reefs, sea turtles, and mangrove forest, it is one of the sensitive regions which must be protected. The establishment of Industrial system of fish and shrimp farming and fishing has caused the release of a lot of toxins and fish feces in coastal water. The release of these toxins reduces the amount of oxygen in the depths of the gulf and as a result, it reduces the biodiversity of marine species and increases the number of other species which unbalances the environment. Oil pollution in Chabahar Gulf includes pollution from fuel leaks from tanks or pollution from floating launches in the gulf. Environmental hazards in Chabahar include nitrogen and phosphate in fertilizers or pesticides that are released into the sea, increasing the growth of algae and suffocating corals. Another reason for pollution in Chabahar can be the short distance between the landfill and the sea. By burying the waste, the leachate produced from it permeates into groundwater and eventually flows into the sea.