Yazd, Iran

One of my favourite town stays in my trip to Iran has to be Yazd. While Esfahan attracts with its beauty, Yazd attracts with its simple authenticity.

Yazd is a stop in many typical Iran itineraries, although for shorter trips, it seemed to be left out for the more convenient Tehran-Esfahan-Shiraz route. Being one of the oldest towns in the world, it has its fair share of historical and cultural attractions, including quite abit of pre-Islamic Zoroastrian religion/culture. All these, like the Fire Temple and the Towers of Silence etc is easily found in guidebooks/online etc.

Admiring the interior of the Jame Mosque

For me, the highlight is the old town itself, which of course, is one of the attractions as well. I love wandering in the alleys and discovering unique encounters within the uniform coloured adobe maze. There is a historical air about the place, and everything you see is probably as is since the olden days. Unfortunately, this also means you do see parts or sections that has crumbled and nothing has been done to it. The people in Iran are also among the friendliest in the world, and chatting with the local residents can sometimes be as gratifying as gazing upon an expansive landscape. And capturing the expressions of the kids are also quite a delight!

Yes, you could cycle too!

The wind towers of Yazd

Life within the old town

Joys of travel encounters

Travel portraits!

For those souvenir shopoholic, Yazd's textiles and silk weavings are of good regard and even Marco Polo noted its quality when he visited the town on his journey. And you could get yourself Persian carpets too, and make it fly! (of course, current day carpets gotta fly by plane within some cargo hold or something.... ;) ). And to make any stay complete, alot of the accommodation options in Yazd are converted/renovated from old traditional houses which seemed to retain alot of charm, especially the beautiful courtyards for you to rest after a good day out.

Do include Yazd in your Iran itinerary!

Respite after a hard day's "work"

The Festival of Roses

Somewhere between the High Atlas mountains and the Dades valley of Morocco lies El-Kelaa M'gouna. Every year in spring, waves of tourists and locals will converge here for the Festival of Roses.


Also known as Vallee des Roses, or the Valley of Roses, the area is known for its production of rosewater. The pink Persian rose, also known as the Damascus Rose, will be harvested during this period when the valley floor is filled with them. However, these roses are relatively small in their hedges, so they may not be easily noticed initially, esp when you are on the main road. If you expect to see "fields of pink", you may be disappointed like me. But they are big in their importance as they provide the main income to the people of the area.



The Festival is supposedly held over 3 days over in the 1st weekend of May, but it really is not fixed. A parade will be held on Sat in the town, where it will pass through the main road. Floats and performances will be the main entertainment. The winners of the Miss Rose pageant, selected the day before, will be one of the highlights of the parade, together with a "Queen" of some sort. After the parade, the whole town essentially becomes a giant carnival and souk, and the whole local community enjoying what it seems like a rare holiday opportunity.



Most details of transportation and accommodation are highlighted in the various guidebooks. If you are in the area during May, check out the Festival of Roses. The Damascus Rose is indeed sweet smelling!