When I first travelled to Iran, I was a bit anxious. Was it even safe for a solo female traveler to travel to Iran? It turned out it was very safe and I had a great time. The sights, the food and especially the people. However, I give you 7 things I noticed during my travel to Iran that ruined my future travel experiences. So, when you plan to travel to Iran, be aware: your future travel experiences will never be the same.
Read more: Is solo female travel to Iran safe?
#1 Be welcomed to Iran everywhere you go
When I first set foot into the country, I was amazed at how many people would just welcome me into the country. And I don’t mean that big sign when you leave the airport. No, I mean literally any random man or child on the street saying: “welcome to Iran” or “Welcome to my country.”
Read more: How to get a visa on arrival at Tehran airport
#2 Get invited for drinks, lunch or diner
On my first day at the bazaar in Shiraz, a vendor offered me tea and sweets in his shop, without the need to buy anything. On the second day a random street vendor invited me to spend the whole day with him as he showed me around town. During my 2 weeks travel in Iran, people invited me for tea, lunch and dinner on so many occasions, I can’t recall all off them. How different is that basically anywhere else in the world, where tourists are regarded as walking cash machines and people only offer you things when they want money in return?
#3 See amazing sights and only pay €5 entrance fee
When I was in Prague only a month after my travel to Iran, I found everything so expensive! 18€ entree fee is nothing for a mediocre museum. In Iran, almost all the sights costed 200.000 Rials (roughly €5,50 or $6.00). Even a sight as famous, grand and important as Persepolis was ‘just’ 200.000 Rials entrance fee.
Read more: my 2 week Iran travel budget
#4 Be alone in nature
One of the most amazing things I experienced during my travels to Iran was the nature. I really enjoyed the desert in Iran. I went to as many deserts as possible and each time, I found myself completely alone. Nobody photobombing your epic sunset shot or bumping into you during a selfie like in the overcrowded Cinque Terre in Italy.
Read more: Deserts in Iran
#5 Get help everywhere you go, if you need it or not
During my travel by train from the Netherlands to Turkey, I arrived at numerous train stations. The signs were sometimes hard to read and I had a hard time figuring out where the ticket office was at the train station in Bucharest Romania. I would have loved to get some help there!
During my travels to Iran, I got all the help I ever needed. I just showed up at the bus station and there was always someone asking me where I was going, what my tickets said, if I knew which seat I was in and if I knew where to get off. Iranian people are super friendly and they all seemed very eager to help me, if I needed help or not!
Read more: My love letter to Shiraz Iran
#6 Amazing fresh cooked foods everywhere you go
Mmmhh, my mouth waters a little bit when I reminisce on all the amazing foods I ate in Iran. Especially the home cooked stew with pomegranate seeds was delicious! And the kebabs with fluffy saffron rice makes me drool instantly. Every meal was freshly cooked with pure ingredients. No GMO foods, microwaved meals or prepacked lunched like in some restaurants in the Netherlands.
Read more: Iran travel itinerary for first time visitors
#7 All the friendly people of Iran
The one thing about travel to Iran that will ruin you the most for future travels is the friendly people of Iran. Arriving in Vienna, I was shocked with how unfriendly the people seemed. I like to emphasize seemed, as they were not unfriendly, but just not as friendly as the people in Iran. Everywhere I went in Iran, people smiled at me, offered me food or drinks and helped me to travel around. And everyone just gave me a welcoming feeling to be in Iran. Unfortunately, this treatment will ruin all your future travel experiences because I haven’t been to another country where the people are THAT friendly.
Read more: 15 days travel itinerary for Iran
Travel to Iran ruins your future travel experiences
This is just a short list of things about Iran that ruined my future travel experiences. But if you ask me if I would do anything different if I could, the answer would be NO! Although my travel to Iran has ruined me for future travel experiences, I wouldn’t have want to miss it for the world!
Read more: Practical preparations for women travelling to Iran
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Are you planning to travel to Iran? Do you have any doubt if you should go or not? These warnings might help you decide.
Thank you, I have a trip in a week and your articles are immensely helpful, though I fear I’m too late to really master the deep squat. So many resources assume a male traveller or simply reduce womens travel in Iran to ‘wear a head scarf’. Feeling much better about my clothing and money plan me now.
Thank you for your kind words AJ. I hope you’ll have a wonderful time in Iran.
Can’t wait to visit Iran! I’ve heard so many wonderful things from people who went! Thanks for sharing your experiences – so inspiring !
I am so pleased that you had a good time here in Iran. Hope to host you in Iran for the next time soon.
It’s great that you enjoyed being in Iran
But I assure you that there are still lots of places in Iran you should see and of course Lots of new tastes you should test 😉
I hope you travel to Iran again and have another great experience
Thank you Aida. I agree. I’d love to go back and discover more in the future.
Heel erg bedankt voor je liefde voor mijn land,
Oprecht.
from Montreal , Canada
Dear Naomi,
I really enjoyed reading your experiences and hope to see you in Iran or even Netherlands one day. If you need any help traveling to Iran, I will be there for you.
Tanaz
thank you very much for these useful information, I refer my european friends to your blog all the time.
cheers
Thank you Vahid. Much appreciated.
Are you still going to travel to other countries even though Iran “ruined” your future travel experiences? Maybe you should have called it “Seven ways Iran changed my future travel experiences”. I’m thinking of doing an Iran group tour in 2022. It could last from eight to ten days. If I took out €500 and converted it into Iranian rials, would that be enough for eight to ten days?
So great for you to share your experience and love your photos! Reminds me of this quote from Anthony Bourdain: “Of all of the places, of all the countries, all the years of traveling, it’s here in Iran that I am greeted most warmly by total strangers.”
Thanks Monica. I loved his episode in Iran. So familair and such warm feelings.
Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed being in Iran. Why dont you back to see other cities? Visit Azarbayjan as a suggestion!
Thank you. It is on my list of places to visit.
thanks for sharing
Dearest Naomi,
Thanks to see Iran like what it really is. Wish to see you here again for more weeks this time!
Peace,
Zahra
This was such refreshing read and really whet our appetites to visit this stunning country. We have heard from some of our students about the hospitality of Iranians, so your perspective was much valued. Thank you!
Mark and Nate 🙂 🙂
I get major travel envy looking at your Iran posts! I’m going to be travelling there in early 2018 but unfortunately as I am British, I have to go as part of a tour. I prefer to have the independence when I travel but I’m sure it’s still going to be incredible. Your photos are so beautiful!
What a wonderful post. I never thought about Iran, but your article makes me want to travel there. I heard, Iran is beautiful, but I always had some safety concerns. Thanks for sharing this. I will bookmark your blog.
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Hi probe around the globe, just wanted to say thanks for this nice post. I heard a lot of nice things about Iran and your post only convinced me more to visit it one day (hopefully soon), thanks for that inspiring post :)!!
Sounds amazing! I’d really love to go there one day
I’m so envious and have wanted to travel to Iran for quite a while. Did you go by yourself, or with a group that managed to give you time on your own?
I travelled solo Alison. It was a really good experience and I hope you can go to Iran one day too.
I’ve been wanting to visit Iran for years. I hope I can go next year!
It’s so hard to travel here if you’re a U.S. citizen, which is why I am applying for my Canadian passport finally. I’m a dual citizen to Canada, but I never had my passport and Iran is a major reason I want it. I can’t wait to see this gorgeous place and let it ruin travel for me too!
By far the most friendlies people on the planet are Iranians who are always willing to help to travelers. As an Iranian, I am very happy to see that Iran is a safe country for solo female travelers like yourself.
Thank You for your kind words and promoting our country. Friendly behavior to westerners is the most powerful weapon of Iranians to tackle with propaganda against our county.
I like bloggers like you who help break the stereotypes about certain countries that the media depict as “dangerous” etc.
Thank you for this article! 🙂 You definitely made me want to travel there!
I loved your post. I feel people have a misconception about Iran and feel it is not safe for women especially a solo woman.
I loved the pics also 🙂
Really great and impressive Article about my country. Thanks for sharing it with world ❤
The hospitality in this part of the world is just wonderful. I really hope I can go to Iran one day, your photos are just so gorgeous!
I love this article! It makes me really want to experience Iran. It’s amazing how unfriendly people ‘seem’ to be when you’ve just been surrounded by friendly people. You should visit Australia, everyone here is super friendly too 🙂
Just like you mentioned at the beginning, I would be a little anxious going to Iran too, but the reasons you gave of why it ruined travel made me want to hopefully plan a trip there in the near future. Thanks for sharing!
Loved this article! And I’m not surprised about the Iranian hospitality, they are some of the nicest, kindest, most inviting people you will ever meet. I might be biased since I’m half Iranian hehe :). I would love to go, but it’s a bit harder for me since my dad is Iranian. Although I’m from the USA, Iranian law says I must go as an Iranian citizen since my dad is from there. So it will be a long process, but I’m determined to make it happen! So glad you had an awesome experience!
This is a great article! I’d love to visit one day. I felt a bit like this in Myanmar a few years ago. Everywhere I went people were trying to help me and were just so unexpectedly welcoming!
Did you have any trouble with the visa? That’s put me off so far!
I applied for a visa on arrival and no problems. I have dutch citizenship so easy peasy for us.
really nice photos and experience! I hardly ever hear of anyone going to Iran, so it is great to see what the country is like outside of what you see on the news. Surely it will become more and more popular to visit soon so it is great you went when you did, I bet!
Such vibrant pictures. I enjoyed reading your post and specially can relate to #4. I too love being alone in nature. ” Nobody photobombing your epic sunset shot ” – I Could instantly relate to this relief. Thanks for sharing such beautiful glimpses of Iran.
I loved this Article. Travelers like you can show the real picture of Iran. Keep up the good work