Welcome to my trip to Iran! I visited this amazing country on March 2019 and I think there are several tips about Iran that every traveler might need to know. Therefore, I guess reading my travel diary can be a solution to your probable questions in mind regarding travel to Iran.

The undeniable truth that there are many controversial matters about Iran and we hear different sayings from opposing views in the world has made this country a bit risky to travel to. I think that almost every country has its issues. So, why should these issues keep us from seeing just another part of the world? Now, let’s put all our unrealistic judgments apart and experience real life. I hope that reading my travel summery could give you a better insight into Iran.

Financial correspondence has become severe in Iran because of economic sanctions. Therefore, using an international credit card is practically impossible. I, however, realized through www.apochi.com that I still can use my credit card in Iran using their service for the tourist visa and domestic flights in Iran. That was a great relief as taking cash with me could make me feel uneasy and cautious all the time. 

If you are bringing cash to Iran and your hotel does not exchange your money, you can get to an exchange office. Dollar and euro prices are way too overwhelming in Iran and it changes several times during a day. Exchange offices in Iran can change your money to the currency of Iran (Rials). Be careful about Rials and Tomans during your stay. They are almost the same but with an important difference which is an extra 0 in Rials. Official transactions are done using the Rials system while daily transactions are done in Tomans. So, be careful about omitting the extra 0 when paying in Tomans.

If you are a girl or woman, you should bring a scarf with you in your handbag or carry-on. According to Islamic laws of Iran, the female should cover their hair and body parts. So, given that you are not wearing skirts or tops, you need to wear a scarf before getting off the plane. It is of course just another feature of traveling to Iran. Provided that you look at the Hijab issue as a theme of travel, it gets easier to overcome. Moreover, men should wear long pants instead of shorts. Another point is about alcoholic drinks. Have you got some bottles in your suitcase? Well, please unpack them. You cannot bring alcoholic drinks to Iran. Upon your arrival at the airport, you will see a security officer checking which I guess it’s to see if you are bringing alcohol or not (I guess).

About eating habits and laws in Iran, I remind you that you are going to visit an Islamic country. So, the Halal meat in Iran means beef, chicken, fish, and turkey. Other kinds of meat are considered Haram and therefore banned. There is a wrong belief that Middle Eastern food is Arabic food. I believed the same all my life but when I traveled to Iran, I realized that the Iranian food is just way too different. I can bravely say that the Iranian dishes I tried in Iran were above this world. These Persian guys have one of the best food tastes around the world! Fabulous!

The last matter is about toilets in Iran. There is a trash bin in every toilet in Iran, no matter in a hotel or a restaurant or other public or private places. So, remember to avoid dropping your used toilet paper right into the sewage pipe.