Published on October 19, 2025
Three villages successful Iran—Kandelous, Shafiabad, and Soheili—recently crossed nan period into history, arsenic they were recognized arsenic portion of nan Best Tourism Villages programme by nan United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). This programme is designed to reward agrarian tourism hotspots that support and beforehand nan preservation of world tourism taste and earthy heritage. This nickname is, successful part, a grounds to nan innovative and community-based tourism excellence developed and refined successful these villages. These tourism villages successful Iran item nan country’s worth to travelers looking for meaningful and responsible tourism.
A Global Recognition for Iran’s Hidden Gems
The Best Tourism Villages program, initiated by UNWTO, seeks to place and beforehand agrarian areas that connection enriching recreation experiences while respecting section traditions and biology sustainability. From complete 270 villages nominated by 65 UN personnel countries, only 52 were selected to person this honor. These villages were chosen for their expertise to blend tourism pinch organization empowerment, biology stewardship, and preservation of their taste identity.
Among these 52, Iran’s Kandelous, Soheili, and Shafiabad stood retired for their exceptional dedication to sustainable tourism and their expertise to connection visitors an immersive look into nan country’s divers landscapes and traditions. Recognized globally for their earthy beauty, rich | culture, and committedness to responsible tourism, these villages now subordinate an exclusive database that attracts travelers eager to research destinations disconnected nan beaten path.
Kandelous: A Green Paradise successful Northern Iran
Nestled successful nan lush hills of nan Alborz Mountains successful bluish Mazandaran Province, Kandelous is simply a picturesque colony often referred to arsenic “The Lost Paradise.” Surrounded by ancient Hyrcanian forests, Kandelous offers visitors a serene flight into nature. The colony is simply a testament to nan harmonious narration betwixt nan organization and nan environment, wherever terraced gardens climb nan hillsides, and accepted wooden-framed houses statement chromatic alleyways.
Kandelous is renowned for its well-preserved architecture, which reflects nan rich | taste practice of bluish Iran. Visitors tin research nan Kandelous Anthropology Museum, a hub that showcases complete 8,000 humanities artifacts, including pottery, manuscripts, and cultivation tools, each documenting nan section measurement of life. The colony is besides celebrated for its medicinal plants, pinch complete 250 uncommon herb type cultivated successful nan area. These plants are not only a portion of section traditions but besides play a important domiciled successful nan community’s sustainable farming practices.
The village’s dedication to taste preservation, alongside its earthy beauty, makes it a cleanable illustration of really agrarian communities tin support a delicate equilibrium betwixt improvement and sustainability. For travelers, Kandelous offers a uncommon opportunity to acquisition a rich | tapestry of history, culture, and earthy beauty.
Soheili: A Coastal Gem by nan Persian Gulf
At nan southernmost extremity of Iran, connected nan land of Qeshm, lies Soheili, a colony that embodies nan tone of sustainable coastal tourism. Soheili is simply a surviving illustration of really a organization tin thrive while respecting its earthy surroundings. The colony is located on serene mangrove forests and wetlands, which play a important domiciled successful nan region’s ecological balance.
What sets Soheili isolated is its committedness to eco-tourism, pinch a attraction connected protecting nan situation while fostering community-driven development. The section community, particularly women and youth, are pioneers successful sustainable practices, utilizing eco-friendly boats to navigate nan waters and constructing homes utilizing natural, sustainable materials. The colony is besides known for its sea-inspired handicrafts, which visitors tin study astir done section workshops. These crafts not only support nan system but besides item nan taste value of nan oversea to nan group of Soheili.
A sojourn to Soheili is much than conscionable a chance to research nan earthy beauty of nan Persian Gulf; it offers travelers a deeper knowing of really section communities are moving to protect their situation and heritage. It’s a spot wherever visitors tin study astir nan symbiotic narration betwixt nan group and nan sea, gaining inspiration from a organization committed to sustainability and eco-friendly practices.
Shafiabad: A Desert Jewel successful nan Heart of Iran
Located adjacent nan immense Lut Desert successful Kerman Province, Shafiabad is simply a colony that showcases quality ingenuity successful thriving wrong an arid environment. With its adobe houses and ancient underground h2o canals known arsenic qanats, Shafiabad offers a fascinating glimpse into really group person adapted to 1 of nan world’s harshest climates.
The colony is an exceptional illustration of really accepted knowledge and modern invention tin coexist to create sustainable surviving practices. Shafiabad’s mud-brick houses person been constructed to withstand nan utmost godforsaken heat, and nan qanats proceed to supply nan colony pinch water, moreover successful nan astir arid months. The domiciled of women successful nan section organization is particularly notable, arsenic they person been instrumental successful reviving accepted crafts and section products, creating a sustainable system for nan village.
For tourists, Shafiabad offers a unsocial experience: trekking crossed nan godforsaken nether vast, unfastened skies, exploring ancient structures, and learning astir really godforsaken communities person historically survived and thrived successful specified a harsh landscape. The village’s world nickname celebrates its expertise to sphere a delicate measurement of life while embracing sustainable tourism practices.
Iran’s Diverse Tourism Appeal: From Forests to Deserts and Coasts
The inclusion of Kandelous, Soheili, and Shafiabad successful nan UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages programme highlights Iran’s rich | diverseness arsenic a recreation destination. From nan lush, greenish landscapes of bluish Iran to nan godforsaken expanses successful nan halfway and nan tranquil coastal areas of nan south, these villages correspond nan country’s varied ecosystems and heavy taste heritage.
For world travelers, these villages connection a chance to measurement disconnected nan emblematic tourer way and acquisition a broadside of Iran that is often overlooked. In summation to their earthy beauty, these villages embody nan principles of responsible tourism, pinch an accent connected organization development, sustainability, and taste preservation. These communities show really agrarian tourism tin empower section economies while besides ensuring that nan situation and taste traditions are respected and maintained.
Sustainable Travel and Tourism successful Iran
The nickname of these 3 villages is simply a testament to Iran’s increasing estimation arsenic a destination for sustainable tourism. The UNWTO’s grant underscores nan value of preserving taste heritage, supporting section communities, and protecting earthy landscapes while encouraging responsible tourism practices. For travelers seeking authentic, meaningful experiences, Iran’s villages connection nan cleanable blend of culture, nature, and sustainability.
As world tourism trends proceed to displacement towards eco-friendly and culturally immersive experiences, Iran’s agrarian villages are emerging arsenic destinations of prime for travelers who activity much than conscionable a emblematic holiday. They connection a unsocial opportunity to link pinch section communities, study astir ancient traditions, and research nan earthy wonders of a state that is rich | successful history and culture.
A New Era for Iran’s Rural Tourism
Kandelous, Soheili, and Shafiabad are now globally recognized, promoting Iran arsenic a sustainable recreation destination. These villages show nan effect of community-operated eco-sensitive tourism while giving visitors nan opportunity to spot nan assortment of landscapes and taste riches Iran has to offer. The UN is promoting eco-sensitive tourism successful sustainable travel, taste integration and agrarian tourism. These aspects lend to nan advancement of Iran held astatine nan highest respect successful tourism. The outlook of agrarian tourism successful Iran is arsenic bonzer arsenic nan destinations.