Khuzestan Province · Iran
Ahvaz travel guide
Ahvaz is a city in Khuzestan Province, Iran, home to about 1,185,000 people.
- Best months
- November to March
- Nearest airport
- AWZ8 km · Qasem Soleimani International Airport
- Currency
- IRRIranian rial
- Time zone
- Asia/Tehran
- Language
- Persian
About
About Ahvaz
Ahvaz is a city in the Central District of Ahvaz County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district.
Ahvaz sits on the banks of the Karoun River, which splits the city into two large districts. The western half is mostly housing with some government departments. The eastern half is both residential and industrial. The main train station is on the western side and the airport is on the eastern side. It is extremely hot in the summer. Expect 45°C in July and August.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Ahvaz
See
- Riverside Park
- White Bridge
Do
- Sailing on the river
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Ahvaz to stay in
There are many mehmansara (guest houses) in Ahvaz. Most don't admit foreigners and the ones that do are not up to foreign standards. But they are inexpensive. Naderi Hotel is a decent one. Oxin Hotel is near the airport and is moderately priced. It has an excellent restaurant and the rooms are clean and they have great air conditioning. They also have large screen televisions in the lobby and mostly show football games. They speak very good English and can help you arrange any kind of tour or transport. Hotel Iran is reasonably ok. Ask for a renovated room; there is plenty of hot water and good AC in refurbished rooms. Basic English is spoken.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Ahvaz
1 hotel within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Swan Hotel (Ahvaz) | 0.7 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Ahvaz
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Ahvaz are November to March. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 46 °C; December is the wettest, with about 58 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Ahvaz: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Qasem Soleimani International Airport (AWZ), about 7.8 km from the city centre in a straight line; Mahshahr Airport (MRX, 96 km) and Abadan Ayatollah Jami International Airport (ABD, 114 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
There are daily flights from Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. There are weekly flights from Dubai-Kuwait City-Mashad. Airlines serving Ahvaz airport are Iran Air-Caspian Airlines-Mahan Airlines-Eran Air-Aria Air-Iran Air Tours-Iran Asseman Airlines. There are many travel agencies. OXIN travel agency sits on the corner of the 7th street in Kianpars. They have flight tickets for all the destinations in Iran, and provide vacation tours to Asian countries like UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Japan, and Vietnam. There are daily trains from Tehran-Khorramshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini.
Getting around
Taxis roam around the city 24 hours a day and are relatively inexpensive. Around 30,000 rials for the longest trip in the city. There are also taxi agencies everywhere, if you can't find one on your own, all the hotels have taxi agencies. Buses ply most inner city routes and are very cheap.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
AWZ · Qasem Soleimani International Airport
MRX · Mahshahr Airport
ABD · Abadan Ayatollah Jami International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Ahvaz
Eat
There are many sandwich shops and fast food shops in the city. Most are average. A good ice cream store is in a cellar below a cake store. Haji Baba Coffee Shop can be found next to the bazaar, heading towards the white bridge.. No English spoken. Oxin Hotel Restaurant- Try the Shir Mahi (fish) kebabs and they also serve great meat kebabs. They have specials that change daily. Astoria Hotel Restaurant-Expensive and below average food.
Drink
You cannot legally find alcohol in Iran so your drinking is limited to soft drinks and fruit juice. There are many good fruit juice shops in Ahvaz and you will find them easily. In the summer stay away from cantaloupe juice and banana milk shakes.
Stay safe
Iran is generally a safe country. It is advised however, that being an obvious tourist may attract some unwanted attention from interested Iranians, but do not be alarmed or react negatively. Standard advice to keep your bag secured and safe, and to leave personal and valuable belongings in your hotel room or hotel safe should be regarded. Iranians are generally peaceful, hospitable people, but it is advised to act with caution when walk in the streets alone late at night or when approached by strangers to the same degree that you would in your native country.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Ahvaz: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Ahvaz?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Ahvaz are November to March. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 46 °C; December is the wettest, with about 58 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Ahvaz?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Qasem Soleimani International Airport (AWZ), about 7.8 km from the city centre in a straight line; Mahshahr Airport (MRX, 96 km) and Abadan Ayatollah Jami International Airport (ABD, 114 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Ahvaz?
Iranian rial (IRR).
Nearby
Destinations near Ahvaz
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.