What's on in Kish Island, Iran through the year

Busy — Ramadan, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Ramadan

  25 Jan – 25 Mar · usuallyClosures

  The malls that are the island's main draw keep going but their food courts close through daylight, and the beaches are empty in the afternoon. The island runs at night instead. Source ↗

Still on: Diving and beach season (15 Oct – 10 May (usually))

Busy — Ramadan, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Ramadan (25 Jan – 25 Mar (usually)), Diving and beach season (15 Oct – 10 May (usually))

Peak crowds — Ramadan, Nowruz

• Holiday

  Nowruz

  18 Mar – 5 Apr · usuallyNational holidayCrowdedBook early

  Kish is where mainland Iran flies for the new-year fortnight, and flights and hotels are booked out weeks ahead at several times the usual rate. The coral beach is shoulder to shoulder. Source ↗

Still on: Ramadan (25 Jan – 25 Mar (usually)), Diving and beach season (15 Oct – 10 May (usually))

Busy — Nowruz, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Nowruz (18 Mar – 5 Apr (usually)), Diving and beach season (15 Oct – 10 May (usually))

Busy — Muharram and Ashura, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Season

  Gulf heat and humidity

  20 May – 30 Sep · usuallyExtreme heat

  Sticky rather than dry, and the sea gives no relief because it is as warm as the air. The island empties of Iranian holidaymakers and the prices follow them down.

• Holiday

  Muharram and Ashura

  25 May – 10 Jul · usuallyMuharram & AshuraClosures

  Mourning processions and closed music venues; the shopping centres stay open but the holiday trade stops dead for the first ten days. Hotels are cheap and half empty. Source ↗

Still on: Diving and beach season (15 Oct – 10 May (usually))

Busy — Muharram and Ashura, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Gulf heat and humidity (20 May – 30 Sep (usually)), Muharram and Ashura (25 May – 10 Jul (usually))

Busy — Muharram and Ashura, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Gulf heat and humidity (20 May – 30 Sep (usually)), Muharram and Ashura (25 May – 10 Jul (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Gulf heat and humidity (20 May – 30 Sep (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Gulf heat and humidity (20 May – 30 Sep (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Season

  Diving and beach season

  15 Oct – 10 May · usuallyDive season

  The water is clearest and the air bearable in the cool half of the year, which is when the dive operators and the glass-bottom boats actually run properly.

Busy — one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Diving and beach season (15 Oct – 10 May (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Diving and beach season (15 Oct – 10 May (usually))