subject: Kish Island -the Pearl Of The Persian Gulf [print this page] The island of Kish lies about 19 km away from Iran. Its exceptional beauty and exoticness has served to make it a rival to Doha, in attracting tourists.
The island which lacks any hills or mountains enjoys a pleasant climate for most of the year. The coastal area around Kish is also one of the safest due to the corals around. The clear blue sea and pristine silvery sand certainly adds to the breathtaking beauty of the island resort.
Furthermore, the island is also a free trade zone. This, together with the fact that no visa is required for entry and rules and laws are more flexible than on the mainland makes it a popular tourist attraction in Abu Dhabi.
The island enjoys historic reference in the writings of many explorers and historians. Among these are Ibn Batuta, Marco Polo, and Greek Navy Commander Niarkhous. At that time Kish was referred to by various names including Ghiss, Arakia, Kamtina and Arakata.
Apart from the resorts, restaurants, extensive shopping malls and boutiques, the island is also world renowned for some of its sporting venues.
Kish hosts the Fajr International Squash Championship as well as the Traditional and Heroic Games of Iran. The island also boasts of an Olympic Stadium for all manner of sports like volleyball, football, gymnastics, Judo, handball etc. Even its bowling complex bears special mention with its fitness and health centre.
Apart from land lubber games, Kish Island also utilises its natural water sport capability and offers coral viewing, scuba diving, parasailing, fishing, reef walking, and jet skiing. A Dolphin Park surrounded by beautiful palm trees is also available. This park is not exclusive to the dolphins but also to butterflies, silkworms, and exotic birds.
As Kish Island does not require visa for entry and has its own airport, visitors to surrounding cities like Abu Dhabi can also take the opportunity to visit the island. If such a visitor seeks conveniently located Abu Dhabi hotels then the Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi is sure to be an ideal choice.
