Iran - Andrew Burke [278]
Attractive Park Jangal is a popular picnic site 5km behind Kordkuy (locally pronounced Kord-koo). However, the main reason to visit is to organise a beautiful if arduous 4WD ride across the impressive forest escarpment to the Mil-e-Radkan tower.
The relatively high-class new Bahman Hotel ( 322 1501; www.bahmanhotel.com; Sari Hwy; s/d/ste US$45/65/85) tries a little too hard to be colourfully grand but is comfortable despite the road noise. It’s 150m west of Shahrdari Sq where very frequent Gorgan savaris arrive (IR2000, 20 minutes).
Mil-e-Radkan (West Radkan)
An awkward but highly rewarding 4WD trip takes you right across the near-vertical mountain ridge behind Kordkuy on a seemingly unending ladder of hairpin bends. Glimpsed Caspian views are fabulous from the top near scruffy Drazno village. Scenery remains appealing as you wind back down out of the forests into a secret valley of traditional mud-and-timber hamlets. Kondab and Latkueh villages, each requiring a slight detour, are especially quaint. Eventually you find Mil-e-Radkan, sitting upon an astoundingly lonely knoll, wistfully gazing at the cliff-edged valley. In English it’s sometimes called West Radkan Tower to differentiate it from the better-known Radkan Tower. It was built for a military commander in AD 1020 by the Bavend dynasty of Tabarestan. Along with a small band of Arabic inscriptions it has some stylised Pahlavi letters, virtually the last known use of that ancient script in Iran. Just getting here is a thrill.
Dry-weather 4WD tracks continue from the Radkan Valley to Dibaj (1½ hours) from where you could take a savari to Damghan (IR8000). However, finding transport from Dibaj to Radkan is very tough. Better start in Kordkuy.
If all goes perfectly, a return trip from Kordkuy to Mil-e Radkan is just about possible in four hours. Seven hours will be more realistic if transporting an assortment of hitch hiking villagers and their livestock to their diverse destinations en route (an ideal way to visit the valley villages). Forget the trip altogether after snow or heavy rain. To find a suitably sturdy 4WD (preferably with food supplies, snow chains and a shovel packed for eventualities), head to the second meydan (town square) south of Kordkuy’s central Shahrdari Sq. Getting a shared place on an over loaded early-morning Toyota truck from here is the cheapest way into the Radkan Valley villages. To charter, ask around the surrounding market for a Kordkuy resident who has both 4WD and family in the valley. We’ve previously had good experiences with humorous, if vaguely manic, Ali Fagoni (with relatives in Kondab), and Mohammad Reza (who runs a small Kordkuy carpet shop).
Bandar-e Torkaman
0173 / pop 44,000
This flat, low-rise market town is architecturally tedious and despite the vibrant colours of the Turkmen costumes, the famous Monday morning market is just a glorified car-boot sale. Nonetheless, the tiny eskeleh (port) has picturesque views over the Gorgan Gulf from its ultra-basic jetty-side teahouse. From here, occasional motorboats speed across the lagoon to fishing village Ashuradeh (IR50,000 each way). The eskeleh is 4km west of central Bandar-e Torkaman, behind some oil storage tanks: follow the old train tracks. During holidays this normally peaceful site becomes packed with local tourists browsing through Turkmen scarves at a ramshackle bazaar or getting photographed with colourfully saddled camels.
Frequent Gorgan minibuses (IR2000, 40 minutes) terminate just behind central Kariya Sq, with its copper-coloured statue of Turkmen poet Makhtumkuli. Minibuses to Kordkuy (IR1000, 20 minutes) leave from the southern edge of town.
Other Turkmen Areas
The Turkmen town of Aq Qal’eh, 16km north of Gorgan bus terminal, has a celebrated Thursday morning market, and a four-span Safavid Bridge (Pol-e Safavi) in the town centre. Several tumulus-style mounds rise from the flat surrounding fields of rapeseed and wheat. The best known is Turang Tappeh, 17km northeast of Aq Qal’eh. Less famous Shah Tappeh (12km west of Aq Qal’eh, then 4km south) looks