Middle East - Anthony Ham [187]
ZakhoNet (Bederkhan St; 10am-10pm; internet per hr ID1500), under the Zozek Hotel, has an internet café, international calling centre and MoneyGram money-wiring service.
Sights
Zakho’s most famous attraction is the ancient Delal Bridge, a beautiful stone arch over the Khabur River. Unfortunately, the history of the old bridge has been forgotten over time. Near the bridge, you’ll find a small amusement park and pleasant cafés overlooking the river. A major landmark is the huge Kurdish flag flying proudly above the roundabout in the town centre.
Sleeping & Eating
There are dozens of hotel and restaurant options along Bederkhan St. For cheap grub, check out the many kebab stands across the street from Jamal Restaurant.
Jamal Hotel (457 2832; Sehid Salih Yousifi St; s/d ID20,000/40,000) The Jamal has clean, pleasant rooms and friendly staff. It’s located behind the best eatery in town, Jamal Restaurant (mains ID5000-10,000; 8am-midnight), where you can feast on a huge mixed grill plate, mezze and desert for about ID10,000.
Bazaz Hotel (418 7190; Bederkhan St; s/d/tr/ste ID30,000/47,000/59,000/77,000; ) The nicest, largest hotel in town with huge beds, Western toilets and a decent but pricey restaurant.
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DOHUK
062 / pop 130,000
Cradled by two mountain ranges about 40km southeast of Zakho, Dohuk is a busy, energetic and curiously appealing place. The name means ‘small village’, but in reality, the provincial capital of Dohuk (the province and capital go by the same name) is the third-largest city in Iraqi Kurdistan. A university town with a youthful vibe and growing arts scene, Dohuk is successfully marketing itself as a safe, regional tourist destination. It’s so safe that even American troops come here to enjoy a bit of R&R.
Located in a fertile valley, Dohuk is well known for its fruits and nuts such as pomegranates, apples, grapes, pears, almonds and walnuts. Don’t leave town without sampling one of the many fresh-fruit-juice stands on Kawa Rd.
Dohuk makes a perfect base for visiting the nearby attractions of Lalish and Amadiya, but it’s so appealing that you might end up spending more time here than you originally planned!
Orientation & Information
There are two main roads through town: Zakho Way runs through the modern, affluent west side of town, while Kawa Rd includes the old city and bazaar area. Both roads intersect near Mankal Restaurant.
There are numerous internet cafés around town, most charging ID1500 per hour. Try Kani Net (Kawa Rd, 10am-1am) across from the Hotel Bircin.
The main money exchange centre on Kawa Rd has better rates than banks.
Jeziri Bookshop ( 722 7017; cnr Zakho Way & Kawa Rd, 9am-7pm) sells English, Kurdish and Arabic books.
Sights
Dohuk’s most popular attraction is Dream City (admission ID1500, rides ID1000-2000; 7pm-late) a large amusement park/resort with a towering Ferris wheel and other thrill rides, plus a video arcade, bowling, swimming, restaurants hotels and vacation homes. The place really gets cranking on Thursday and Friday nights, when local women turn out in their dazzling colourful traditional dresses.
Corniche promenade is a popular walking path and people-watching spot, especially in the late afternoon and early evening and weekends. It has inviting benches, water fountains, sculptures, cafés and an outdoor amphitheatre.
Dohuk Bazaar is a traditional old market with a maze of alleyways and colourful stalls selling everything from candy and spices to Kurdish clothing. The Grand Mosque and its colourful tiled minaret, located in the heart of the bazaar, is one of the oldest mosques in Dohuk.
Dohuk Art Gallery ( 722 5830; Kawa Rd; admission free; 9am-1pm & 3-6pm) displays and sells paintings and sculptures by Kurdish artists.
The domed Church of St Ith Llaha is located on a hill in west Dohuk and dates back to the 6th-century AD. The current building is clearly newer and includes a cute little blue-and-beige outdoor chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Just north of downtown, Dohuk Dam and