Tehran

 

Iranian Trade Centre around Valiasr Square offers several Internet cafes coffee nets lined up.

Ferdosi Coffee Net

Enghelab ave, a few doors east of ferdosi square is hard to find look for the small sign plastered to a building has two banks of computers for 8,000 rials/hr.

Coffee net Firouzeh

In tehran's south in the nice and very friendly firouzeh hotel. (http://www.firouzehhotel.com) they charge you 10,000 rials/hr.

Tehran is still relatively one of the safest cities to travel through, particularly considering its size and security. Common sense and the usual precautions against pickpockets in bazaars and crowds should ensure your visit is hassle free.

Even late at the mid-night it is safe in most parts of the city while you will find the city still crowded. It is advisable not to take a private taxi for instance at 2AM.

The fake police that target Esfahan's tourists have also found their way to Tehran in recent years. These are usually uniformed men in unmarked cars flashing phoney IDs are requesting to see you passport or search your luggage. It goes without saying that you should just ignore such requests and head to the nearest police station if you feel unsafe. The trouble is that it can be a little hard for the untrained tourist eye to tell these from the real police.

The traffic in Tehran is very dangerous and should be considered some of the worlds worst. Try to cross the street when the locals do. At first it looks impossible but the drivers do a very good job to avoid pedestrians even though they drive crazy.

Gay and lesbian travellers should be extremely careful when travelling to Tehran due to strict and harsh regulations on homosexual activity. Iran justice has death penalty for homosexuals, even teenagers.

Exercising extreme caution in public is the key thing to remember, and in fact, it is mandatory to abstain from any kind of intimacy even for heterosexual couples, but it doesn't mean you cannot hold hands.

It is also recommended, even for westerners and non-Muslim women, to wear a head scarf or veil, on their head, when exiting their apartment or hotel rooms.

If you decide to smoke the qalyan waterpipe, make sure that you are not smoking opium or other kinds of drugs if you don't intend to do it. Although drugs and alcohol are illegal in Iran, it is not impossible to obtain them, especially in Tehran. Since the Iranian government decided to ban the qalyan and cigarettes in public places, it is a bit difficult to find a decent place for smoking.

And if you really want to try the qalyan, you can expect to find this in dodgy places.

money

For information on Iranian currency go to the country page.

You can exchange your currency in most banks for a small commission after filling out between two and five forms. But generally the exchanged rate in banks which is defined by the government is much less than the rate used in exchange offices, it is much advisable to go to one of these offices which could be mostly but not only on Ferdosi St that begins from Imam Khomeini Square. All will give you a good rate but some might give slightly less than the official rate or claim a commission. Just say no and go to the next one. It is advised to check the exchange rate on the internet.

Do not exchange your money with one of the many individuals offering to exchange along Ferdosi St. It is a lot more risky and illegal.

cope

The traffic in Tehran is horrendous. To get a break from it head to the parks in the north of the city.