UN Tourism proudly named three Iranian villages in the Iran Best Tourism Villages 2025 list. These villages are Kandolous, Soheili, and Shafiabad. The world often loves city lights. However, these small communities prove something different. They show that great travel often happens in quiet, rural places. Their charm lies in a slow daily rhythm. This pace offers a gentle contrast to busy urban travel.
City lights and fast paces usually get the main travel headlines. Yet, the slow rhythm of village life holds quiet power. UN Tourism supports this idea. (This agency was formerly the UN World Tourism Organisation.) Its mission is simple. It spotlights rural communities. Here, tourism means more than just high visitor numbers. It aims to preserve local culture, nature, and livelihoods. Their “Best Tourism Villages” program celebrates special places. These places show how tourism can improve a location, not hurt its soul.
A Global Canvas of Rural Tourism
First, let’s understand the bigger picture. The UN Tourism initiative uses nine rules to check candidate villages. They evaluate cultural and natural resources. They look at heritage promotion and conservation. Other factors include economic and environmental sustainability. They also check tourism development and value. Good governance and local priorities matter too. Finally, they review infrastructure, safety, and health. This list sounds technical. But it means the best villages keep their identity while they grow.
This movement is growing fast and getting serious support. The program received over 270 applications in 2025. These came from 65 member states worldwide. Now, more than 319 destinations are in the global network. When you visit a “Best Tourism Village,” you choose wisely. You visit a place that truly values the land, the people, and their history.
Iran’s Three Villages to Know
1. Kandolous (Mazandaran Province)
The first village is Kandolous in Mazandaran Province. It sits in the green, lush forests of northern Iran. Kandolous offers mountain air and great woodland culture. (Some people also spell it “Kandelous.”) It features wooden-houses and misty forest mornings. The rhythms of local life still thrive here. UN Tourism recognized Kandolous as one of the Iran Best Tourism Villages 2025.
The story of this village has two parts. Visitors first come for the photogenic landscapes. Then, they stay for the sense of calm and true authenticity. The location feels very refreshing. It contrasts sharply with busy urban Iran. A visit here means slowing down your pace. Stroll along the peaceful forest trails. Observe local artisans creating crafts. You can also listen to how the land forms daily life. Kandolous is more than a short stop. It is a deeply rooted experience for travelers who want to recharge.
2. Soheili (Qeshm Island)
Soheili is far from the green northern mountains. It is on Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. Soheili shows a different kind of Iranian rural tourism. It is coastal, eco-sensitive, and led by its community. UN Tourism recognized Soheili alongside Kandolous and Shafiabad in 2025. It shows a perfect example of co-existence. Here, heritage, nature, and local jobs thrive together.
Visitors to this village can glide through mangrove forests at dusk. They can eat fresh seafood under a huge, open sky. Guests stay in local homes. The stars shine brightly because there is no city glow. Soheili is special because tourism is a partnership, not just big development. Local people protect the natural landscape. They invite travelers in and share their stories. For travelers, Soheili provides a new view of Iran’s coast. It is a dialogue between humans and nature, not just a place to visit.
3. Shafiabad (Kerman Province)
Turning inland, into the heart of Iran’s more arid zones, lies Shafiabad in Kerman Province. With recognition from UN Tourism for 2025, Shafiabad exemplifies how a rural community in a challenging environment can still blossom through tourism tied to culture, craft and heritage. Why These Villages Matter – For You and For Tourism
In Shafiabad, women-led handicraft initiatives, restoration of qanats (ancient water channels), and eco-tourism rooted in the desert terrain create a unique mosaic. The visitor is invited not just to look, but to engage: learn traditional weaving, hear about water-management in dry lands, walk in a place where scarcity has shaped ingenuity. The magic of Shafiabad is not in lushness, but in resilience.
Why These Villages Matter – For You and For Tourism?
- Authenticity & Diversity: Kandolous, Soheili and Shafiabad span three very different landscapes – forest, coast and desert. Together they embody the breadth of Iran’s rural tapestry.
- Community at the Core: Each village demonstrates that tourism can empower local people, preserve traditions, and still welcome visitors in an inclusive way.
- Sustainability in Action: These are not show-cases of mass tourism. They are places that are mindful of their heritage, their environment and the wellbeing of residents.
- Travellers as Participants: When you visit places like these, you are not just a spectator—you become part of the story, by respecting the pace, the practices and the people.
For travellers seeking more than postcard moments, the “Best Tourism Villages” label is a signal of depth: of place that matters, of stories that stay with you.
If you’re fascinated by Iran’s cultural depth, explore our guide to UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iran — from ancient cities to architectural masterpieces that tell the story of millennia.
conclusion
In a world where travel headlines often revolve around “bigger, faster, more”, these three Iranian villages remind us of another kind of richness. It’s slower, yes. Maybe quieter. But often, it’s the kind of experience you remember long after the suitcase is unpacked. When you walk through the shade of Kandolous, glide through Soheili’s mangroves, or sit under the stars of Shafiabad, you’re not just visiting a village — you’re stepping into a living story of culture, place and people.
And that is exactly what the UN Tourism initiative is celebrating when it names a “Best Tourism Village”: a place where tourism is not an intrusion, but a bridge.
If you’re planning your first trip to Iran, we highly recommend reading “Iran: A Hidden Gem Waiting to Be Discovered” to discover the places you simply can’t miss!
