Full Post Style

Basra Tourist Places to Visit in Basra, Iraq, Asia

Basra also spelled as Basrah is the capital city of Basra Governorate in Iraq. It is located on the borders of Iran and Kuwait which occupies an area of 181 sq. km. and is placed at an altitude of 5 meters. Basra had a population of 2,009,767 according to 2012 Iraqi Census. It is said that, Basra was founded in 636 CE and contributed a major role in initial Islamic history.

Basra ranks second in the area and the population after Bagdad in Iraq. Basra is situated about 552 km southeast of national capital Bagdad and is placed between 30°30′ N latitude and 47°49′ E longitude. Basra features a hot desert climate.

Basra is playing an important role in the economy of Iraq. Basra houses most of the oil reserves of the country and also has big hand in producing agricultural products like maize, corn, barley, pearl millet, wheat, dates and rice. Ali Bin Abi Talib mosque, Basra Sports City and Basra International Hotel are the main landmarks of Basra.

 

History of Basra:

There are several theories about the origin of name Basra. One source claim that, Basra derives its name from Akkadian language and another source argues that, Basra got its name from the Persian word ‘Bas-rah’. Basra was formed in 636 CE and is popularly called as “the mother of Iraq”, “the prosperous city” and “the reservoir of Arabs”.

 

Cuisine, culture and shopping in Basra:

The higher majority of Basra population is filled with tribal Arabs of the Adnanite or the Qahtanite communities. Bani Asad, Bani Ka’ab, Bani Malik, Shammar, Bani Khalid, Bani Sa’ad, Al-shwelat `Anizzah, Suwa’id, Al-bo Mohammed and Bani Tamim are the major tribes are living in Basra. Basra also houses a minority of Christians and Afro-Iraqi citizens.

Non vegetarian staple food like mutton, chicken and fish are playing a major role in the daily dish of Basra natives. Other than non vegetarian food items, the locals use the spicy and dairy items namely Baladi cheese, Jibneh Arabieh, Lahmacun, Jameed, Labaneh, Khubz, Lavash, Sammoun and Markook.

Basra is rapidly developing in shopping sector along with industrialization and tourism. The shops that located in Basra have the ability to fulfill the requirement of foreign tourists with upgraded facilities. Basra has well maintained road network and this will help to tourists to travel all around the city.

 

Connectivity to Basra;-

Basra is the second biggest country of Iraq and has good connectivity with all the regions of the country and the nearby countries Kuwait and Iran as well. Basra hosts one of the important international airports of the country with connection to Bagdad city served by Iraqi Airways situated at a distance of 13 kms from the city centre. Taxis and Buses are good options to move within the city and to reach tourist destinations as well.

 

Places to see in Basra:

 

Sayyed Ali al-Musawi Mosque:

Sayyed Ali al-Musawi Mosque also called as ‘the Mosque of the Children of Amer’ placed on Al-Gazear Street in the heart of Basra City. It was constructed for Sayyed Ali al-Moussawi, the leader of Shia Imami’s.

 

The Fun City of Basrah:

The Fun City of Basrah presently known as Basra Land situated in Basra City. This oldest entertainment park has a variety of game options.

 

Akhora Park:

Akhora Park is one of the ancient parks in Basra City placed in Al-Basra Street. It is surrounded by several famous star hotels.

 

Other tourist attractions near Basra are as follows:

• Indian Market
• Hanna-Sheikh Bazaar
• The Latin Church
• Corniche al-Basra
• Palm tree forests
• Sayab’s House
• Sinbad Island
• Ali Bin Abi Talib mosque

 

Best time to visit Basra:

From October to March is the great time to reach Basra.

 

Accommodation Options in Basra:

Basrah International Hotel is only a five star hotel in Basra city and other famous star hotels in Basra city are:

• El Rahaal Hotel
• BSC Hotel
• Manawi Basha Hotel
• Basrah Airport Hotel
• Qaser Al-Sultan Hotel
• Shat Al Arab Hotel
• Hamdan Hotel
• Sultan’s Palace Hotel

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Baghdad, Iraq, Asia

Baghdad is the capital city of Republic of Iraq positioned at an altitude of 34 meters and is considered as the 2^nd biggest city of Arab after Cairo of Egypt in population. It is believed that Baghdad was established in 762 AD by Abu Jafar al-Mansur.

Bagdad City occupies an area of 204 sq. km and is situated between 33°20′00″ north latitude and 44°26′00″ east longitude. The Postal code of Bagdad begins from 10001 to 10090. University of Baghdad is the leading university in the country and ranks second in the Arab world.

 

History of Bagdad:

There are several disputes about the origin of name Bagdad. According to Aramaic phrase, the meaning of Baghdad is ‘sheep enclosure’ and according to Persian Phrase, the meaning of Bagdad is ‘The gift of God’.

 

Cuisine, Culture and Shopping in Baghdad:

Bagdad has a strong cultural background and the cultural hub of the Arab. The important cultural centres of Bagdad include Iraqi National Orchestra and National Theatre of Iraq. Also the schools at Baghdad like Academy of Music and Institute of Fine Arts provide variety of cultural courses.

The popular dish of Baghdad include Tabbouleh, Fattoush, Kebab, Gauss, Bamieh, Quzi, Falafel, Kubbah, Masguf, Maqluba, Dolma and Mahshi. Baghdad City houses hotels from different regions of the world like Japan, Kuwait, Indonesia, Iran, UK, USA and Australia.

Bagdad is jam packed with full of international hotels, branded shopping centres, retail outlets, vehicle showrooms, handicraft centres, electrical and electronic centres.

 

How to reach Bagdad?

Bagdad hosts country’s leading international airport located about 30 kms from the centre of the City. There are daily air services available to major Arab countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia at Bagdad Airport. To travel within the city, Taxis and luxury buses are accessible at regular intervals.

 

Places to see in Bagdad:

The National Museum of Iraq:

The National Museum of Iraq also known as Iraq Museum is located in centre of Bagdad City with larger collection of valuable historical objects from the Mesopotamian civilization. The museum was established in the year 1926.

 

Albunneya Mosque:

Albunneya Mosque is another prime attraction of Bagdad located in Al-Alawi district. It was constructed in the year 1973 and has a very clean and calm surrounding.

 

Baghdad Zoo:

Baghdad Zoo is a top tourist destination of Iraq which occupies an area of 200 acres located in Baghdad City was inaugurated in the year 1971 and is home to more than 1070 animals. Baghdad Zoo is placed at 33.314845° N 44.376417° E.

 

The list of other tourist attractions near Bagdad is as follows:

• Victory Arch
• Baghdad Tower
• Great Mosque of Kufa
• Lake Habbaniyah
• Al-Faw Palac
• Swords of Qadisiyah
• Al-Shaheed Monument
• Umm al-Qura Mosque
• The Al Kadhimain Shrine

 

Best time to visit Bagdad:

During the months of winter season is the ideal time to go Bagdad to visit historical worship places.

 

Accommodation Options in Bagdad:

Bagdad is the capital city of Iraq houses prime historical shrines and class monuments. The city is visited by millions of tourists annually from different regions of the world and the city houses abundance of star hotels, budgeted hotels and top international hotels. The hospitality services of the hotels of Bagdad are top compared to other regions of Iraq. The best hotels in Bagdad are:

• Cristal Grand Ishtar Hotel
• Al Rasheed Hotel
• Coral Boutique Hotel Baghdad
• Rimal Hotel
• Palestine International Hotel
• Masbah Plaza Hotel
• Uruk Hotel
• Arasat Palace Hotel
• Baghdad International Airport Hotel
• La Petite Maison

Amarah Tourist Places to Visit in Amarah, Iraq, Asia

Amarah is a city located in southeastern part of Iraq at a height of 123 meters above the mean level sea. It has a population of about 511,542 as of 2012 census and is placed between latitude 31°50’ in the north and longitude 47°.09’ in the east. Amarah is located about 339 km southwest of Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq.

Amarah is the administrative headquarters of Maysan Province and is famous for its woven goods and silverware products. Amarah features a hot desert climate and enjoys cool winter and dry summer.

 

History of Amarah:

Amarah was formed as an Ottoman armed forces colony in the year 1860. It was conquered by British in the year 1915 and released in the year 1932.

 

Food, Culture and Shopping in Amarah:

The natives of Amarah use staple food like tomato, okra, onion, potato, courgette, spinach, leeks, artichokes, plums, figs, grapes, melons and pomegranate to prepare their dish. The locals cook and serve food with lot of love care. Tabbouleh, Hummus, Kibbeh, Sarma, Pastırma, Biryani, Khichdi, Mujaddara, Quzi, Geimar and Burek are the mouthwatering dish of Amarah.

Amarah natives have very much interest in celebrating national festivals and religion festivals. The religious festivals like Moharam, Ed ul Fitar and Ramzan are planned with great enthusiasm and fervor by the locals of Amarah.

Amarah is packed with full of modern shopping centres of cloth, jeweler and daily usable product shops. Also Amarah is home to handicraft and archeological product centres.

 

How to reach Amarah?

Amarah is served by Basra International Airport placed at a distance of 189 kms. Other nearest airports include Ahwaz International Airport (162 kms) and Abadan Airport (192 kms). There are taxis and buses available to reach airports at Amarah City. Also Amarah has good connectivity with all the prime cities of the country like Baghdad, Hatra, Samarra, Karbala, Najaf and Ashur by well maintained luxury buses of government.

 

Tourist attractions near Amarah:

Baghdad Zoo:

Baghdad Zoo is a famous tourist destination of Iraq which covers an area of 200 acres located in Baghdad City. It was inaugurated in 1971 and is home to more than 1070 animals. Baghdad Zoo is located between 33.314845° N latitude and 44.376417° E longitude.

 

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon:

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon is considered as one of the 7 wonders of ancient world. It is situated at the coordinates of 32.5355° N 44.4275° E. The beauty of this garden gives an unforgettable experience to the tourists, so this is a must visit place in Iraq.

 

Other tourist attractions in Amarah include:

• Victory Arch
• Baghdad Tower
• Geli Eli Beg Waterfall
• Seleucia
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Lake Habbaniyah

 

Best time to visit Amarah:

From November to March is the big time to visit Amarah, when the grand cultural events organized at major cultural centres of Amarah.

 

Accommodation Options in Amarah:

Hotels located near Amarah serve food from the different countries like Russia, Thailand, India, Lebanon, Turkey, Japan, Italy, Australia and China. The specialties provided by the hotels of Amarah include air ticket booking, laundry service, vehicle parking, swimming pool, garden area, conference hall, internet connectivity, 24 hour electricity and doctor on call. The budgeted and luxury hotels located near Amarah are as follows:

• Al Rasheed Hotel
• Arasat Palace Hotel
• Uruk Hotel
• Coral Boutique Hotel
• La Petite Maison
• Cristal Grand Ishtar Hotel
• Divan Erbil
• Erbil Rotana
• Safeer Hotel
• Copthorne Hotel Baranan
• Highcrest Hotel
• Basra International Hotel
• Mnawi Basha Hotel

Places to Visit in Al Diwaniyah, Iraq, Asia

Al Diwaniyah also written as Ad Diwaniya is a capital city of Al-Qadisiyyah Governorate in Iraq situated at a distance of 538 km from national capital Baghdad. Al Diwaniyah is covered dry lands, dehydrated zones and agricultural areas along with the wide range of biodiversity.

Al Diwaniyah is home to one major tyre manufacturing plant of the country and also the headquarters eighth division of Iraqi Army. Al Diwaniyah is placed between 32°00′ north latitude and 45°00′ east longitude.

 

Cuisine, Culture and Shopping in Al Diwaniyah:

Most of the people of Al Diwaniyah are non vegetarian lovers and they like the dish of chicken, beef and mutton. The preferred food of the natives of Al Diwaniyah includes Halva, Kleicha, Baklava, Qatayef, Kleicha, Jallab, Amba, Dibis and Tahini.

Al Diwaniyah is very famous for production of special handicrafts of rugs and carpets. The locals have keen interest in celebrating marriage and birthday functions and the natives speak Arabic, Kurdish, Turkmen and Neo Aramaic fluently.

Al Diwaniyah houses full of handicraft shops and archeological product centres. Other than handicraft product centres, Al Diwaniyah is home to modern retail outlets, shopping centres and electronic showrooms.

 

Travel to Al Diwaniyah:

Najaf International Airport is one of the prime airports of the country and also a nearest airport to Al Diwaniyah located at a distance of 61 kms. There are daily air services accessible to Baghdad and other main cities at Najaf International Airport.

 

Travel within Al Diwaniyah:

Al Diwaniyah has a good connectivity with its nearby regions by government and private organization buses. One can use Taxi or mini buses to travel within the city and to reach tourist spots.

 

Places to see in Al Diwaniyah:

 

Imam Ali Mosque:

Imam Ali Mosque also known as ‘Masjid Ali’ is located about 65 kms from Al Diwaniyah in Najaf. It is said that, the Iranian ruler the Daylamite Fannakhosraw Azod ad Dowleh built this Mosque in the year 977. Imam Ali Mosque was reconstructed in the year 1086 by Seljuk Malik Shah after destroyed by fire.

Imam Ali Mosque is visited by more than 8 million pilgrims from all over the world annually for its holiness and historical importance. It is placed at 31.996111° N 44.314167° E.

 

Al Abbas Mosque:

Al Abbas Mosque also termed as Masjid Al Abbas is located near Imam Husayn Mosque in Karbala. This holy place is very much famous among the surrounding regions of Karbala.

 

Ziggurat of Ur:

Ziggurat of Ur is a prime attraction situated in Tell el-Muqayyar of Dhi Qar Province, built by King Ur-Nammu.

 

Other tourist attractions near Al Diwaniyah include:

• Ashur
• Erbil International Airport
• Karbala
• Al Abbas Mosque
• Great Mosque of Samarra
• Baghdad Tower
• Geli Eli Beg Waterfall
• Seleucia
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Lake Habbaniyah
• Baghdad Zoo

 

Best time to visit Al Diwaniyah:

The months between September and February are the great time to reach Al Diwaniyah, while cultural events are held in major mosques of the city.

 

Accommodation options in Al Diwaniyah:

Al Diwaniyah is one of the gradually developing regions of Iraq houses few star hotels. Due to this reason, tourists can choose the hotels of Nazaf for better hospitality services. The top hotels located near Al Diwaniyah are as follows:

• Princes Tower Hotel
• Ribal Hotel
• The White palace Hotel
• Hotel Qasr Aldur
• Hotel Al-Rasheed
• Babylon Hotel
• Carlton Tower Hotel
• Al Mansour Hotel