Anzali Lagoon

The Anzali lagoon lies behind a sand bar on the Caspian coast of Gilan, a shallow freshwater and brackish wetland of reed beds, open water and floating vegetation covering a large area, connected to the sea by a channel through the port town. It is a Ramsar site and one of the most important wetlands on the southern Caspian, with very large numbers of wintering ducks, geese, swans, pelicans and waders, and it supports a fishery. In summer parts of it fill with lotus, and boat trips run through the flowering beds, which is the main reason domestic visitors come. The lagoon has suffered severely from pollution, sedimentation and invasive water hyacinth, and restoration programmes have run with mixed results.

History

Studies show the lagoon was much saltier in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and since the 1930s it has shrunk to less than a quarter of its former extent. It has been listed under the Ramsar Convention since 21 December 1975 (Wikipedia, Anzali Lagoon).

The landscape

• Lotus beds in summer - the flowering the boat trips are timed for.
• Reed channels - narrow routes through the vegetation.
• Wintering waterbirds - ducks, swans and pelicans in large numbers.
• The working fishery - boats and nets on the open water.

When to go

July and August for the lotus, November to February for the birds. Half a day. Boats are hired at the waterfront and prices are negotiated. Mornings are calmest and best for both flowers and birds.

What to expect

Pollution and water hyacinth are visible and serious, and parts of the lagoon are choked. Boat operators run engines hard and disturb birds. Litter is a problem. Summer humidity on the Caspian is heavy and mosquitoes are bad.

Nearby

Bandar-e Anzali is on the channel; Rasht lies inland to the south.

Key facts