TEHRAN – Lipar is a small lake in southeast Iran that usually turns pink.

An off-the-radar tourist destination, the lake and a nearby lagoon of the same name boast beautiful and unique landscapes, a potential attraction for domestic tourists and foreign travelers.

They are situated some 20 kilometers east of Chabahar in Sistan-Baluchestan province. Chabahar is a humid port city commonly considered as one of the warmest places in Iran.

Due to the special type of soil surrounding the lake, its water surface seems to shine with pink color during some five months of the year and it reportedly covers an area of 10 hectares.

Some environmental experts believe the pink color of the lake is due to planktonic activities. The presence of large plant planktons in the region, and the abundance of organic and materials, in some seasons, lead to a significant increase in biological production.

Water levels of the seasonal lake routinely depend on the amount of rainfall. Gaz shrubs, whim, and straw are amongst its topmost vegetation. It is also home to flamingos, pelicans, white and gray hawks amongst other birds.

Chabahar is a beautiful unknown destination as well, even to most Iranians. There are good reasons for visiting the region; hospitable people, their unique culture, lifestyle, rituals, historical sights, the scenic Oman Sea, its stunning rare nature surround, and the Chabahar Free Trade-Industrial Zone.

The monsoon winds, which flow from the Indian subcontinent in summer, make Chabahar the coolest southern port in the summer and the warmest part of Iran in the winter.

AFM