Iraq’s main port and second largest city, Basra is often considered the ‘Venice of the Middle East’ due to its chain of water canals throughout the metropolis. Basra is in the tales of the 101Arabian Nights and is also known as the land that the famous Sinbad began sailing the high seas. Carrying a visitor health insurance is also mandatory, whatever is the purpose of your travel.
However, the Iraq War has affected this city of rich history, beauty and tourism potential. The over 2 million residents of this city are diligently working to rebuilt and bring life back to Basra.
Basra has an abundance of historic sites to visit. From the first Islamic mosque not in the Arabian peninsular to Basra Land, an older but rebuilt amusement complex and park in the southern part of Iraq – there is a variety of places to visit. Protect travel related investments with trip cancellation insurance in case of trip cancellation. Basra has four palaces that once belonged to the president, and large Indian bazaar and market, and it’s own five star hotel – Basra International Hotel.
Basra is also a popular haven for bird watchers. Bird watching is so effective here due to the large migration routes and patterns through the city. The city has its own species of bird named after it, the Basra warbler.
Like much of the country, Basra’s weather is that of a hot desert. However, it does tend to get more rain than the rest of the country due to its proximity to the coast. The summer months can get as hot as 113 F, with the winters averaging around 68. Being a port city, Basra can also be very humid.
The city residents and outside investors have been working to increase the area’s appeal hoping to someday compete with the Saudi Arabian city of Dubai. The governor of Basra put together a plan for 2010 to increase tourism by encouraging religious visitors, building new hotels and reviving the local island of Sinbad.