Hippie Life in Southern Iran

Recently, the Guardian ran a story about young Iranians who have made Hormuz Island in the Persian Gulf a retreat of creativity, freedom and openness. The story, accompanied by photographs by Mykolas Juodele, describes the growth of tourism in this part of southern Iran, and the groups of young Iranians who have been coming to the area for the last 10 years when the winter weather hits the north.

Among the individuals highlighted in the article are Sina and Ershad, who teach music to the local kids in addition to enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and beautiful scenery, and who post their experiences to each of their 120,000 followers on Instagram. 

The island has become so well known for being a hippie haunt that in recent years, it has attracted the attention of the authorities, including the Revolutionary Guards. 

Photographs from Aftab News Agency via the Guardian