Bordering on Turkamanistan Republic to the north, Caspian Sea to the west, Kurd Kuy to the south, and Gorgan to the southeast, Bandar-e Turkaman is coastal town just south of the narrow inlet to the Bay of Gorgan, and the Turkman port of Iran as the name suggests. For a long time it was a major channel of trade with Russia, despite the attentions of Turkaman pirates who were a scourge to shipping on these shores until the 19tb century. With the establishment of the Trans-Iranian Railways in the 1930s Bandar-e Turkaman also became the sole railhead of Iran's Caspian coast. The decline in the shipping trade has left Bandar-e Turkaman a small and largely Turkaman settlement with the air of a frontier town. There is nowhere to stay, but it is an easy day trip from Gorgan. The region is more famous as the caviar production center of Iran. In 1997, almost 50% of the country's caviar was caught from Bandar-e Turkaman. About 150 ships are based at the port, trailing up and down the 160-km coastline looking for the precious sturgeon and their valuable little fish eggs. The most striking thing about the town is that the Turkaman women wear gorgeous bright shawls and gowns, which are quite a contrast to the ubiquitous black chadors worn elsewhere.
If you happen to be around in a Monday morning, it's definitely worth visiting the traditional weekly market where you can buy local produce and handicrafts, such as the bright shawls and Turkaman rugs and carpets that are often a maroon color. Other things on sale are karakul hats and tribal jewelry.