Sustan Village

Sustan is one of the best-known green villages of Lahijan County in Gilan Province. It lies in the central district of the county, about 4 km from the city of Lahijan. The village has long been divided into two parts, Bala Mahalleh (Upper Quarter) and Paeen Mahalleh (Lower Quarter), separated by a river that originates from the Sustan Wetland and from springs along the way. Surrounded by rice paddies, tea gardens, walnut and citrus trees, and with a freshwater wetland of its own, Sustan has a lush, rural character. The Sustan Wetland lies about 5 km southeast of the village, and its water comes from the surrounding springs, rain and snow. Besides its natural attractions, the village has a notable cultural and religious heritage. The Jame Mosque of Sustan, the Muharram ceremonies and the well-known "Zari Zari" ritual are among its cultural highlights.

The most important natural attraction of Sustan is the Sustan Wetland. This freshwater wetland plays a key role in supplying water to the village's rice paddies, and it also creates a beautiful landscape of water, vegetation and dense trees around it. The wetland's water is carried to the fields through a traditional channel about 2 km long. Local water management by a mirab (water master) makes it possible to use the wetland's resources for rice cultivation. In and around the wetland you can see birds, aquatic animals and water flowers such as the water lily and the wetland tulip. The reflection of the vegetation and the sky on the water makes it a great setting for nature viewing and photography. Mount Sustan, also called Sustan Poshteh, rises on the south side of the village and is no more than 200 m high. Tea gardens and dense trees cover a large part of the area. The village's wide rice paddies, its tea and citrus gardens and the view of the wetland together form a collection of Gilan's natural and agricultural scenery around Sustan.

To reach Sustan, travel to the city of Lahijan and continue along the roads leading to the village. The village is about 4 km from Lahijan, and the Sustan Wetland is about 5 km southeast of the village. It is best to visit the wetland in daylight and to take the road conditions into account, so that you can get a better view of the water surface, the water flowers and the surrounding landscape. Spring and summer are among the best times to visit Sustan. In these seasons the village's nature is green, and the wetland and the vegetation around it look their best. The blooming season of the water flowers also offers a good opportunity for nature photography. When visiting the wetland and the natural areas around Sustan, do not leave litter, damage the vegetation or pollute the water. To protect the habitat of birds, aquatic animals and wetland plants, keep a suitable distance from the sensitive parts of the wetland.