Shemshak, only a couple of hours from Tehran, is a good base for downhill skiing, as is Dizin; you can ski cross-country around Kalardasht in Mazandaran.

Beach activities are very low-key: swimming and sunbathing is segregated and not much fun for women because they must still keep to the full hejab at all times, although there are female-only swimming pools where the strict dress code doesn't apply. The coast along the Caspian has a few expensive hotels with private beaches but it sure ain't the Costa del Sol.

The best place to go fishing is the Caspian Sea, where salmon, bream and mullet are found in large quantities. Water-skiing is theoretically possible in many of the rivers and lakes, but is most common in the Karaj Dam. You can go hang-gliding off the cliffs near the village of Larijan, about halfway between Tehran and Amol.