The best months for comfortable boat trips are from October through April, when temperatures in southern Iraq remain mild between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius. Between June and September, extreme summer heat regularly surpasses 46 degrees Celsius during the day, making boat excursions practical strictly at dusk or after the Maghrib prayer once river breezes cool the waterfront. For more: Basra Sunset Boat Cruises on the Shatt al-Arab: Sindbad Island, River Views, and Boat Hire Guide