How you fall in love with Hormuz Island

The Persian Gulf has many tourist attractions and in addition to hospitable people, has unique, beautiful, and amazing islands that attract travelers with their own tourist attractions. One of the most beautiful and spectacular islands in the south of Iran is Hormuz Island. With its pristine nature and unique beauty has become an important tourist destination in the south of Iran. Hurmuz is the Gem of the Persian Gulf where the blue color of the sea mixes with the red soil of the Island and creates otherworldly images. The calm sea and charming beaches, colorful mountains and wondering valleys, starry nights, and authentic sunsets have all made Hormuz an incredible island. An island that has so many amazing terrestrial attractions that have been called the paradise of geologists.

Hormuz Island is known for its red soil though it is not its only attraction. Stepping on the silver, golden, and white sand of the shore, you can see the red and orange mountains and the unforgettable sunset. Hormuz Island is located in a part of the Persian Gulf where the depth of the sea is low enough for the giant tankers to leave the gulf easily. As a result, this island has been geographically important to the sailors through time. If you look at this island from above or on a map, you will notice that it looks like a shell. A beautiful road is constructed around the island that makes riding a bike and walking possible. The soil color around you keeps changing as you walk or ride.

These are the reasons that make you interested in visiting this beautiful colorful island.

Attractions on Hormuz Island

The attractions and beauties on Hormuz Island are literally countless. Every part of the island is an attraction itself. However, keep reading the following text to get familiar with some of these beauties.

Moraghebeh Cave, Sokoot Valley, and Elahe Firoozeie Salt Dome

One natural wonder of salt is that it absorbs dirt and sound pollution in the environment. As a result, a calming silence welcomes you when you are in Sokoot (Silence) Valley. Elahe Firoozeie is a salt dome that is polished by rain and is majestic to the eye. A seasonal river with colors of gold and orange flows on the valley bed. Exploring Moraghebeh Cave can be the most exciting part of your travel if you bring all the necessary equipment for caving as traversing this cave is not an easy task.

Portuguese Castle

The signs of the Portuguese's presence and exploitation are represented in the form of castles and defense structures. The Portuguese Castle is the largest structure that is left in the northern part of Hormuz Island, constructed by the Portuguese within 30 years. As it was a place for the commanders of the navy force, different parts are designated in the castle for various purposes.

Mangrove Forests, Qeshm

One of the most famous tourist destinations in Qeshmis the mangrove forest which attracts tourists who love nature and birdwatching. These evergreen forests are one of the rare natural phenomena in the world and are known as the green gold of Qeshm Island which is covered about 22,000 sq km of the shores of the Persian Gulf and Oman sea. These trees with 3 to 6 meters in length have adapted well to saltwater over millions of years.

Hormuz Statues Valley

Visit many natural giant statues in this valley and enjoy walking through the valley while trying to guess what each statue shows depending on how creative your imagination is. At the end of the path you are walking, you will get to a precipice where you will be amazed at the scenery of the turquoise-blue sea in front of you.

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Rainbow Valley

The most well-known attraction on Hormuz Island is Rainbow Valley which has more than 70 different color spectrums. What we suggest you do is to enjoy the colors at the moment and live. Do not take this soil with you if you love the landscape. Let it be and keep it safe if you respect nature.

Soil Carpet
Within a few minutes from Sokoot Valley, you will encounter a wide shore where artists make a huge colorful carpet. Local artists gather together in the second half of the year and make this carpet using the colorful soil of the island. The patterns for this carpet are inspired by Hormozgan mythology and Hakim Omar Khayyam poetry. Rain washes all the patterns away within a short while and takes to the sea. Many environmentalists take this as a trading activity during which the soil is moved from its main place and taken to the sea by rain for the sake of taking some pictures to share on media.

Nadalian Museum
Get familiar with nature and the environment in Nadalian Museum. Here, you will learn that the human effect on nature is not destruction or pollution. It is, then, creating artistic works out of natural elements.

Hormuz Stunning Shores
Each shore on Hormuz Island has a unique name. Some of them, like the Red Shore, are world famous while some others, like the southern ones, are not. However, you need to take every necessary equipment with you to Hormuz Island if you want to stay some days to discover all the shores.

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Why Hormuz Island?

-If you are a geologist, this is your heaven.
-Various marine activities.
-Various attractions all over the island.
-Various cheap accommodations at local houses

Things to Do on Hormuz Island

There are many things you can do on Hormuz Island; swimming, diving, watching birds, photography of animals and nature, boating, exploring the shore, camping, eating delicious food and local additives, biking, henna designing on the skin, and buying handicraft are some of them.

5 things about Hormuz Island

1- This is Hormuz island in the Persian Gulf, the mostly forgotten land of colors in the Strait of Hormuz, 5km from the mainland, and southeast of Bandar Abbas, the major port and capital of the province of Hormuzgan. The island was visited among others by Marco Polo. Ibn Battuta who came twice between 1330 and 1340, wrote that the island's city was "fine" and "large... with magnificent bazaars."
2- In some ways, the islands are distinct from the rest of Iran. The wind-catchers - long, rectangular structures that cause airflow from the cooler undergrounds to the main rooms - in old homes are even more intricate than those found in Yazd, in the central desert. The cats resemble Siamese cats more than any feline you will find in Tehran, Isfahan, or other mainland cities: one can only imagine they arrived on trade ships.
3- Local cuisine, especially on Qeshm, which sees most tourists, is plentiful and delicious, with seafood offered once the sun sets and residents get out by the water. Octopus, fish, and shrimp are sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and local spices, and put into a sandwich with pickled cucumbers and cabbage. A local mix of ten spices and herbs including turmeric, cloves, dried rose petals, and cinnamon makes meals exemplary.
4- Traditionally, homes on the islands were all built with wind catchers. But today, on Qeshm, Loft village is the only place where they can be found. Following an earthquake in 2005, the houses were rebuilt with cement and air-conditioning. Lotf village is also known for its view of the Persian Gulf.
5- Hormuz is best known for its ochre, a red-colored earth pigment that has made miles of this land look majestic. Traditionally, the ochre was used in everything from decorative arts to wedding ceremonies and even as a spice for fish and torshi (pickled vegetables). Now the ochre is transported by the truckload and exported. Out in the countryside among the multicolored mountains, the dirt of tractors and trucks belonging to the mining facility can be seen from miles, razing the land, and emptying dirt into the nearby water.

The best time to travel
This colorful island is the most important destination for autumn and winter tours, so the best season to travel to Hormuz is the second half of the year. It has a mild and cool climate in autumn and winter.

Accommodation on Hormuz Island
If you are going to find luxury hotels, you are in the wrong place. Hormoz Island does not have luxury hotels. But for those who are looking for a different style of accommodation in the south of Iran, staying in local houses/hotels or eco-lodges would be one of the most attractive parts of your trip. You can choose from a wide variety of local houses, get to know the lifestyle of the people, and enjoy delicious local food.

Camping on the island of Hormuz
Camping is a very popular activity on the island of Hormuz, and best of all, it's free!
You can stay at almost any beach on the island. If you are going on a weekend (remember that Iranian weekends are Thursday to Friday) or on vacation, you may be camping with several people on the same beach. So if you're looking for solitude, you may need to look for a secluded or hard-to-reach beach.

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Hormuz Food
Hormoz Island is the land of yummy delicious things with fresh local fish. Don't forget to try grilled fish served with a spicy sauce that is made ready with the private local recipe.
A must-try while on the Persian Gulf island.
Hormuz Food: Grilled Fish
Kashk Bademjan made in Hormoz
Iranian Tea
Breakfast Time, Hormuz Style
Street food: Crepe

Getting To Hormuz
This colorful Island is located just 8 Km from Bandar e Abbas and just 30 minutes by ferry. Bandar e Abbas is one of the most important ports in the south of Iran. Therefore there are various schedules of flights, trains of public Bus services. You can book your tickets in advance or match them while you are in Iran.