Qeshm Island, the paradise of geologists, is the largest island of the Persian Gulf. Unlike Kish Island, Qeshm is not that luxurious, however it has glorious natural attractions such as significant canyons, hills, caves, valleys, and plenty of other unique geological formations, many of which are listed as UNESCO Heritage sites. It also has magnificent forests with great abundance of wildlife as well as its beautiful beaches which is painted across the Persian Gulf by Almighty God. Although we should not forget the beautiful people it has and their unique culture. All these together make it an unforgettable experience for geologists and nature lovers.
Qeshm is an island full of bizzare wonders that amazes the people who visit it. These peculiar yet marvelous places include extraordinary natural attractions like the outstanding Chahkooh Canyon, the spatial Valley of Stars, the kaleidoscopic Hormuz Island, and the sorcerous Naz Islands. Chahkooh Canyon is a must see place of this island; a masterpiece created by Mother Nature with the artistic hands of God! The complicated canyon in the heart of Earth with all of the amazing shapes on its stones as well as its curved corners and round edges takes your imaginations to a different world, a world you’ve only seen in movies. One of the rarest natural attractions of Qeshm Island is without doubt the Valley of Stars. When you step into this spectacular geographic site you will feel like you have stepped on another planet because of the exotic shapes on this valley. It is believed that a star was felt in this area in the past that resulted in the formation of this tremendous valley and this is where it gets its local name from, “Estalah Kaftah” which means the fallen star; though the fact is that it was made as a result of erosion that occurred over centuries on various layers of this place. A magical kaleidoscopic jewel in Persian Gulf called the Hormuz Island that is a bank of touristic attractions alone on itself. The extraordinary red, orange, and stunning silver colored soil that painted the mountains and the beach as well as the beautiful red color it gives to the sea water is like a wonderfully painted canvas. The pristine nature of Hormuz Island also contains the multicolored Rainbow Valley with its colorful mountains; a place that many geologists and nature lovers would crave for it. Hormuz Island is also home to “the Fort of Our Lady of the Conception”, also known as the Portuguese Castle, which is a fortress made out of red stone. This castle, which was built in early 16th century, is one of the remained monuments from the time of Portuguese colonial rule in the Persian Gulf. Hormuz Island also includes other attractions such as Moraghebe Cave, Sokoot Valley, Hormuz Statues Valley, Nadalian Museum,and some other remarkable places. From Hormuz Island we reach to the magical Naz Islands, where you will step into one of the wonders of nature. Naz Islands will create a distinct and different point of view of the Persian Gulf for people who visit it. These islands are located on the southern shore of Qeshm Island and the path to these magical islands only appears at low tides and at high tides this path fades away; the amazing point is that you’ll see amazing sea creatures on your path to Naz Islands. Without doubt Qeshm Island, the sleeping dolphin of Persian Gulf, is one of the most spectacular destinations of Iran. The interesting fact is that the Qeshm Global Geopark was established in western part of Qeshm Island and it is the only Geopark in the Middle East that has been registered by the Global Network of Geoparks.
