Hormuz island travel information
Hormuz , Persian Jazīreh-ye Hormoz, also called Ormuz, mostly barren, hilly island of Iran on the Strait of Hormuz, between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, 5 miles (8 km) off the coast. The population may decline by half in summer through migration. Hormuz village is the only permanent settlement. Resources include red ochre for export.
After the Arab conquest, Hormuz early became the chief market of Kermān, with palm groves, indigo, grain, and spices. By about 1200 it monopolized India’s and China’s trade. The famous Venetian traveler Marco Polo twice visited Hormuz. Around 1300 the Arab ruler of Hormuz abandoned the mainland because of robbers and founded New Hormuz on the island; it gradually superseded Qeys as the most important Persian Gulf emporium, again becoming a market for India, and dominated other gulf islands and occasionally mainland Oman.
In 1514 the Portuguese captured Hormuz and built a fort. For more than a century the island remained Portuguese, but the rise of the English locally and the Persian shah’s resentment of Portuguese occupation culminated, in 1622, in Hormuz’ capture by joint Anglo-Persian forces. Hormuz, along with the nearby larger island of Jeshun and the mainland port of Bandar ʿAbbās, was leased to the rulers of Muscat and Oman between 1798 and 1868. Of the old and famous city scarcely anything now remains except for part of the Portuguese fort.
When to Go to Hormuz Island
The best time to visit Hormuz is winter when the temperatures are mild at an average of 77°F (25°C). It might get windy by the beach so if you are camping or planning on exploring at night, do bring a wind shell. Summertime is scorching hot with temperatures as high as 110°F (45°C), so it’s best to avoid that time of the year.
Where to Stay on Hormuz Island
If you are looking for a hotel in hormuz island you can use Majara hotel
To stay on this island, you have the other options : Ecotourism resorts, Hostels, Local houses and camping on the beaches of the island. A truly local experience which is Eco-friendly and besides you can closely experience the local lifestyle .But If you are strict about health or you do not sleep except in a comfortable place with adequate amenities, it may be better not to stay on the island at night. It is better to return to Qeshm or Bandar Abbas.
Hormuz Local cuisine
Given the closeness to the ocean, fish is a big staple on Hormoz. Make sure to try a grilled fish served with spicy sauce while you are on the island. The signature dish of Hormuz is indeed the Ghalyeh Mahi made out of fish, herbs, and spices served with rice. A must-try while on the Persian Gulf island. Other local foods like Falafel, Tahini, Shrimp &rice worth to taste Don’t forget to taste Tamushi the The local bread of Hormuz island , To make this traditional bread, they combine flour and water and place a thin layer of dough on the pan. Then cheese or eggs are poured on it. Tamushi is usually served with fish sauce or pork sauce. Other local breads on the island include dough bread, Balatave bread and croissant bread
If you love seafood Hormuz spices as a souvenir of this region. From the shops and markets of Hormuz, you can buy all kinds of spices in this region and give a southern flavor to your home food. You should not miss the opportunity to buy southern spices during your trip to Hormuz; because after using these products, you will understand the real taste of spices.These spices are a combination of black pepper, red pepper, nutmeg, coriander, lemon powder, thyme, cloves, turmeric, curry, cinnamon and anise.
Hormuz handicrafts
The variety of local products of this island is so great and attractive that it is impossible to return empty-handed. The people of this colorful island are very tasteful and their skill in making works of art is exemplary. These kind people with their constructions create the identity of the island; and their works narrate life in the culture of southern Iran.. Local clothing and embroidered fabrics If you are a fan of southern costumes, this is a good place! In the markets of Hormuz Island, you can buy all kinds of embroidered shirts and pants. If you did so, don’t forget to take beautiful photos on the colorful hills of the island! Also, you can find people selling embroidered fabrics separately! You can give a few meters as a gift to your loved ones and let them make their own special dress with them.Burqa ( The beautiful mask of the island women) , Oyster jewelry Every day, the azure sea of the Persian Gulf offers gifts to the people of Hormuz Island from the depths of the sea. The volume of these gifts is so large that the people of this region create beautiful ornaments and sculptures from them. People make these handicrafts out of shells, sequins, corals, ornamental stones and even pearls, and also the remains of some aquatic animals and are considered as the best handicrafts of Hormuz. Colored glasses The locals artistically pour these soils into stained glass and give you small islands as a gift.
There are several local markets in Hormuz where you can find your daily necessities and whatever you want in them! The most famous of these bazaars is the coastal market of Hormuz; they are located next to the Persian Gulf Sea and one of the tourist attractions of the island called the Portuguese Castle. Most of the sellers in this market are local women who offer souvenirs and handicrafts of Hormuz to tourists.
Hormoz Island Attractions
Red Soil Mine
Red soil mine is one of the sights of Hormoz Island. Also, on Hormoz Island, you will have the opportunity to visit edible red soil. Besides, more than 70 other colored minerals that have no samples anywhere in the world. Furthermore, it is true that the world knows it to its red soil, but red soil is not all you can find in Hormoz.
Mangrove (Hara) Forest
Mangrove forest is located in the northeast of the island. Mangrove species are the trees between 3 to 6 meters in height with lime-green foliage that live in the brackish water. Mangrove is a plant from the Verbenaceae family whose seed grows on the mother tree and produces seedlings and afterward it separates from the tree and falls into the swamp. Mangrove forest is located on the sea and salt water and its compatibility with the salt water and unfavorable conditions has made it an exceptional plant. The tree that sinks in water at high tide absorbs the fresh water and repels its salt with purifying feature of its bark. The mangrove is in fact a natural and God-given desalination plant. Mangrove forest is a safe habitat for a variety of aquatic animal species, birds and amphibians
Portuguese Castle
750 meters from the harbor of Hormoz Island is the famous Portuguese castle. Also, the Portuguese fortress on the island is perhaps the largest colonial stronghold built in the history of the Land of Pars.
In addition, rusty balls and grandeur of the building have preserved the special beauty of the Portuguese castle. Besides, from the harbor that you walk along the coastline, you will get to the walls of the Portuguese castle. In addition, if you turn around the walls of the castle counterclockwise, you will get two rusty cannons of war. Moreover, the entrance threshold with a low arch, which located right on the cape of the island.
The Museum and Gallery of Dr. Ahmad Nadalian
Dr. Ahmad Nadalian is an environmental artist. He uses nature like stone and also debris as material. In addition, he gives local women the opportunity to learn to make and sell art so they can make a living and be selfsufficient. Such an amazing art project a fantastic community engagement project in a region with so many issues e.g. gender inequality, high unemployment rate, narcotics.
Rainbow Valley
It is one of the most interesting attractions of Hormuz Island. Different mineral deposits existing in the region have created a variety of different colors. Yellow, red, silver and black spectra are primarily composed of clay minerals and iron oxide. They are the most common colors which are seen in the Rainbow Valley soil. White, blue, and pink soils that create a beautiful landscape are due to the volcanic compounds. Like a natural carpet, the colors spread on the floor and catch your eyes.
Sculptural Valley
On the island of Hormoz, a few hundred meters from the beach. Also, there are stones in different shapes on the way where silver sand attracts attention. Besides, each of these amazing stones ikened to an animal with the power of the viewers’ imagination. Moreover, one is the head of the sheep, the other a chicken and a rooster. So, that you want dragon-like stones to be pictured in different modes.
In addition, from the shape of the rocks, it can find that during the thousands of years that Hormoz Island has gradually emerged from the water, the erosion process has eroded on them. Besides, on the way from Rainbow Valley to Valley, you’ll see sculptures that are different from all the other mountains next to them.
Hormuz Soil Carpet
Hormuz Island hosts the presentation of the Soil Carpet every year. The carpet is designed and made in the capable hands of the island’s artists. The Hormuz Soil Carpet is manufactured by the painters on the edge of the Persian Gulf, on the beach sand using the colorful soils of the island. Due to the iron oxide compounds and various oxidations, the soil of Hormuz Island can be found in yellow, white, red and brown by which various carpet patterns are designed. Hormoz colored carpet is a combination of 18 different colors that have been able to include 10 cultural symbols of the city. Moreover, artists in the past years have used the soil of this region to prepare a colored carpet, which attracted many travelers to the area.
Salt Cave
Other sights include salt cave. Also, another attraction of Hormoz Island is Namakdan Cave in Qeshm. Besides, Qeshm Salt Cave is the longest salt cave in the world and in the heart of the Persian Gulf. In addition, this cave located 90 kilometers away from Qeshm city, in the southwestern part of the gonbad-shaped mountain island with an altitude of 237 meters above sea level. Moreover, the salt caves of Qeshm Island are one of the most beautiful manifestations of the beautiful and dreamy nature of Iran.
Hormuz Beaches
Being an island, finding a beach on Hormuz Island is not difficult. One of the most famous beaches in Hormuz is Pink Beach, along with Silver Beach. But the island is packed with small coves, some with soft sand, others with rocks, some flat, a few with sharper cliffs. You can drive directly to several of these beaches, but you might need to walk for others, passing by bushes, palm trees, or simply nothing.
Biking Silence Valley to Valley of the Statues
The 2.5-mile (4-km) dirt road is rather rough – broad and deep sinkholes, sharp salt rocks, totally exposed with neither shade nor water – but crossing fantastic moon-like landscape that makes you feel you’re are on another planet. Think Mars even! This area is not to be explored with flipflop and unprepared.
