Qeshm Island
Qeshm is the largest island in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf which belongs to Iran. It has an area of 1,491 square km with an irregular outline and a mostly rocky coast that stretches parallel to the southern coast of Iran. Qeshm has the most marvelous natural sites such as magnificent canyons, significant hills, valleys, and caves which are protected as part of UNESCO-recognised Qeshm Island Geopark. Qeshm is a well-known Iran destination for its wide range of Eco tourist attractions such as Harra marine forest, various ponds, and mangrove forests. Qeshm is fringed with mangrove forests, attractive beaches, and about 60 coastal villages. It has an abundance of wildlife including birds, reptiles, dolphins, and turtles.
Chahkuh valley, Stars valley and Namakdan cave are fine examples of natural attractions in Qeshm Island. The sea around Qeshm is a quiet one as the waves are often less than one-meter-high. On the contrary, the waves in the southern and eastern shores are sometimes more than 3 meters high.
The main occupation of habitant is fishing and then farming dates and melons on little cultivated land and mining salt is practiced on the southeastern shores. Qeshm is home for oysters, corals, colorful fishes and sea birds. Qeshm is an ideal place for birdwatching as according to environmentalists’ report, every year 1.5% of the world birds and 25% of Iran’s native birds migrate to its forests, which are realized as the first national geo park in Iran.