Archive for category: Travel Blog

Hormuz Island with an area of approximately 42 km², is a piece of paradise in the Persian Gulf and it is one of the fantastic islands within Hormozgan Province. Hormoz Island attracts many tourists because of its colorful mountains and stones, silver sand shores, and lovely local people. Hormoz Island is not far from Qeshm Island and one can see it from the Qeshm coast. Hormoz Island has virgin beaches from where you can enjoy watching ships floating on the sea, swimming, pitching tents for some hours, and absorbing the blue vitality of the sea. Let’s learn more about the hidden gems of this fascinating Island!

Hormuz Island Iran

Local people of the island are very hospitable and kind, women usually wear veils and men wear local dresses. They would welcome you with their curious looks. Hormoz Island is well-known for its colorful shores and you could see a variety of vivid colors on this wonderful island. The red soil of the island and its silver sand shores fascinate every sightseer. Moreover, the salty mountains look like snow-covered caps in the heart of the island.

Is Hormuz Island Safe?

This small island in the heart of the Persian Gulf has been hosting millions of tourists every year. Hormuz Island is totally safe to travel to and if you’re traveling with a group there will be nothing to worry about. Many tourists who had a trip to this island have stated that they felt safe even at night.

Hormuz Island Photos

Hormuz Island Weather

Though Hormuz Island has very hot days during spring and summer and even early autumn, it has pleasant weather during winter and it is pleasurable to rent a bike and enjoy a bike ride along the shores. Since people are very kind and welcoming, animals also find tranquility there.

You can watch happy gazelles wandering around the island, sea birds flying over the island, turtles resting on the sands, and dolphins playing in the Persian Gulf. Rainbow Valley in Hormoz Island is also a must-see sight for geologists; it is a narrow valley with multi-colored sand, and mountains with many attractive colors such as red, yellow, and blue resulting from the cooling of the melted rocks.

Hormuz Island Things to Do

If you are also interested in history, visit the Portuguese castle located in the south of the island. It belongs to the time when the Portuguese ruled the region. The museum and art gallery of Ahmad Nadalian is also a painted house on the island that demonstrates the works of the local artist Ahmad Nadealian. It also includes sand paintings and dolls made of recycled materials. In order to reach this beautiful island, you can hire a boat from Qeshm or Bandar Abbas. So, make sure to book a Hormuz Island Tour to experience all the beauties this magical island has to offer.

Hormuz Island Glitter Sand

The most iconic place to visit on Hormuz Island is its Glittery Beach; it’s almost the top highlight of visiting Hormuz Island. The sands are rich in red rust called Gelack, making the beach as stunning as it is. Some people call it Blood Beach due to its red color. Hormuz is frequently referred to as the rainbow island due to the wide range of vivid colors that it emits, from silver to yellow and red. Walking along the colorful beaches could truly touch your soul and create a magical sense you can only feel on this island.

Hormuz Island Tourism

Hormuz Island Map

Hormuz Island is located in the Persian Gulf, about 8 kilometers off the Iranian coast. Situated in the southernmost part of Iran, Hormuz Island is a part of the Hormozgan Province.

The journey typically starts from the nearby city of Bandar Abbas or the island of Qeshm. From Bandar Abbas, you can take a ferry or a speedboat from the Shahid Haqani Passenger Port, which usually takes around an hour to reach the island. The ferry services operate regularly and are a popular choice for both locals and tourists.

Alternatively, if you are coming from Qeshm Island, you can use the ferries that run between Qeshm’s Laft Port and Hormuz Island. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes and offers scenic views of the Persian Gulf. Additionally, private boat rentals are also available for those who prefer a more customized experience. Regardless of the mode of transportation chosen, getting to Hormuz Island is an exciting part of the overall experience as you anticipate the beauty and charm of this vibrant Rainbow Island.

Conclusion

Hormuz Island has many places to see, from its mesmerizing glitter beach to its Rainbow Valley. It is highly recommended to visit this fascinating island if you’re traveling to Iran, but keep in mind the best time to enjoy the weather on this island is definitely late autumn and winter. Hope you have a great time visiting the lovely Hormuz Island.

Are you planning to travel to Iran? Check out our Qeshm island tour.

Golestan Palace in Tehran is one of the most spectacular places you will visit on your travel to Iran. This great palace is a fine example of Persian art, history, and architecture. It is a valuable gem sitting in the heart of Tehran carrying memories from the Safavid era to the Pahlavi kings. It is the highlight of the capital and it receives many Iranian and foreign visitors on a daily basis.

If you are planning to visit Iran, here is the link to Iran online visa form.

The palace sits in a region initially called Tehran Arg that was the city’s northern border and gateway during the Qajar era, which is a good measure to find how much the city has expanded since then. The palace was established during the Safavid era and the next dynasties added to this structure. Today the complex consists of 17 palaces, museums, and halls.

The main changes were made during the Naser al-Din Shah Qajar kingdom. Because his kingdom was long (49 years) and he was the first Iranian king who traveled to the western countries a lot and was impressed by their architecture so he tried to build similar structures in Tehran.

Golestan Palace has witnessed some important moments in Iran’s history such as the constitutional revolution, and the coronation of the first and second Pahlavi dynasties.

Takht-e Marmar Terrace (Marble Throne Verandah) is the first fascinating structure you’ll see as you walk in the courtyard. The terrace is decorated with Iranian elements such as tile work, mirrors, stucco, lattice windows, and paintings. The fine marble throne on the terrace is made of the famous yellow marble of Yazd Province.

Takht-e Marmar Terrace (Marble Throne Verandah) is the first fascinating structure you’ll see as you walk in the courtyard.

On the right corner of the same building, there is another terrace called Khalvat-e Karim Khani (Karim Khan Nook). There used to be a marble fountain on this terrace and Naser al-Din Shah would lay there smoking his Qalayan and enjoying the beautiful lush garden. The fountain is removed and the marble tombstone of Naser al-Din Shah is brought here. The terrace with the fountain can be seen in an artwork done by the great and well-known Iranian artist of the Qajar era, Kamalol Molk. You’ll see his works in different halls of the complex such as Talar-e Ayaheh (Mirror Hall) and Howz Khaneh (Pool Room).

In the Container Hall (Talar-e Zorouf) you can see the chinaware that Qajar Kings received as a gift from European kings and queens such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Nicholas I of Russia, Queen Victoria, etc.

One of the best locations at the palace where you can clearly see Iranian architecture blends with the European elements is Shamsol Emare (Edifice of the sun). The Qajar king wanted to have a wide and extensive view of the capital so he ordered these towers to be built. Right now only the ground floor of this building is open to visitors.

On the southwest side of Shamsol Emare once was the greatest Tekiye of Iran, Tekiye Dowlat. Another mass structure was built according to the king’s order to have a great theatre like the European countries. Tekiye is a theatre for performing Ta’zieh (mourning performances for Muharram). At the time there were more than forty Tekiyes in Tehran but the popularity of Ta’zieh was very high among Iranian men and women during the Qajar era, so the king decided to build another structure with huge dimensions that would host 20,000 people. The outer shell was an octagon, the inner space was round with a 60m diameter, and a dome on the roof. In 1947 the structure was destroyed and today just one painting by Kamalol Molk is left of all that giant structure. Reza Shah Pahlavi proclaimed the end of the Qajar dynasty at the Tekiye Dowlat.

Golestan palace, Tehran, Iran

Golestan palace is the most exceptional structure in the core of historic Tehran. It is vibrant, colorful, and full of aesthetic ornate figures created by gifted Qajarian artists. This elegant garden was registered on the UNESCO world heritage list in 2013 because it is created by mixing Iranian fine art and European architecture and technology that became a phenomenon in Iranian history and culture.

Are you planning to travel to Iran? Please read things to do in Tehran and Check out our Iran tours.