This forgotten land of colors, packs a big punch. What it lacks in size is more than what makes up for in beauty and atmosphere. Hormuz Island has only one road and virtually no cars, just motorbikes and tuk-tuks. There are no fancy resorts, just the hospitality of the locals and a simple homestay.
Most of its visitors are day trippers. So, in the evening, its residents get ready to relax in peace and watch the sunset over the blue sea.
Portuguese Fort
The Portuguese castles can be seen in many southern islands of Iran which dates back to their rule in the southern regions. Hormoz Island is no exception, and due to the strategic location of the island, the colonizers paid more attention to this area.
Nowadays, the Portuguese fort (the fort of our lady) is located in the northern part of Hormuz Island. The fort was cut off from the rest of the island by a trench. The traces of which can still be seen today. Most of the roof has caved in and only the outer walls are intact.
With just a few hundred meters of walk towards the shoreline, you will see rocks of various shapes that will attract your attention. During the thousand years that the island gradually emerged from the water, the erosion process on the rocks played a major role in creating their distinct shapes and colors. According to researchers, it is stated that the geological age of the Hormuz Island inside the water is about 600 million years and its life out of the water began around 50 thousand years ago.
With a little imagination, each of these amazing stones looks like an animal. One is in the shape of a sheep’s head, the other is a chicken and even a dragon.
One of the many beauties of this magnificent island is its mountains. The valley is made up of mountains with different colors such as yellow, white, red, pink and purple. The combination of these colors creates an incredibly beautiful scene. That’s why this island is also called the Rainbow island. These mountains are located in the south west part and you can easily get there by using the main road.
Another tourist attraction is Dr.Nadalian museum. This place has all the treasure works of Dr.Nadalian, one of the most active environmental artists. His artworks are well-known internationally and have been distributed in more than forty countries around the world. His environmental art projects include the carving of rocks and paintings with natural colors. This museum is located in the old quarter of Hormoz Island.
In this museum you can visit
This museum also teaches women on the island how to paint with colored soils.
A location that welcomes thousands of domestic and foreign tourists annually is the Red Beach.
The minerals in the soil of this beach have created interesting colors such as yellow, red and white. One of these minerals is iron which has created the red color of the beach. Unlike other beaches around the world, the water of this beach is not blue at all and you can see the beautiful reddish color under the rays of light. It is absolutely magical.
Something not seen anywhere else is the red earthen carpet which is a symbol of the 1,000-year-old civilization of this island. It represents its talents, traditions, history, community and the culture of the island from ancient times to the present-day.
These designs are mostly made in the time of annual festivals which are often held in the second half of the year on occasions such as Nowruz or the Persian Gulf Day. The local artists gather and use colorful soils of the island and native designs and patterns to create mesmerizing carpets on the beach.
Hormoz carpet designs are modeled on the elements and myths of Hormozgan region as well as the poems of Omar Khayyam.
The use of images of the eagle-nosed turtle, Jabir, women’s clothing motifs, the Portuguese castle, and the symbol of local music instruments, has made Hormoz’s earthy carpet a unique attraction.
Although rain washes these beautiful patterns away, many photographers and environmentalists get together to take pictures of these unique art made.
Hormoz Red Soil Mine is world famous. When it comes to quality, after Spain, Hormoz has the best red soil in the world. The most important colored soils of Hormoz Island are the iron oxide compounds in colors of white, blue, pink, green and gray which are made from volcanic compounds.
This soil is used in industries such as painting, cosmetics, tiles, ceramics, mosaics, pottery, glazing, production of industrial micronized powders, cassette tapes and etc. In addition, the native people of the region also use this soil for their buildings and even one kind of this soil is used to make food.
Sea caves are one of the coastal attractions of Hormoz Island. They are located next to mountains and rocky heights and are visible in the south and southwest of the island.
These pristine landscapes, with the soothing sound of the waves and the warm light of the sun are a suitable destination for any visitor who likes adventure, relaxation, and photography.
