The remarkable combination of historical and natural spots provides Qeshm Island’s tourism industry with more than enough tourist attractions. Starting with the extraordinary natural wonders of this magic island, we will tell you about the most popular of Qeshm’s tourist attractions: the largest embellished night sky you will ever see and the abode of the demons! Qeshm’s Stars Valley and Qeshm’s Chahkooh Canyon are without a doubt two of the most formidable natural sights in Iran. The natural touch of water and wind over thousands of years has created statuesque formations with stunning geometrical shapes and gigantic sizes. The Valley of Stars in Qeshm has another remarkable feature besides its impressive abstract rocks, and that is the sky seen from the top of the rocks in the valley. Thanks to the remoteness of the place and the absence of lights and any pollutant factor in the area, the night sky in the valley is just breathtaking. Every inch of the sky scintillates with an infinite number of stars. Anyone with a basic knowledge of astrology could easily distinguish the celestial bodies and constellations in the magical nights of the Valley of Stars. Qeshm’s Chahkooh Canyon shares most of the features of Stars Valley. Similar to the latter, it boasts an incredible night sky. But if you are a superstitious person, you will most likely refrain from having a nocturnal visit to Chahkooh Canyon. The locals believe that the canyon and its surroundings are haunted ground, and they keep away from the place at night. But ghost stories aside, Chahkooh Canyon is a savagely beautiful place! Strong winds and high level of moisture have worked as the creating hands of an artist as old as time. A walk through the winding paths of the Chahkooh is like visiting a museum of modern arts. There are a plethora of rocks of massive sizes and incredible shapes together with pools of rainwater. Most of the tourists know Qeshm, this gem of an island in the waters of the Persian Gulf, Iran, only as the land of stunning natural wonders. But the glory of the island isn’t limited to its natural sights. Contrary to what may seem, there are also a couple of historic sites on the island. The strategic significance of the region of Persian Gulf has always affected the fate of its people. The islands have been occupied many times in the course of history by foreign invaders. Portuguese were superpowers during the 16th century. When they entered the southern waters of Iran, the Portuguese seized islands such Qeshm and Hurmuz. Given the remoteness of the islands, conquering them was an easy job. But keeping them was more challenging, mainly due to the military presence of other superpowers in the Persian Gulf. To defend their newly-conquered territories, the Portuguese built a number of forts and strongholds with massive ramparts on which they installed canons. These forts built on the shore of the islands were equipped with heavy artillery to repel the threat posed by the enemy ships. These forts spread over a vast area that included Iran, Iraq, Oman and Arabia. The ones built in Iran were: Goombron in Bandar Abbas, Bandel in Bandar-e Kong, Fort of Our Lady of the Conception in Hurmuz and the one in Qeshm. Qeshm’s Portuguese Castle, as it is commonly known, is a fort on the island of Qeshm constructed by the Portuguese occupying forces in the 16th century. One can still imagine the former majesty of the fort while visiting its site. The fortifications still remain plus the empty place of the canons. The area is surrounded by beautiful date palms and the view of the Persian Gulf is magnificent.
Our Qeshm tours are one-day packages to Stars Valley and the marvelous Hara Forest (a floating forest of mangrove trees). If you plan to visit both of the sights above, you’ll need to be on the island for at least two days. Your next question will most probably be: Where to stay in Qeshm. Well luckily, most of Qeshm’s hotels lie right next to the shore and present a superb level of service. Assad Bed and Breakfast, the coziest of all guesthouses, is the most popular with economy travelers.
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