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Qeshm Geopark: Iran’s Natural Treasure

The Complete List of All 31 Geosites in Qeshm Geopark

Qeshm is a magical island in Iran located on the coastlines of the Persian Gulf. It has so many attractions and scenery that amaze every traveler who comes to this wonderland situated on the strait of Hormoz. 31 picturesque and valuable landmarks were collected and recognized by UNESCO.

A collection of 31 main natural sites of Qeshm were collected under the name of Qeshm Geopark. These 31 sites are very valuable to the nature of the earth and to quote UNESCO, they are valued and chosen to celebrate Earth’s heritage.

Qeshm geopark is a collection of this island’s most spectacular sites on the Zagros mountain belt. In this article, we will talk about Qeshm Geopark and introduce this magnificent landmark.

ALL Qeshm Geopark’s 31 Geosites (geoparks)

Qeshm Geopark is a belt of 31 pristine sites located next to each other. UNESCO recognizes these 31 lands, so you can trust they are worth visiting. Continuing, we will name every site in Qeshm Geopark and share a brief profile.

  1. The valley of stars
  2. Basira
  3. Korkora Kooh
  4. The valley of statues
  5. Namakdan (salt) cave
  6. Bame e Qeshm (the roof of Qeshm)
  7. Chahkooh Gorge (canyon)
  8. Darre Shur (Shour Valley)
  9. Mangrove (Hara) forests of Qeshm
  10. Portuguese castle
  11. Hengam island
  12. Naz islands
  13. Geolink
  14. Left Village
  15. Museum of Geopark
  16. Kharbas Cave
  17. Mud Flat
  18. Chakavir
  19. Awli Gorge
  20. Dolphins Bay
  21. Ghazi Terrace
  22. Basaeidou
  23. Turtles Nesting Beach
  24. Crabs Rock
  25. Guran Park museum
  26. Kooh Kalengi
  27. Jaziratoo
  28. Dokalan
  29. Karyon
  30. Kargah Beach
  31. Dokouhak Bird’s Wetland

The valley of stars

This valley is outside the Qeshm Geopark area, but they put it on the list because of its magnificent and unique architecture. This place is over 2 million years old, and you will not see a look like place on Earth. Natural causes like rain and wind have made erosion in this valley and created holes in the rocks of this place and unique architecture.

The valley of stars
The valley of stars

Basira

Basira is another site on Qeshm Geopark located between Gori and Morad villages. This exceptional land is a broad landscape filled with high hills shaped like a wall surrounding this place.

Basira landscape is far from modern cities and homelands and light pollution. This distance has created a magical place to lie under the sky and watch stars.

Korkora Kooh (mountain)

On the middle part of Qeshm island and the eastern part of Giahdan village, you will find another site called Qeshm geopark, which has stunning structures and architecture created by natural phenomena and erosion.

Korkora Kooh
Korkora Kooh

Chakavir Valley

One of the picturesque sites in Qeshm Geopark is Chakavir Valley, located in Goran village, 92 kilometers from the central part of Qeshm island. The water and its moves have created a gorgeous shape inside the Chakavir Valley through erosion.

There are several holes in Chakavir Valley where the rainwater fills them and creates a beautiful blue glow, perfectly matching the gray and white color of the rocks.

The valley of statues

This valley is another natural site on Qeshm Geopark’s list of sites with a striking structure. The Valley of Statues structure is much like the Valley of Stars but has a larger land area. Rain, wind, and other natural phenomena have formed the rocks of this valley into various shapes through erosion. The stones are in the shape of animals, and there are some narratives about this theurgic landmark in the island’s folklore.

The valley of statues
The valley of statues

Kargah Beach

Kargah Beach is a coast with more than 5 kilometers of coastline. This seashore is one of the most pristine beaches on Qeshm Island, and it has a variety of species. Kargah Beach is a sandy beach with a valuable ecology.

The unique ecology of Kargah helped this place to get recognized by UNESCO as a geosite in the Qeshm geopark. Geolink is the nearest site to Kargah Beach.

Namakdan (Salt) cave

Namakdan cave is the largest salt cave in the world and one of Qeshm Geopark’s most known sites. There’s a dome made of salt inside of this place that holds the Namakdan cave. The Namakdan salt cave is ancient, and you can see the various layers of salt there; every layer has a different color. Locals believe that this place is helpful for some sicknesses and can be beneficial.

This place is open every day of the week from 8 AM to 8 PM.

Namakdan (Salt) cave
Namakdan (Salt) cave

Awli Gorge

Awli Gorge is another site in Qeshm Geopark with a pristine structure. This magnificent gorge is a phenomenon in geology, and you will be amazed by its beauty and glory.

Although Qeshm is full of deserts and dry lands, this gorge is full of trees and plants, which is a sign that, unlike other zones of Qeshm island, there’s more than plenty of water in this gorge.

Bam Qeshm (the roof of Qeshm)

Bam Qeshm, also known as the roof of Qeshm, is a fascinating landscape and one of the most beautiful sites on the Qeshm geopark’s list. The roof of Qeshm holds an essential place on the Qeshm geopark’s list, and you can consider it to be the mainland of the area because it provides a panoramic view of other sites and has the highest spot on the island.

Bam Qeshm (the roof of Qeshm)
Bam Qeshm (the roof of Qeshm)

Basaeidou

Basaeidou is a village near the Qeshm city of Qeshm island and one of Qeshm Geopark’s sites. This village was the latest land area in Qeshm that the English and Portuguese governments left.

Basaeidou village is full of rare species, gorgeous landscapes, and historical places. You can get a glance at Qeshm Island’s history in this village. A Portuguese castle, a distinct geosite, is located in this village.

Chahkooh Gorge (canyon)

Chahkooh is another site on Qeshm geopark’s list and a fascinating landmark in the land of wonders, Qeshm island. This gorgeous place on Qeshm island is a canyon or gorge with a unique structure caused by natural phenomena, including rain and wind.

Walking around this place, you will see rock formations with fascinating shapes and structures. There are wells in this canyon that were made and dug by humans to water their animals. These wells were used as reservoirs for saving rainwater on rainy days.

Chahkooh Gorge (canyon)
Chahkooh Gorge (canyon)

Guran Park museum

Another geosite recognized and chosen by UNESCO in Qeshm geopark is the Guran Park Museum in Guran village. Guran village has a long history and is located west of Qeshm island. This village has a long history of making boats and participating in the maritime industry.

Make sure you visit this fascinating museum on your visit to Qeshm Island to learn about the importance of the maritime industry in the history of Qeshm Island.

Darre Shur

Darre Shur is another site of Qeshm Geopark’s many sites, one of this island’s unexplored and unknown landmarks. This picturesque landmark remains unknown because of the distance from Qeshm Island. This valley is next to Salakh village, located in the center of an anticline. The oldest sedimentary layers of Qeshm island were found in this valley, which adds to its importance.

Darre Shur
Darre Shur

Dokalan

Dokalan is another recognized geosite in the Qeshm geopark. Dokalan is a region full of striking phenomena that were created by erosion. This geosite is located in the western part of Qeshm island, near the Gouran village we mentioned earlier.

Mangrove (Hara) forests of Qeshm

The evergreen forest of Qeshm island is called Hara forest, and this spectacular place is in the middle of the Persian Gulf waters. The mangrove or Hara forest of Qeshm is one of the several sites of Qeshm geopark that you should visit on your trip to Qeshm island. You have to visit this place by boat or a motorboat. As you pass by the trees, you will see woods that came out of the water, which are the roots of trees. These trees could stay alive and green through centuries by turning the salty waters of the Persian Gulf into fresh water and using them for photosynthesis.

Mangrove (Hara) forests of Qeshm
Mangrove (Hara) forests of Qeshm

Jaziratoo

There are some parts of Qeshm island where you can only see them at low tide. One of these places is Jaziratoo, a rocky coast on Qeshm island recognized as a geosite in Qeshm geopark.

This rocky habitat has provided an ideal homeland for land and marine species. So, you will see various kinds of species in this region.

Portuguese castle

Most sites on the Qeshm geopark’s list are natural, but the Portuguese castle is a historical site from the 16th and 17th centuries. This castle is a fortress and a relic from the attack of the Portuguese army on the southern lands of Iran. This historical site is a vestige from when Portuguese people took over the island. The Portuguese castle shows the island’s history and natural beauty.

Portuguese castle
Portuguese castle

Karyon Gorge

Some narrow and long canyons are in a parallel line on the western part of Qeshm island. All forms of erosion in this canyon and rock layers have been shaped throughout centuries.

At Karyon Gorge, you will see all kinds of natural phenomena that have created a unique landscape and ecosystem.

Hengam island

The magnificent island of Hengam is a small island near Qeshm island and one of Qeshm geopark’s many geosites. Each of these geosites is charming and magnificent, and Hengam Island is no exception. This island is a collection of attractions itself. You can visit several attractions on Hengam island and spend a day of your trip in this charming place.

Hengam island
Hengam island

Kooh kalengi

Kooh Kalengi is one of the most recently added sites to Qeshm Geopark’s collection. This mountain, or if you call it “Kooh,” which means mountain in the Persian language, is located in the center of the Island.

Mount Kalengi or Kooh Kalengi is a mountain where all its land and ground are filled with fossils. This fascinating landscape amazes every visitor.

Naz islands

Naz Island is an archipelago containing two islands located one kilometer from Qeshm Island in the waters of the Persian Gulf. These two magical islands are some of the most glamorous places you can visit on this Island and some of the most beautiful geosites on the Qeshm geopark list. These tidal islands provide the best spot for sightseeing in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormoz, Larak Island, and the coastline of Qeshm Island.

Naz islands
Naz islands

Geolink

Geolink is an area between Darre Shur and Namakdan cave, located on the southern part of the Salakh anticline. This place is considered a distinct site from those two because of its unique structure and natural phenomena that you can find in this area.

You can see the affection that erosion has for natural landmarks in this place and visit the deceptive shapes and structures made by the erosion. You can also see the fantastic marine habitats that you can find on the shoreline of the Persian Gulf and Qeshm Island.

Laft Village

Laft village is another site of Qeshm geopark, one of the most popular tourist attractions and destinations among visitors of Qeshm island. This village is primarily historical and full of relics informing you about the importance of Qeshm Island.

You will see that this island has been through a lot in history, and despite the magnificent scenery, it has a lot to offer in terms of its heritage and history. This village is also one of the places where you can visit the Hara forests of Qeshm.

Laft Village
Laft Village

Museum of Geopark

Museum geopark is recognized as one of the Qeshm geopark’s geosites. This must-visit attraction on Qeshm Island is a museum that showcases more than 3000 specimens, mainly focused on the geological and biological information of Qeshm Island.

You can visit the world’s smallest and biggest mammals taxidermies in the museum geopark. You have to make this place in your trip plan to Qeshm island because it informs you of the geological and historical biography of the island.

Kharbas Cave

Kharbas Cave is important in geological and historical ways and is one of the Qeshm geopark’s geosites. This historic site dates back to the Medes and is surrounded by tall and short coral reefs. This pristine cave is located on the mountain belt of Zagros, and its charming architecture will amaze you with its beauty.

You can visit this cave every day of the week from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Kharbas Cave
Kharbas Cave

Mud Flat

Several mud flats on Qeshm island are one of the most sensitive ecosystems on this island. But on this island’s northern coast, a large mud flat has provided an ideal homeland for numerous aquatic organisms and marine species.

There’s a valuable food chain, the Mudflats of Qeshm island, which are one of the main reasons for UNESCO to register them as an important landscape and to register them as one of the geosites of Qeshm Geopark.

Dolphins Bay

The coasts of Qeshm island are an ideal homeland for all kinds of marine species. The variety of ecosystems has provided land with biodiversity on Qeshm Island. This diversity is seen chiefly in aquatic species and lifestyles.

One kind of valuable and interesting species that you see on Qeshm’s coasts is dolphins. These beautiful animals are a wonder in the food chain in the latest stages of this chain. You can meet several kinds of this cute species on the coasts of Qeshm island.

Dolphins Bay
Dolphins Bay

Ghazi Terrace

Ghazi Terrace is one of the most pristine and natural geosites in Qeshm Geopark, a wonderland for geology students and researchers. The untouched landscapes and natural phenomena on the Ghazi terrace are rare.

The glamorous sights of Ghazi Terrace are why many Iranian and foreign tourists from other countries visit this fabulous landscape every year.

Turtles Nesting Beach

Turtles nesting beach is Shib Deraz village’s coast, another geosite in Qeshm Geopark. This beach is the mainland for nesting and laying eggs of Hawksbill turtles, an endangered species.

The project of protecting the spawning beach of Hawksbill turtles started in 2002, and it is one of the top 10 successful environmental projects worldwide. Because of the danger of extinction that faces this species, you can’t walk on the coast. You are only allowed to visit this coast with the coordination of the site authorities.

Turtles Nesting Beach
Turtles Nesting Beach

Crabs Rock

Crab rock is another fascinating landscape on Qeshm island, one of Qeshm geopark’s geosites. Various kinds of marine species live in this place, but as you may have already noticed from the name, marine crabs symbolize this region.

Different marine sediment layers have shaped this site and created a homeland for marine crabs and other species. You can see the beautiful signs that natural causes have made in this place and the cute and wonderful marine species.

Dokouhak Bird’s Wetland

Dokouhak Bird’s Wetland is another site in Qeshm Geopark, the homeland of more than 120 marine species. Many migratory birds come to this wetland yearly, and you can see them flying over this glamorous landmark.

Final words about Qeshm geopark

The Qeshm Geopark is a collection of Qeshm’s most pristine and picturesque attractions that UNESCO registered. These landmarks honor this land and earth, and visitors should be pleased to visit them. This collection is a collection of Qeshm’s tourist attractions that you can plan your trip to based on.

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