Portuguese Castle

The Fort of Our Lady of the Conception, also known as the Portuguese Castle is mainly in the peripheral areas of the Persian Gulf, Qeshm Port, Kong, Oman, Ra’s al-Khaimah, in Qeshm, Hormoz Island and other places. The Portuguese Castle, is a red stone fortress on Hormuz Island, Iran. It is one of the last surviving monuments of Portuguese colonial rule in the Persian Gulf. The castle was originally cut off from the rest of the island by a moat, traces of which still remain. Although most of the roof caved in long ago, much of the lower part of the very substantial outer walls is intact, with the remains lying on different levels of the site.

Stars Valley

Located near Berkehkhalaf Village, not far from the Town of Qeshm, the Star Valley is at present the most visited among all Geosites. The Star Valley is a unique example among all Geosites to study erosion. The local name for this area is “Estalah-kaftah” which means “the Fallen Star”. The reason for naming this area as such is that the locals believe that once upon a time a sky meteor has hit the earth at this site and as a result of this collision, the stones and soil have been thrown in the air and been frozen, forming these geological structures. There are also local beliefs regarding the presence of Ghosts and “Jinns” in this valley during the dark which may be due to the unusual geological forms and wind blowing into the Valley at night. The geological morphology of this site is the result of erosion by rainstorms, wind and gravity on various layers.

Harra (Mangrove) Protected Area

Harra Protected Area is a collection of green Mangrove or Harra coastal trees and are considered the sights with their streams, beautiful birds and intact wild nature in Hormozgan Province. Harra complex in the north west of Qeshm is known as biosphere reservoir for its international significance. This protected area has an area of 85, 86 hectares and also one of the 11 biosphere reservoirs in Iran. Harra is a plant from the family of verbena.

The Salt Dome

The Salt Dome is located on the south western part of Qeshm island, and hosts the longest salt cave of the world (Namakdan Cave) that has 6 km length. Salt domes are formed when a huge amount of salt moves towards the earth’s surface due to its light structure compared to its surrounding structures. The Salt domes have many interesting aspects such as salt falls, salt springs and salt caves, with various geological formations that have been prone to erosion and dissolution processes. Some of the most amazing structures that may be found inside the Salt Cave are Stalactites and Stalagmites, as well as salt crystals (needle-shaped, round, or multi-facet) formed by sedimentation of salt. Another interesting phenomenon around the Salt Dome, is the presence of very shiny and silvery particles, reflecting the presence of Oligist (a type of Iron oxide) that may be observed on the sandy beaches, creating a beautiful landscape.

Chahkouh Valley

There are two valleys plumbed on each other vertically. It is a narrow valley with vertical rims and wonderful formations, which seems to be representing a creative artist’s demonstration. This valley which has been created in a layer of sand and due to the existence of marl layers, silt and lime and their dissolving erosion in holes, several beautiful ruts have been created. Since the floor of the valley is the place on which water flows after each time raining, the locals have graved well (Chah in Persian) on it to make use of water