Qeshm is the largest island in the Persian Gulf, with rocky coastlines that protects a mountainous and often beautiful interior.

Understand

The coast is dotted with small villages and towns. Qeshm Island is free duty zone. The island is a designated UNESCO Global Geopark. The extremely relaxed pace and incredible landscapes can be a welcome relief from the opulence of tourist attractions in the main cities.

Get in

By boat

If you are coming from Bandar Abbas the simplest way is to get on a speedboat or ferry at main harbour, Shahid Haqani Passenger Port. There are lots of them departing each few minutes, dependent on weather. The ride takes between 30 to 60 minutes depending on the boat. The rate for the ferry was 130.000 IRR for the slower boat, 150.000 IRR for the faster boat in May 2017. You need to show Iranian visa in your passport to purchase a ticket.

A car ferry leaves regularly from Bander-e-Pol, about 60km west of Bandar Abbas. It is allowed to go on the island with a foreign vehicle (they will want to see your Carnet de passage).

By bus

Qeshm and its mainland port at Bandar Abbas are linked to all major cities in Iran by bus, both VIP and mahmooly. If you are traveling from other cities, it is easier to book a direct bus to Qeshm instead of going to Bandar Abbas and then take the ferry. Note that the buses coming from the west don’t take the ferry from Bandar Abbas to Qeshm but cross more west towards Laft. Also, the buses might drop you off near Dargahan from where a shared Taxi to Qeshm shouldn’t be more than 50.000 Rials per person. Especially the buses to Qeshm might be means of transport for oil too. Beware that the oil might leak into the luggage room of the bus and get your luggage soaked in. To be on the safe side, get your luggage wrapped in plastic bags or foil before boarding a bus to Qeshm. As of September 2014 a VIP night bus including a chicken kebab with rice from Shiraz to Qeshm Island cost 360.000 Rial and took about 9,5 hours. In Janaury 2017 mahmooly bus from Yazd was 290.000 IRR per person overnight, around 10 hours.

By plane

There are flights from major cities (Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Mashhad) to Qeshm International Airport by Qeshm Air, Aseman Airlines and Mahan Air. The airport is located in the middle of the island, near Direstan. Internal flights are cheap in Iran but essentially impossible to book unless you speak Farsi and have an Iranian credit card: try and get a local or your hotel to help you. Expect to pay around USD$30-60 for flights to and from Qeshm from major cities in Iran. There is a daily flight from Dubai that costs about US$ 40. Unlike Kish Island you need a visa for Iran if you are arriving from another country, you don’t get it on arrival.

Get around

Qeshm Island is very long (approximately 150kms from east to west), and its main attractions are far away from each other, and therefore taxis and private drivers are strongly recommended. When going outside of Qeshm city it is safest to get yourself a private taxi that drives you around and back later as it might be hard to find a taxi somewhere on the island.

The cheapest and safest way to get a taxi is through a hotel or through your homestay, but hailing them off the streets is easy. Haggling is recommended but some drivers will give quote the exact rate (be wise and distinguish between these two behaviours): hotel staff cab advise in advance of the legitimate rates to destinations. With the Saman Taxi company as of September 2014 a Taxi cost 200.000 Rial per hour. Usually a full day with a private driver costs 1.000.000-1.500.000 IRR.

Hitchhiking may be doable and some locals understand the word hitch (though pronunciations vary from hitch to heetch). In emergencies wave to any vehicle to attract a lift (but remember, don’t show a “thumb up” sign as its considered an obscene gesture. The driver might ask you to pay but you can refuse and just find another car as there is plenty of traffic.

See

Chahkouh Valley at Qeshm Island UNESCO Global Geopark

Qeshm Island is renowned for its natural beauty, and more recently for its designation as a UNESCO Geopark, which promotes sustainable development alongside preservation of geological heritage. The western park of th island, some hundreds of square kilometres, constitutes the Qeshm Geopark. To get the most from the Geosites, you should book a knowledgable driver, a local tour guide or ask your homestay host. If you’re looking at the 2012 Lonely Planet be careful: the Avaye Tabiate Paydar Institute does not exist.

  • Hara Marine Forests (Mangrove Jungle), (turn right off the main road when you see a boat sculpture). According to environmentalists, about 1.5% of the world birds and 25% of Iran’s native birds annually migrate to Hara forests, which is a national park. It’s a vast mangrove tree forest that depending on if it’s high or low tide partially grows under water. You can rent small open top speed boats there to take you around and into the many water ways in the forest. While it is possible to go at low tide, boats can only actually go inside the forests at high tide so it is advisable to time your visit there. The cost for a boat as of July 2016 is 700.000 Rial, and boats seat up to six people. The boat driver will go at high speeds if you ask! Souvenirs and a small restaurant serving mainly locally caught fish at the site of boat rental. 
  • Qeshm desertA bit west of Qeshm there is a small but beautiful desert part with super soft sand and actual dunes. It’s accessible by a 4×4 car, while locals also go in there with their mopeds. Access it from Qeshm city or alternatively it’s possible to go from the small street that goes off the main highway towards the Kharbas caves. Follow the street beyond the caves into the flat terrain in the middle of the island and then follow the off road ways eastwards. It turns off-road quickly, but the landscape is stunning to see. 
  • Namakdan salt cave & domeLocated in the Geopark on the west of the island, around 100km from Qeshm town, these incredible salt caves are worth a visit. The gate keeper will give you head torches to enter the caves. You can visit the main cave which is near the car park without a guide, but there are numerous other caves in the network which are several km walk away. It is recommended you have a local guide to show you through the caves and the desert between underground sites. Free entry **Visiting Cave #1 is open to the public but for visiting ,Cave #3 you must obtain permission from the Geopark management ** 
  • Star ValleysBeautifully surreal valley that is untouched nature. Awesome spot to take photos. It’s nice and quiet and a perfect spot to enjoy the sunset. They close at 7 but as sunset usually is not later than 6 there is enough time to get back to the entrance by then. Probably not too accessible in flip flops. As of July 2016, entrance fee is 30.000 Rial pp. **Please note that Stars valley is closed on Saturdays**  
  • Chahkouh Valley, (Around 15km west of Tabl). One of the most famous Geosites is this spectacular series of valleys. The amazing rock formations were created by water running through the valley at various speeds, resulting in twisted formations, deep holes and narrow passages. The valley is a short walk (~500m) from the car parking but wear proper shoes so you can scramble up the steep sides – a good local guide will show you a route to the top where you have amazing view of the valley, and of the tourists far below. Make sure you drink from the char, a well which has been used by travellers and shepherds for centuries. Free entry. 
  • Laft Historical PortThe historic part of Laft is on the northern part of the island. There are beautiful badgir (wind catching towers like in Yazd) and old houses. 
  • Portuguese CastleCentrally located in Qeshm Town near the port, this historic castle is partially intact but there is not much to see here. 
  • Naaz islands.
There are no inhabitants on these islands, and only local fishermen have created several shades for their resting place on the islands. It is also worth mentioning that the area is one of the favorite destinations for tourists.
naaz Islands is located 22 km from Qeshm and 1 km from the east coast of the island. The total area of ​​the islands is about 3 hectares, and there are no sandy beaches, as well as rocky walls with a height of five to ten meters around it. The island is completely flat
At the time of the tide, for a short time, slabs of land will connect the cute island to Qeshm Beach. There are no inhabitants on these islands, and only local fishermen have created several shades for their breaks in the islands.
The naaz Island, some 50 years ago, has a residential aspect and is used more as a fishermen’s storehouse. But gradually, this aspect of the user has been reduced, and now it is only used as a place for fishing.
The best time to go to the  Islands is a little before dusk, so you can see this beautiful island and its sunny day, and also see the underwater swimming of half the naaz island and the sandy island between the naaz island and the beach of Qeshm, because of the fashion at dusk. .
The natives of Qeshm also called these islands. Two, where half a day is inside the water and half a day is connected to the dry land. As it was mentioned, at the time of the tide and with the full recovery of the sea water, for a short time, the slopes of the land, the island naaz to Qeshm Beach.
  • Kharbas cavesThe Khorbas cave is placed in 10 km away and south west of Qeshm city. Khorbas Cave is a natural cave and its small passageways are created by erosion. then, in the historical periods, these small passageways have been expanded and improved. According to its architectural and rocky form and numerous historical monuments and sites around it, we can say that it belongs to the historical period of (Parthian and Sassanid most likely).
  • Crocodile farm
  • Qeshm roof
  • Bukhow Mountain.
  • Basira Mountain.
  • See all of island with Small Plane

Do

  • Meet friendly people and listen to the traditional music.
  • Embrace village life with homestay instead of staying in a hotel
  • Hiking around the islands
  • Speedboat to Hengam Island to watch the dolphins
  • Diving and swimming in Persian Gulf – but if you’re a woman, your hijab and clothing must remain!

Buy

Qeshm is a duty free zone, meaning it is possible to buy things here free of duty. Here there are many bazaars in Qeshm and the near town of Dargahan where shirts cost around $US2 and trousers for $US5.

Eat

  • Iranian cuisine — in the city centre or the main town named Dergahaan has a wide array of conventional eatery-stalls and restaurants. those eateries serve almost all Iranian cuisine with some speciality dishes of Qeshm. The most common item is the Iranian variant of the shewerma, or Arabic meat sandwich. Kebabs and other Iranian dishes are available.
  • Restaurant Shabhaye TalaiPark e Zeytoon (in the Park e Zeytoon),  ۰۹۳۶ ۳۹ ۷۴ ۱۰۳,. ۶-۲ pmOne of the best restaurants in Qeshm. It serves seafood, traditional Iranian food and fast food in town. Also you can enjoy a fine tea with a marvellous shisha. It is located directly at the beach of Park e Zeyton and has a fantastic view on the Persian Gulf.Sometimes there is live music in the South-Iranian Bandari style, the crowd just loves it. The owners speak English and German and of course Persian. Foreign travellers are more than welcome and get the best service also for arranging tours etc or other important information.  edit
  • One of the best restaurants is named “Nights of Island” in pardis junction. This restaurant has a great view to the Hormoz island and the sea.
  • Omid’s house in Soheyli has amazing seafood – ask your driver to take you, there is no signage or street names!

Drink

Like mainland Iran, alcoholic beverages are not served on the Island. The tea is light, good in taste and is kept at every home, shop and other social places. The Pepsi from Dubai is served with many meals, and is much better than the mainland.

  • Qeshm International Hotel, Bahman Blvd.,
  • Tolla International Hotel۱۰ kms away from the city center and approximately an hour from the Qeshm International Airport, which makes this hotel very calm and a little secluded. The hotel is comparably cheap and has an extensive courtyard area for walking or jogging. Tree-lined walkways and the long benches installed on the sides are best for the evening stroll and rest. It also has a couple of restaurants serves a nominal but satisfactory Iranian cuisine, and most widely Indian and continental cuisine, a couple of coffee shops, a videoke (Video Karaoke Bar) and an internet cafe (bandwidth speed is slow). 
  • Shabhaye TalaiPark e Zeytoon, available after 11am,. checkin: ۱۳:۰۰; checkout: ۱۱:۰۰Right in the Park and just 30 meter from the beach this place is best located to go for a swim, snorkel or take a dive to enjoy the corals and watch the fishes.Women can borrow swimwear and the showers are directly at the beach so nobody has to worry about wet clothes. The rooms are in mobile trailers, but very comfortable and almost like in a hotel. Backpackers really like this place a lot and you can meet people from all kinds of countries.
  • Plus hotelImam Khomeini Square,. Located in the center of the city of Logheer Qeshm, Imam Khomeini Square, founded in 2011, it was completely rebuilt in 2014. The destination of a large number of historical landmarks and attractions such as the Aquarium, Olive Beach can reach the park, The Portuguese castle and the Sea of Nelligan and commercial centers in less than five minutes. 
  • friend’s homeSuza, Qeshm Island“friend’s Home” is a house with a native architecture of the South in the historic Souza port on the southern coast of the beautiful Qeshm island. • This historic house has been transformed into a wildlife resort and is a place for tourists to stay and experience the native environment of a relaxed and memorable environment. This building has two VIP rooms (Wind catcher Towers), and 10 traditional rooms and spaces such as Cactus Garden, Nakhlistan Restaurant, Fantastic Platform, Handicraft Store, Hejle (Bride’s room) Photographic studio and Traditional living room(MILES) and provides a space full of native life to serve the Iranian and foreign guests and tourists. ۱۰-۲۰$ per person a night
  • ABAN Cheap HotelLine Golestan,Qadim Baazar,Imam Street, Qeshm Island,. ABAN Cheap Hotel at the Center of Qeshm City in Qeshm Island, Located in Qeshm Qadim bazar Near to the city’s other Shopping Centers A nice and clean place located hotel opposite the Persian Gulf. Prices include also a good breakfast, the staff speaks good english and is very nice & helpful. Internet and Wi-Fi is available. All in all a very good choice for budget travellers coming to Qeshm. 

Get out

Head to one of the surrounding islands by speedboat: Hormoz is highly recommended as a day trip for its amazing geology (from Qeshm Town port) whilst Hengam Island is known for its dolphins (2 hour round trip by speedboat from near Shib Deraz).