Hormuz Island is a small island in the Strait of Hormuz, about 8 kilometres off the coast of Bandar Abbas, known for its coloured hills, red beaches and the ruins of a Portuguese fort. Most people come for a day from Bandar Abbas. The boat ride is short, and by mid-morning you can be standing in a valley of red and yellow earth.
Often called the “Rainbow Island”, Hormuz is a salt dome. Minerals pushed up from deep underground colour its hills, valleys and shoreline red, ochre, yellow, white and grey. The red earth, known locally as gelak, appears in coastal cliffs, on walking paths and even in local cooking.
You can see the main sights in a day trip from Bandar Abbas or Qeshm, or stay one or two nights to walk the coast at a slower pace. Both islands feature on our 12-day Silk Road tour (southern route).
Contents
Hormuz Island at a Glance
- Location: Strait of Hormuz, Hormozgan Province, about 8 km from Bandar Abbas.
- Size: about 42 square kilometres, small enough to tour by road in a day.
- Getting there: passenger boats from Bandar Abbas, with a less frequent link to Qeshm. There is no airport.
- Best months: November to March.
- Time needed: one full day for the highlights, two nights for the coast and valleys.
For the wider trip, OrientTrips handles travel services such as visa support and hotel bookings. For a guided trip that includes Hormuz and other parts of southern Iran, SURFIRAN arranges tailor-made private tours.
Best Time to Visit Hormuz Island
Hormuz shares the climate of nearby Bandar Abbas: mild winters and long, hot, humid summers. The 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Bandar Abbas show average daytime highs of about 23 to 28°C from December to March. From May to September, highs average 37 to 39°C, with humidity often above 60 percent.
- November to March: the most comfortable months for walking the valleys and beaches. December to February is the coolest period.
- Nowruz (late March): warm and pleasant, but this is the busiest period on the island and on the boats from Bandar Abbas. Book accommodation early.
- April and October: shoulder months. Mornings and late afternoons work well; midday is hot.
- May to September: very hot and humid. Only consider a short visit, with walks at sunrise and sunset.
Winter is also the main rain season, although totals are low. Check the forecast and sea conditions for your dates. For timing across the rest of the country, see our guide to the best time to visit Iran.
How to Get to Hormuz Island
Hormuz has no airport, so every trip ends with a boat crossing. Most travellers reach Bandar Abbas first, then take a passenger boat to the island.
Reaching Bandar Abbas
- By air: the quickest option. Bandar Abbas has domestic flights from Tehran and other major cities. Qeshm also has an airport if you plan to combine the two islands. You can book a flight to either city.
- By train or bus: both run from Tehran to Bandar Abbas. Both are long overnight rides. Take them if you prefer to travel overland.
Boats from Bandar Abbas
Passenger boats to Hormuz leave from the Shahid Haghani passenger port in central Bandar Abbas and arrive at the pier next to Hormuz village. The crossing is short, usually under an hour, and boats run through the day.
Buy tickets at the port and carry your passport, which you will also need for hotel check-in. Sailings are cancelled in strong winds or rough seas, so leave some slack in your plans and confirm the last return boat before you set out on a day trip.
Boats from Qeshm
A passenger service also links Hormuz with Shahid Zakeri port on Qeshm. It runs far less often than the Bandar Abbas boats, typically once a day in each direction, so check the current timetable locally before relying on it. Many travellers instead visit Hormuz on a day trip from Bandar Abbas and stay on Qeshm separately.
Getting Around the Island
Local drivers with tuk-tuks (three-wheeled motorbikes) and cars wait at the pier and offer round-island tours. Agree the route, stops and price before you set off. You can hire a driver for a short loop of an hour or two, or for the whole day. Some sites, such as parts of the coast, are best reached on foot.
Top Sights on Hormuz Island
One day covers the main sights on a round-island drive. With more time, you can walk the quieter valleys and beaches at sunrise and sunset, when the colours are strongest.
Rainbow Valley and Rainbow Mountains
The coloured hills that give Hormuz its nickname cover much of the island’s interior. The Rainbow Valley, reached from the main road, is the easiest place to see bands of red, yellow, ochre and white side by side. Wear good shoes: the slopes are loose and crumbly in places.
Red Beach
Red Beach (Sahel-e Sorkh) is a stretch of shore where iron-rich red sand meets the sea. Breaking waves carry the sediment and tint the water near the shore red.
Come in the late afternoon, when the low sun deepens the colour.
Valley of the Statues
A few hundred metres from the coast, wind and rain have carved soft rock into tall, rounded shapes. Use your imagination and you will see a dragon, birds and other mythical creatures. Go early or late in the day, as there is little shade.
Silence Valley
A short walk of a few hundred metres leads into Silence Valley, where hills streaked with salt crystals block out wind and road noise.
Switch your phone off for ten minutes and listen.
Portuguese Fort
The Fort of Our Lady of the Conception stands on a rocky promontory on the north coast, close to the village. The Portuguese built it in red stone after taking the island in 1507. Most of the roof has collapsed, but large sections of the outer walls survive, along with traces of the moat that once cut the fort off from the rest of the island.
Nadalian Museum
The museum of environmental artist Ahmad Nadalian opened in 2009, first as the Paradise Art Centre. It shows his rock carvings and paintings made with the island’s natural pigments, alongside work by local women and objects made from recycled materials.
Turtle Beach
Researchers have recorded hawksbill turtles nesting on beaches along the south and east of Hormuz, with nesting in spring. The beach known locally as Turtle Beach is on the quieter side of the island and is often reached by boat. Keep your distance, avoid lights at night and never touch nests or hatchlings.
Mangroves
Hormuz has a mangrove (hara) forest in its tidal zone. Larger mangrove areas grow on Qeshm and around Chabahar. The island is also an Important Bird Area, with species such as Saunders’s tern and sooty gull.
Diving and Snorkelling
Local operators run half-day dive and snorkel trips in the shallow waters around the island, with equipment and an instructor provided. Ask about the operator’s certification and the day’s sea conditions before you book.
A Short History of Hormuz
The ancient Greeks knew the island as Organa, and in the Islamic period it was called Jarun. It took the name Hormuz from the trading port of Hormuz on the mainland, whose rulers moved to the island. Marco Polo described the mainland port in his travels, and Ibn Battuta later visited both old and New Hormuz. In the 15th century, the Chinese fleet of Zheng He called at Hormuz several times.
Afonso de Albuquerque captured the island for Portugal in 1507, and the Portuguese built the fort to control shipping between the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. In 1622, a combined Persian and English East India Company force expelled them. Shah Abbas I then developed the mainland port that became Bandar Abbas, and Hormuz declined. After a period of Omani administration in the 19th century, it remained a quiet fishing island until tourism grew in recent decades.
Where to Stay on Hormuz Island
Accommodation on Hormuz is simple: a few small hotels, guesthouses, hostels and eco-lodges, mostly in and around the village. There are no large international-style hotels. If you want more choice, stay in Bandar Abbas or on Qeshm and visit Hormuz for the day. Book ahead for winter weekends and Nowruz.
A note from me: I have toured Hormuz, but I stayed on Qeshm, so I have not slept on the island myself. If you have stayed somewhere on Hormuz that should be on this list, tell me in the comments and I will update the article.
Hotels
Sahel Sorkh Hotel (Red Beach Hotel)
A small hotel with suite-style rooms and a restaurant serving local and seafood dishes. Check current room facilities and prices when you book.
Hormoz Hotel
A hotel near the island’s main pier with standard rooms and a restaurant serving Iranian dishes. Its location is handy if you arrive late or leave on an early boat.
Eco-Lodges and Guesthouses
Eco-lodges and local guesthouses make up much of the island’s accommodation. They are usually family-run and cost less than the hotels. You eat what the family cooks, often fish with local sauces, and you spend your evenings with island people rather than other tourists.
Majara Residence
Majara is a seaside complex of domed cottages built with the colours of the island’s soil. It sits close to the sea and within easy reach of the village. Read our full guide to the residence for more detail.
Camping
Some travellers camp on the beaches. Ask locals about tides before you pitch a tent, as the water can rise quickly. Take all rubbish back with you.
The Edible Red Soil and Local Dishes
Hormuz soils come in red, yellow, white, ochre, brown and other tones. Locals use the red soil, gelak, as a seasoning, and island artists paint with the coloured earths. Overuse of the ochre has damaged parts of the island, and Iran’s Department of Environment has taken action to stop its removal.
The best-known local preparation is suragh, a fish sauce. Fresh sardines, kilka or a fish called momagh are cleaned, marinated with sour orange peel and left in the sun for two days before cooking. The red soil also goes into tomshi, a local bread that Hormuz bakers make with suragh. Order seafood cooked with these local sauces at least once. The red soil gives them a taste you will not find on the mainland. For more on Iranian cooking, see our guide to Iranian foods.
Cafés and Restaurants on Hormuz Island
Most places to eat are small, family-run and close to the village. Menus centre on seafood and southern Iranian dishes. Opening hours change with the season, so ask your host what is open.
Khonji Zadeh Restaurant
A traditional restaurant known for its seafood dishes.
Khale Fatemeh and Khalu Shahriar’s Eatery
A traditional dining hall serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with seafood and Iranian dishes.
Golak Café (Sormeh Café)
A café popular with visitors, serving drinks and local dishes.
Saboura Café
Part of Saboura Hostel in the centre of the village. The owner is a warm, friendly host. Sit out the midday heat here with a glass of tegari.
Badiel Local Restaurant
A family-run restaurant where guests eat in the family courtyard. The short menu focuses on well-known local dishes.
Seleydon Farm and Organic Café
An organic café near Sahel Sorkh Hotel, convenient if you are staying nearby.
Mash Masoumeh Restaurant
A traditional restaurant run by a local woman, serving seafood and Iranian dishes. Try the fish stew, ghalieh mahi.
Practical Tips for Hormuz
- Carry cash. Foreign bank cards do not work in Iran, and small businesses on the island rarely take cards of any kind.
- Dress for sun and wind. Bring light, breathable clothing, sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat and plenty of water, even in winter.
- Wear sturdy shoes. Valley paths are uneven and the coloured slopes crumble underfoot.
- Bring a power bank. Charging points can be limited away from the village.
- Leave the soil where it is. Do not collect coloured soil, sand or rocks. Removal damages the island, and the authorities act against it.
- Check the tides. Ask locals before beach walks or camping.
- Respect village life. Hormuz is a working community. Dress modestly in the village, keep noise down and ask before photographing people.
For entry requirements, see our guide to the Iran tourist visa.
Combine the islands with a longer route
Our 12-day southern Silk Road tour starts on Qeshm and includes Hormuz, Bam, Yazd and Isfahan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I stay on Hormuz Island?
One full day covers the main sights on a round-island drive. Stay one or two nights if you want to walk the valleys and beaches at sunrise and sunset.
What are the main attractions on Hormuz Island?
The Rainbow Valley, Red Beach, the Valley of the Statues, Silence Valley, the Portuguese Fort and the Nadalian Museum.
Can you stay on Hormuz Island?
Yes. The island has a few small hotels, guesthouses, hostels and eco-lodges. Many visitors stay in Bandar Abbas or on Qeshm and come for the day.
How do you get to Hormuz Island?
Take a passenger boat from the Shahid Haghani port in Bandar Abbas. The crossing is usually under an hour. A less frequent service links Hormuz with Qeshm.
Does Hormuz Island have an airport?
No. Fly to Bandar Abbas or Qeshm, then continue by boat.
When is the best time to visit Hormuz Island?
November to March, when daytime highs are mostly in the low to high 20s °C. Summer is very hot and humid.
Why is Hormuz Island red?
The island is a salt dome rich in iron oxide minerals. The iron-rich red earth, known locally as gelak, colours its hills and beaches.
Does anyone live on Hormuz Island?
Yes. Hormuz has a permanent local community, mostly in the village by the pier, where fishing and tourism are the main livelihoods.
I must visit your country.Rainbow Island is absolutely beautiful and I have never heard anything about it before now.Truly awesome and only God could could create such beauty!