Bandar Abbas, as the greatest Iranian port; is the capital of Hormozgan Province locating at north of the strategic Strait of Hormoz, Minab and Rudan in the east, Bandar Lengeh, Bandar Khamir in the west and the Persian Gulf and Qeshm Island in the south.
Bandar Abbas has a hot and dry desert climate with temperatures reaching 49 °C in summers. The earliest record of Bandar Abbas is during the reign of Darius the Great (550-486 BC) when his commander Salicus sailed from Bandar Abbas to India and the Red Sea. Bandar Abbas was known as Hormirzad, when Alexander of Macedonia (356-323 BC) invaded the Persian Empire.
In 1514 the Portuguese occupied Bandar Abbas, naming it Comorão because of many lobsters and crabs on its shores. In 1622, Safavid King Shah Abbas I (1571-1629) backed by the British and through the efforts of his commander Imam Qoli Khan liberated the city and named it “Bandar Abbas” as the honor of this victory.
Bandar Abbas is currently a strategic and commercial center in the vicinity of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea and it is considered as the location where main bases of the Iranian Navy have been founded. It is also a fishing port and has a lively fish market.
Among the whole attractions of Bandar Abbas, the following sites are considered as the most highlighted ones by “Iran Negin Travel”: Kolah Farangi Pavilion, Delgosha Jame Mosque, Galedari Mosque, Qajar (1785-1925) mansions such as the Galedari House, Ahmadi House, the Safavid (1501–1736) Latidan Bridge, and a traditional bazaar.
Bandar Abbas beach, Pol Salt Dome and Khersin Salt Cave are some of the city’s famed natural attractions. The city has numerous thermal springs in its vicinity which have therapeutic properties most notably Khorgou, Bari, Nian and Genoo Thermal Springs.
Bandar Abbas is also close to the islands of Hormoz, Qeshm and Lark. Hormoz Island is a known bird watching destination, Qeshm is an island with thousands of years of history and breathtaking natural attractions, and Lark is a volcanic fishing island.