Indian Ocean · Iran
Qeshm & Hengam Island
A sunken supertanker off Larak and a deep coral field at Espringi
Diving is one of the most popular things to do on Qeshm and the islands around it, in the Persian Gulf off southern Iran. Training dives start close to the island at Takht-e Jamshid, while the longer days head for the supertanker wreck off Larak, the coral field at Espringi and the barracuda site at Doobeh near Suza. Hengam, a short boat ride from Qeshm, adds dolphin watching to a day on the water.
About diving in Qeshm & Hengam Island
Dive days start on Qeshm. Training and first dives happen close to the island at Takht-e Jamshid, and the longer days go out by boat; Espringi lies 16 km off the coast. Island-hopping trips leave Qeshm in the morning for Larak, and some sail on to Hengam, about 2 km (1.2 miles) away, where the next day mixes a dive, a visit to the coral belts and a search for dolphins before the return to Qeshm.
The terrain mixes coral, rock and steel. Out at Espringi the coral field holds fan corals, lionfish, grouper, rays, seahorses and sharks, and the supertanker that sank near Larak brings in the steel. Near Zeytoon Beach one site is strewn with rocks, and the waters around Takht-e Jamshid are known for their coral reefs and colourful fish. Qeshm lies within the Qeshm Island UNESCO Global Geopark, whose key geosite is the Namakdan Salt Cave.
Newcomers have an easy start: the near-shore sites have gentle currents, and the beach site opposite Zeytoon Park takes divers from 8 years old on try dives of 15 to 20 minutes. The trade-off is visibility of only 2 to 6 m close to shore, against 15 to 25 m out at Espringi. Very strong currents at Espringi rule it out for beginners, and the Larak wreck asks for divers with the skills to dive deep.
Best time to dive Qeshm & Hengam Island
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
The sea is at its coolest in February, at about 23 °C (73 °F), and feels only quite warm from December through April. It warms through May, and from June to October it feels unpleasantly warm, even stifling, peaking near 33 °C (91 °F) in July and August. November brings it back down to merely warm, and from December the quite-warm stretch begins again.
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, November, December
Dive types & marine life
Large barracuda are possible rather than certain at Doobeh. Around Hengam, dolphins take luck to find on the trips that go out looking for them after a dive.
- Wreck
- Coral garden
- Barracuda
- Dolphins
Best dive sites in Qeshm & Hengam Island
- 1
Larak Super Tanker Ship Wreck
Sunken supertanker near Larak, one of the most popular dives in the area.
- 2
Espringi
Extensive coral field dived as deep as 48 m, swept by very strong current.
- 3
Doobeh
Site near the village of Suza, down to 22 m, where large barracuda show up.
- 4
Valley of Stars
Seabed with no fish but groups of starfish spread across it.
- 5
Takht-e Jamshid
Site near Qeshm where many centres run beginner and professional dive courses.
- 6
Naz Islands
Rocky islets off eastern Qeshm, a shallow site of 2 to 5 m.
Site guides
Coral garden
An extensive coral field with fan corals, far off the Qeshm coast
Three islets, each with its own shallow dive
How to get to Qeshm & Hengam Island
Qeshm has its own international airport, with domestic flights from Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad and Shiraz and international flights from Dubai. Ferries also cross to the island from the main harbour at Bandar Abbas on the mainland.
Photos from Qeshm & Hengam Island
ninara · CC BY-SA 2.0
Questions divers ask
What experience does the Larak supertanker wreck need?+
Solid diving experience and the skills to dive deep near the wreck, since visibility is not always good there and currents sometimes run strong.
Can beginners learn to dive on Qeshm?+
Yes. Many centres on Qeshm run beginner and professional courses at Takht-e Jamshid, a coral site close to the island; Espringi, with its very strong current, is not recommended for beginners.
Where do dolphin trips to Hengam leave from?+
Dolphin-watching tours from Qeshm start at the port of Shib Deraz; dive trips that reach Hengam also go looking for dolphins after the dive.
Sources
- Explore the Best Diving Spots in Qeshm Island — SURFIRAN
- Qeshm — Wikivoyage
- Qeshm — Wikipedia
- Hengam Island — Wikipedia
- Qeshm Average Sea Temperatures — Sea Temperatures
- Larak Super Tanker Ship Wreck — SSI
- Takht-e Jamshid — Scubago
- Persian Gulf Islands — Visit Our Iran
Photo credits
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