Hendorabi Island

Hendorabi Island is one of Iran's islands in the Persian Gulf. It belongs to Kish District in Bandar Lengeh County, Hormozgan Province, in southern Iran. The island is flat, low-lying land with almost no natural relief. Hendorabi lies between Kish Island and Lavan Island and covers about 23 square kilometres. It is 9 km from Chiruyeh Port, 28 km from Kish Island and 133 km from Bandar Lengeh. As for the origin of the name, old documents refer to the island as Abrun. The Dutch also named it Horn in 1645. According to a local legend, Hend and Rabi were a pair of lovers who came to this island and lived here together.

The island has diverse wildlife. The northern coasts are full of coral. Falcons and hawks can also be seen in the area, but fish and other marine life are even more varied. These include surgeonfish, yellowfin tuna, unicornfish, picasso triggerfish, sailor fish and parrotfish, all of them small and colourful.

At the northern and southern sites of the island you can go jet skiing, diving and banana boat riding. The northern parts of the island are shallower than the rest, at a depth of 5 to 8 metres, while the eastern and southern coasts are 8 to 18 metres deep. So the northern coasts are the better choice for diving and swimming. On the eastern coast, you have a good chance of seeing many starfish. Those who plan to camp mostly choose the southern coasts. Other activities on the island include riding 4-wheel quad bikes around the island, on the motorbike track, and going on safari. Overall, Hendorabi's tourist attractions include its pristine beaches, coastal caves, the Jame Mosque, the island's traditional local and village architecture, the water reservoir (ab-anbar) and the Hendorabi cemetery.

Most of the island's population are of Arab descent and speak Arabic and Persian. Most residents make their living from fishing and diving. The island has a village called Hendorabi, and near it you can see the ruins of a settlement called Al-Dorat. About one kilometre southwest of the village there are also the remains of another settlement known as Al-Sarrat, where various artefacts from very ancient times have been found. Water sources on the island are very limited, and drinking water is supplied by a desalination plant. There are no grocery stores, fruit shops or even bakeries on the island, and all the daily necessities of its residents are brought in from the village ports near Hendorabi or from Kish and Lavan islands.

One of the island's attractions is watching turtles lay their eggs, from mid-Esfand to mid-Khordad. However, the best season to visit the island is considered to be from Azar to Farvardin. At other times of the year, one-day tours to the island also run from Kish, but because of the humidity and high temperatures in summer, few people travel here then. Under a resolution of the Department of Environment, given the island's important and sensitive role in the breeding of hawksbill turtles, which are globally endangered, all camping and tent pitching on the island is limited year-round to the designated area on the island's eastern beach. In addition, entry to all of the island's sandy beaches, at any hour of the day or night, is strictly prohibited for six months during the hawksbill nesting season, from the 15th of Bahman to the 15th of Mordad.