Hendurabi Island

Hendorabi is one of the islands in Persian Gulf and it is a part of Hormozgan province in the south of Iran. Hendorabi Island, which is 7 miles long and 4 miles wide, with an area of 8.22 square kilometers, is located 325 kilometers away from Bandar Abbas and 133 kilometers away from Bandar-e Lengeh. This island is 23 kilometers away from Kish and it is located between Lavan and Kish islands.

Hendorabi is a flat island. In its highest point, it is 29 meters high and its largest diameter is 7.5 kilometers. It is covered with a series of short altitudes and its shores lead to the sea with a moderate slope. There aren’t any industrial activities, mines and underground resources’ exploitation or even handicrafts in this island. Hendorabi is one of the subsets of Kish island in terms of tourism. Considering the natural facilities and talent of this island in terms of water, soil, climate, and special trading conditions of Kish and having natural beauty, this island is able to provide a part of the needs of Iran’s tourism. There are different types of animal in this island. The density of corals on the northern coast of Hendurabi has made this island a very important habitat for a variety of aquatic species in the region. There are colorful and different aquatic species such as different types of Mussidae, Tangs, Yellowfin tuna, uniques, Lagoon triggerfish, Indo-Pacific sergeant, and parrot fish.

One of the attractions in this island is watching turtles laying eggs from mid-March to mid-June. The island’s environment is limited to some creatures such as different types of small birds, migratory birds like Northern Goshawk and Falcon and some types of reptiles and rats. 

Proximity to the sea often leads to the increase in humidity and rainfall. However, in all Persian Gulf’s shores, proximity to the sea has little effect on rainfall. 

In this island water supply sources are really limited and the water consumption is supplied through wells and reservoirs. The wells’ water is pretty fresh and in some rare cases it can be used when the water for drinking is insufficient. Most houses in the island are old and are made of stone, mud, and plaster. The island’s water is supplied from wells or reservoirs so if you are planning to travel to Hendorabi, take enough water with yourself.

In Hendorabi island, there is a village called Hendrabi and a ruined village near it which is called Dorat. Also, there is another ruined village which is called Sarat 1 kilometer away in southwest of Hendrabi village. Many ancient things were found in these ruins. 

During the years when the Portuguese controlled the southern regions of Iran, the island of Hendorabi was also one of their military and commercial bases, and they established defense and residential buildings and facilities there. The ruins of the Portuguese village and a fortress can be seen today near the current village of the island.

In 1212 AH, during the kingdom of Fath Ali Shah Qajar, Hendurabi was one of the provinces of Fars.

Next to the ruins of Durat and Sarat, there is an old cemetery, a cemetery which is completely different from common cemeteries in the country. In this cemetery, which was also considered a "Portuguese" cemetery, the sex of the buried person was determined by a piece of stone. If there was one stone on top of a grave it shows the person who was buried was male and if there were 2 stones you will understand that the person who was buried was female.

In this island there is a beautiful small mosque with a single minaret which is because of Sunni people. This is the only mosque in the island. Due to the climatic conditions of Hendurabi, by using the combination of cement and soil, the mosque has preserved its own traditional texture.

It is thought that this is a vacant island but according to the census which was done in 2016, the population of Hendurabi island was 191 people, including 141 men and 50 women. Indigenous houses had one floor and were built with mortal and coral stones and the exterior of the houses was covered with thatch. Most of the residents are Sunni and they communicate in Arabic and Persian. Most of the people in Hendurabi are fishermen, divers and pearl hunters. 

In this island cat is a symbol of luck and resistance. Some people believe that in the scorching hot weather of Hendurabi, among the animals cat was so lucky as it was able to be alive; and some others believe that cats have reduced the number of snakes in this island. Thus, cat is considered as a symbol of resistance against the harsh nature of the island.

The island’s main source of income was fishing and pearl’s trading. One of the best types of pearl was hunted in Hendurabi. Residents have been fishing, diving, and raising livestock for years. There is no handicrafts there and in the recent years by establishing pier, harbor, and tents they host and guide tourists. 

Residents provide their drinking water from wells and reservoirs. 

Imagine you wake up in an untamed island. When you go out of your tent, as long as the eye works, the sea is in front of you. 

Unlike Hengam or Qeshm islands, there aren’t many high cliffs which can be used for diving. If you want to dive, the best place is the western part of the island which has high cliffs. The height of the highest point is 43 meters. The northern part of the island has the shallowest part and is 5 to 8 meters deep. So the northern beach is the best for swimming. If you want to see the star fish you should go to the eastern island. 

Hendurabi is a calm and quiet island which has a beautiful sandy beach with dreamy rocks. It is a good place for relaxation, recreation, swimming, and sunbathing. 

In recent years Kish free zone organization has taken great steps in order to turn Hendurabi island into one of the tourist attractions of Kish island. Attracting investors, installing a floating dock, and creating basic infrastructures for tourism such as water, electricity, and sewage are some of the taken measurements. Also, in 2014, the development of Hendurabi began with the launch of tent hotels for tourists. These hotels don’t have many facilities and just can be used for resting. A road which is 17 kilometers long has been created around the island. One of the island’s recreation is safari and driving four-wheeled cars and motorcycles in the tracks. The water entertainments that you can enjoy are diving, jet ski, and banana boat riding. 

Beside the sea club, there is a restaurant which serves fish and shrimp. But since most people want to camp in the island, they bring pots and dishes for cooking with themselves. 

As there aren’t many supermarkets in this island and the drinking water is provided from wells and reservoirs, it’s better to bring mineral water and other food supplies that you may need with yourself. Because of the hot weather the best time for traveling to Hendurabi is from early Autumn to May. It is also good to know that from mid-March to early June is the turtles’ spawning season. So, many tourists travel there to enjoy watching this beautiful natural event. 

To reach Hendurabi you can use the sea or the air route. If you want to take the sea route, first you should go to Bandar-e Chiruiyeh which is 9 kilometers away from Bandar-e Lengeh. Then, it takes just 20 minutes by boat to reach Hendurabi. Also you can reach there from Kish island using the boats and it take 1 hour and a half. If you want to take the air route, you can use Kish airport to travel there, it just takes 12 minutes. 

Global warming has caused a change in ecosystem, extinction and damage to species which can’t tolerate this climate change pattern.

With the increase of greenhouse gases and climate change, the sea temperature has risen and it has caused the algae to grow more and more and this leads to the release of toxins and eventually the death of corals. Moreover, petrochemical activities in Persian Gulf will affect the ecology of Hendurabi island in the future and also construction on the island, without considering the capacities and environmental assessments has turned the island from a protected area to a tourist area and this has caused irreparable damage to Hindurabi.

Hunting birds of prey such as Northern goshawk and Falcon, using handmade traps to hunt these birds alive, smuggling and selling these birds illegally are among the factors that insecure the animals’ habitat.