Separated from the Iranian mainland by the Clarence Strait (Khuran), Qeshm is the largest island in the Persian Gulf.

The cave formed within a large salt diapir (dome) from a succession of strata which dates from the late Proterozoic.

Names such as Qeshm, Keshm (کشم), Kish (کیش) and Tunb (تنب) mark the lengthy stay of Ilamids in the area, spanning several centuries BC.

On account of its strategic geopolitical situation near the mouth of the Persian Gulf, it has been frequently attacked by invaders, including Ilamids (Elamites), Umayyads and Abbasids, as well as the Portuguese, English and Dutch.

Its economy flourished during the Dailamite and Buyid eras, as trade vessels sailed past and stopped on Qeshm Island from places including China, India and Eastern Africa.

An early modern-era Portuguese fort, historic mosques, the Seyyed Mozaffar and Bibi Maryam shrines, and various ponds and mangrove forests are among the tourism attractions in the island, which lays across the azure waters of the Persian Gulf.

Several domes, salty caves, the preserved area in Shibderaz Village where Hawksbill turtles hatch, as well as numerous docks and wharfs are among the tourist potentials of the island.

[citation needed] In the 1st ten-year plan, in note 19, the law provided for the creation of free trade zones and three locations were identified as such in the year 1991.

[14] To that end, Qeshm Island was granted considerable leeway to set its own policies, independent of the central government, which had often been seen as an impediment to growth in many sectors of the economy.

However, the Island retains the advantages associated with its connection to the mainland, including the rights to explore and develop oil and gas opportunities.

[15] Holders of normal passports travelling as tourists can enter Qeshm without a visa with maximum stay of 30 days (extendable), as of December 2017.

[16][17] Holders of normal passports travelling as tourists can enter Qeshm without a visa with maximum stay of 30 days (extendable), as of December 2017.