'Astola Island': A hidden paradise of Pakistan

Travelling hours to catch a spectacle of a miraculous natural beauty fades away all your tiredness at the first sight but it is not every ‘tourist destination’ that you can call naturally captivating. Astola Island in Balochistan is, however, an exception to say the least.

Jezira Haft Talar (Island of Seven Hills), Astola Island, is one of the many hidden gems in Balochistan, Pakistan. Astola Island is around forty miles off the coast of the fishing town, Pasni.

The only way to reach this mysterious-yet-charming place, is by an eggbeater or a boat. The place is home to exotic marine life together with ocean turtles, ocean urchins, sea shells, sea gulls, sea snakes, cat fish, eels and multiple variations of ocean life.

Here are some breathtaking pictures of the serene Astola Island…

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The golden sand dunes of Pasni at a distance on the way to Astola

 

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A stunning range of blues as seen from the hills of Astola

 

The reason why the island’s exquisite beauty has remained untarnished is because of its remote location. From Karachi, it is a seven-hour drive to reach Pasni, from where you have to take a three-hour boat ride to Astola.

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Climbing up the hill and seeing this amazing view is a thrilling experience

 

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It feels calm and peaceful by the sea in the afternoon

 

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The sunset is breathtaking from all the seven hills of the island

 

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The bird’s eye view of the island is indeed spectacular

 

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There is limited greenery and vegetation on the island

Vegetation on the island is sparse and consists of shrubs and large bushes that come to life when it rains. The island has no source of fresh water of its own. Keekar is the only tree which can survive such harsh conditions.

 

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The strange rock formations at Astola

 

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The crystal clear, turquoise water appears to be a darker colour from a distance

 

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The beach on the island is incredibly clean, unlike other parts of Pakistan

 

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Seagulls hovers above the seawater in search of fish 

 

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The hills are of many different shapes, each of them unique

 

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There are many different seashells scattered on the beach

 

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The magnificent sunset on the beach

Some more startling facts about the mysterious Island:

1. Four beaches can be found on the island including sandy, rocky, mountainous, coral reef and muddy.
2. Remains of Kali temple cannot be found due to lack of maintenance.
3. The island has a Monument (Baba Khizar Mazar) built around the crusade period, and often visited by fisherman of Pasni.
4. Astola has numerous small cave openings, befitting marine life such as crabs and sea urchins.
5. Two graves exist on the southern side of the island known as the Turtle beach.