Astola Island, Marine protected area in Gwadar, Pakistan
Astola Island is a Ramsar-protected marine site located off the coast of Pasni in Baluchistan. The island features seven hillocks forming a tilted plateau, with steep cliffs rising sharply from the surrounding Arabian Sea.
The Greek admiral Nearchus first recorded this island in 325 BC, naming it Nosala in his writings during his exploration of the Arabian Sea. This documentation places the site among the oldest known geographic records of the region.
Two places of worship stand on the island: a mosque honoring Pir Khawaja Khizr and ruins of an older temple dedicated to the goddess Kali Devi. These sites show how different communities have held this place sacred across centuries.
The best time to visit is between September and May, when calmer seas make reaching the island easier. Summer monsoon winds bring rough conditions that make boat travel to the site difficult or impossible.
Local fishers call the island 'Haft Talar,' meaning 'Seven Hills,' after the seven hillocks that give it its distinctive tilted shape. This name has endured in the fishing communities of the region for generations.
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