Middle East

Musandam Peninsula & Damaniyat Islands

Oman’s 1700 km of coastline offers some stunning beaches with just about any activity one could wish for, from sunbathing and swimming to diving, snorkelling, boat trips and other watersports.

The crystal clear waters and mile upon mile of deserted white sandy beaches support a vast array of marine life. You can watch dolphins just offshore or explore the coral reefs and its magnificent selection of multicoloured fish whilst snorkelling or diving.

Amongst Oman’s shyest and most sought after natural wonders are the turtles, which appear every year to lay their eggs on the same beaches they were hatched and an estimated 20,000 turtles nest on Oman’s beaches every year.  

The Musandam Peninsula is a rugged and beautiful region with its main attraction being the ‘Fjords of Arabia’. The area is packed with underwater attractions and it is one of the few areas in the world that can still claim to provide ‘virgin diving’. Some of the best dive sites in the area include Lima Rock, Oakley Island, Umm Al Farrayan, PC Rock, Red Island and Ghubbat As Shabbus.

The diverse marine life includes exotic reef fish to schooling barracuda, turtles, sunfish, reef sharks and even whale sharks as well as being a dolphins’ playground. The sheltered fjords also provide ideal canoeing conditions.

The Damaniyat Islands Nature Reserve, 16km off the coast between Muscat and Barka, consists of nine islands surrounded by coral reefs and diverse marine life. The islands are also visited by turtles each year to nest and the area offers some superb scuba diving.

Our preferred hotels include: 

Evason Hideaway & Six Senses Spa (Musandam)

Golden Tulip Hotel, Khasab (Musandam)

Al Sawadi Beach Resort (Damaniyat Islands)