Musandam is governorate (mufahaz) in Oman , located on the peninsula of the same name. It is an exclave - on the land side it is surrounded by lands belonging to the United Arab Emirates . In the last couple of decades, Musandam began to enjoy great popularity among tourists - both holidaymakers in Oman and those who came to the Emirates. The peninsula and in fact today is a wonderful resort place with a well-developed infrastructure.
general information
Musandam is governorate (mufahaz) in Oman , located on the peninsula of the same name. It is an exclave - on the land side it is surrounded by lands belonging to the United Arab Emirates . In the last couple of decades, Musandam began to enjoy great popularity among tourists - both holidaymakers in Oman and those who came to the Emirates. The peninsula and in fact today is a wonderful resort place with a well-developed infrastructure.
general information
The coast of the peninsula is washed by the Gulf of Ormuz. If you look at the photos of Musandam, you will immediately understand why it is called Oman (or, more often, Arab) Norway : the coastline of the peninsula of Musandam is rocky and very rugged, and if there was not a noticeable difference in the temperature of the surrounding air, the local fjords could be taken for Norwegian. This is easy to see by going to Musandam on a sea cruise.
In the 18th century, the peninsula was called a "pirate beach", since the Strait of Hormuz was indeed the place where the probability of pirate attack was very high.
Administratively, the governorship is divided into 4 vilayets (provinces). But on the peninsula there are only 3 of them:
- Khasab with the capital of Al-Khasab ;
- Dibba el Baia (its capital is the small town of Dibba);
- Bukh.
The fourth vilayet, Madha, is not on the peninsula and is a separate exclave.
Climate
From October to April, the air temperature rises to + 30 ° C in the daytime, sometimes higher. Nevertheless, this is the most favorable time for visiting the peninsula. In summer, the thermometer often crosses the mark of + 40 ° C, and from time to time reaches + 50 ° C (and this is in the shade). At night, it drops only to + 30 ° C (for comparison: in winter the night temperature is +17 ... +18 ° C).
Most of the days here are sunny. Rains are very rare, and even then - only in November and February, and the amount of precipitation is minimal, for example, the monthly norm of January, the "rainy" month, is less than 60 mm. Water is suitable for swimming all year round: its temperature never falls below + 24 ° C.
Beach holidays
In Musandam, unlike the rest of Oman, there are not only sandy beaches , but also pebble beaches . Since the coast forms a lot of bays and coves, the beaches here are small and very cozy. On such people like to rest tourists who do not need the presence of noisy companies.
Leisure
Musandam provides everything necessary for practicing water sports. Here you can go windsurfing, sailing, and water skiing. And, of course, diving - the Strait of Hormuz enjoys the divers, both beginners and experienced, very popular due to the amazingly diverse and beautiful underwater world.
Very popular boat trips on traditional boats dhow, during which you can observe the numerous colonies of birds, nesting in the local rocks, as well as see dolphins and whales. On such walks they leave at night.
Sea tourists are also in great demand among tourists - the inhabitants of the coastal areas live at the expense of it, and the catch here is usually rich. In the Strait of Hormuz, many species of commercial fish are caught: sardines (they swim here near the beaches), royal fish, tuna.
Will find a lesson for the heart and lovers of hiking: you can climb to Harim - the highest point of the peninsula (it reaches 2087 m). Alpinists and climbers often train on the slopes of local rocks.
Sights of the peninsula
What should you pay attention to in Musandam first? On the architecture and originality of its towns - the capitals of the vilayets. It is worth visiting the fortress Khasab in the same province. In addition to the fact that it itself has historical value, it still has an ethnographic museum, many of whose collections are the best in Oman.
From the port of Khasaba you can go on an excursion to the 10 km fjord of Chor Shamm, which is considered one of the natural attractions of the peninsula. The port itself is also worth a look.
Noteworthy is the fishing port of Dibba-el-Bahia. In addition, visiting the Dibba vilayet, you can see the life of traditional fishing villages.
Where to live?
In each of the provincial capitals there are hotels , and due to the increasing popularity of the peninsula's tourists, it can be concluded that they meet the highest requirements. There are both large complexes and small family-type hotels, usually offering bed and breakfast.
Best for today 5 * hotel Musandama is located in Dibba, near the airport Khasab. This is The Golden Tulip Resort Khasab. Another high-class hotel in Dibba is Six Senses Zighy Bay. Very nice hotels in Khasab.
In addition to the hotel, you can rent a whole villa. But lovers to get closer to nature can live in a camping or even in a tent camp on the coast of Al-Khasaba.
Food
The cuisine of Musandam is an abundance of fish, seafood and very tasty meat cooked on charcoal. The best restaurants of the peninsula can be called:
- Six Senses Zighy Bay and Sense on the Edge in Zigi Bay;
- TELEGRAPH ISLAND RESTAURANT AND CAFE and Al Shamaliah Grill Restaurant in Khasab.
Shopping
For each of the Musandam vilayets, their crafts are characteristic. And, accordingly, in shops and in traditional markets, which are called "bitches" and which are available in almost every town, you can buy goods that are characteristic of this region.
From Mattha, tourists bring items with hand embroidery and mats made of palm leaves. Khasab is famous for its traditional weapons. Products from the leaves of palm trees are made in Khasaba, also the vilayet is famous for its pottery and traditional daggers of Hanjar (scientists believe that the very word "dagger" came from the name of this weapon).
In Dibba they buy textile and forged products. It is worth to visit the carpet market in Dibba - even if you do not want to buy a carpet, it deserves attention: such a variety of products can not be found anywhere else. The fish market in this town deserves attention; It works from 15:00 - from the moment when the fishermen return with a fresh catch.
Local transport
The rugged and rocky nature of the coast of the Musandam Peninsula leads to the fact that many villages located on the coast have a "connection to the outside world" only on the water: water is delivered to them in boats and necessary products, while children go to school on boats.
How to get to Musandam?
You can get to the peninsula from the "main" part of Oman either by air or by sea. The airport is in Al Khasab, the capital of the governorate. Flights are carried out once a day, the duration of the flight is 1 hour 10 minutes. Due to the increase in the number of tourists - and for the sake of further growth of their number - another airport is planned to be built on the peninsula.
In addition, since 2008, a ferry service has been established between the capital of the state and Musandam. You can also drive by car; the road runs through the territory of the UAE, so you will need a visa. The duration of the trip is more than 6 hours.
Excursions to Musandam from the UAE
For tourists in the UAE, an excursion to Musandam is very interesting; it is offered by tour operators in virtually every emirate of the country. When visiting Musandam with an excursion, the Omani visa is not needed.
In Dibba, a town in Musandam, you can also get yourself from the UAE, because it consists of 3 small villages, 2 of which are located on the territory of the Emirates. Oman visa for visiting Dibba is not needed.