Diving report Al Daymaniyat Islands, Oman

[Gernot]

Hi Guys,

Herewith a small report on the latest Dive Site I have explored, Al Daymniyat Islands.
After having been diving everywhere in this region (Khasab, Musandam, Fujeirah, Muscat, North Tip of Musandam LiveAboard) as well as other famous dive Places like Similan Islands and Koh Phi Phi Thailand, Red Sea, Zanzibar, East Africa, ... I have found really the best diving place,
a paradise: AL DAYMANIYAT ISLANDS, 100km away from Muscat, approx 4.5h drive from Dubai.

Nature: Incredible!
Marine Life: Amazing!
Diversity of Fish: Massive!
Visibility: Awesome ( between 25 - 40m in shallow areas)
Dive Sites: Beautiful (coral gardens everywhere between 5-15m which gave us dive times over 70 minutes)
Corals: everywhere!

We were staying in the Al Sawadi Beach Resort, Hotel is nothing special at all, but the dive centre was well organized (launched 4 Speed Boats per day in total)
only drawback is that they only offer 2 tank dives per day, where you could easily do 3 a day as the dive sites are shallow and close to each other once you are out at the islands.

Nitrox: available
Dive Master: very experienced (Roshan 15 years at Al Daymaniyat)
My bussy and me, we like to be independent from other divers, and they gave us sufficient freedom to plan and execute our dives by ourselves, so yet again, very happy.

So, best to see the Underwater world is in pictures and videos.
Check this on Toutube:
YouTube - Diving in Aquarium Al Daymaniyat Islands Oman with Juvenile Batfish and Sea Turtle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLsx-KXTWVA)
YouTube - Aquarium Dive, Al Daymaniyat Islands Oman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRf8u15dTeU)
YouTube - Giant Moray Male and Female together, Al Daymaniyat Islands, Oman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY_3pjjyqaw)

and some pictures: Search for Gernot in this forum under Member Galleries and you will find some more...
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[Red Dragon]

Nice photos

I allways dive at Daymaniyat Islands Since I live in muscat!!!

but amazing photos you have there :D

[Gernot]

Nice photos

I allways dive at Daymaniyat Islands Since I live in muscat!!!

but amazing photos you have there :D

thanks a lot! Just came back from a LiveAboard in Maldives and going to the Dimaniyat and Fahal Islands tomorrow... maybe I see you there? :)

[Red Dragon]

thanks a lot! Just came back from a LiveAboard in Maldives and going to the Dimaniyat and Fahal Islands tomorrow... maybe I see you there? :)

With which dive center you are going with!!!

currently I am at work at the dessert!!!
but will be coming back in five days!!! and will go diving at Dimaniyat btw!!! you will need to have a wet suit!!! it is damn cold around 24 degC last weekend!!!

[LynnW]

As a 28 year old in 1978 I spent a camping weekend on the Damanyates with a group of Sultan's Air Force colleagues. We came within about 200m of a massive whale en route, blowing passively at the surface. On arrival at the reef I was persuaded into the sea with an uninflated lifejacket and face mask - no spare snorkel available. I couldn't swim but in the bouyant sea the LJ worked fine. The boat had anchored over the drop off while our army colleague dived for crayfish. The scenery was amazing, so much so that I drifted off forgetting where the boat was. After a while, looking back towards the boat ,I saw loads of fins in the water around it, and panic stricken I headed for the shore, about 50m away but painfully slow when you can only do the breast stroke. Cue much mirth from the boat, they were of course dolphins. It's a magical place, now rigorously protected to prevent idiots like us plundering crayfish. I don't think it's possible to camp there without a permit, but it adds to the magic if you can.

I have returned a couple of times recently, now an adept breastroking snorkeller. and would certainly echo the comments above. Incidentally the islands are well up the Batinah coast from Muscat, best launch from one of the centres near the international airport, or further up like the As Sawadi. That way it's only about 40 mins in a speedboat.

Cheers

Lynn

[Scofield]

Am going next weekend over eid.
Can't wait!! :yeahbaby:

[johannasuo]

Hi!
I would really like to go to Daymaniyat Islands in april or may.
Can anyone recommend me a hotel that is not too expensive and near a dive center?

Thanks a lot,

Johanna

[Searcaigh]

Hi Johanna, as per the first post, the best option is to go to Al Suwaidi Beach Resort and take the boat from there. Rooms and food are basic three star, but you can get a drink ;)

Some operators do go out from Muscat but only if there are enough divers and the trip is considerably longer.

From Al Suwaidi it is possible to reach the furthest island in about 45 mins and dive the "Aquarium"

Landing on any of the islands is still strictly forbidden.

I will most likely be down there at some point in the coming months as it is the best diving by far in this region (Dubai/Oman), and only 4 hours from Dubai if there are no queues at the Omani Immigration office at the Hatta / Wajaja border.

[deimmerso]

Hi!
I would really like to go to Daymaniyat Islands in april or may.
Can anyone recommend me a hotel that is not too expensive and near a dive center?

Thanks a lot,

Johanna


I'll be there the coming weekend!
I'll stay at Millennium Resort Mussanah and dive with Extra Divers. They are based in Barka at the Al Sawadi Beach Hotel, but I prefer to stay at Millennium even if it is around 20km far since the reviews I read over the internet on ASBH are really bad...

Can't wait, apparently this spot (which is btw protected by UNESCO) is really amazing!

[srt1548]

Hi!
I would really like to go to Daymaniyat Islands in april or may.
Can anyone recommend me a hotel that is not too expensive and near a dive center?

Thanks a lot,

Johanna

Hi Johanna - I have dived regulalry at the Damaniyats for 3 years - it really is the best weekend diving if you are UAE based. The only minor snag is sometimes the viz can be cruddy, but you will still see lots os great stuff. The Aquarium is by far the best site but the current can be raging and the viz shocking. But with thast you get FISH!!! and lots of them. Plus resident common seahourse, stingrays and lepoard shark.

To stay, Al Suwadi is indeed a bit of a dump and priced appropriately, but incredibly handy - dive centre at the resort and you can get a beer withoin moments of getting ashore. Not sure about the Millenium - it appears very new.

In Muscant Global Scuba has a dive cente at the Aviation Club (Beach road near airport in Al Seeb area) and offers two dives day trips to the Damaniyats, back by around 2ish. They offer all in packages with all the big hotels in Muscat if you wanted to be closer to other things going on.

This time of year is jelly fish time I seem to recall (need to check log book) - but i will start going agan in May or so. I really love diving there, even if the boat ride out can be a bit bumpy!

[Searcaigh]

Planning to go down there soon also with one of my dive buddies, although I will probably end up staying at Al Suwadi due to proximity to the dive centre, but the prices at the Millennium look okay, and it's got to be better than Al Suwadi.

Quite a few small stingers around east coast of UAE at the moment.

[Searcaigh]

Spoke to a S. African diver this morning who spotted a whale shark at the Damniyats last weekend.