Need advice about diving in Dubai or Musandam in early March

[mavi]

Hi everyone!
I'll be on holiday in Dubai during the 1st week of March. It's going to be my first trip to Dubai and my first experience of diving outside my counrty. I searched the internet for info on diving there..

Is Musandam a better option because of variety of sea life? (No need for visa?)
Which diving organisation is good? (I met Al Boom Diving frequantly in the net)
Is the gear provided in good condition usually?
Is 5 mm. wetsuit suitable for this time of the year?
Any other recommendations on diving there?

Tanks...

[FDW]

Mussandam or east coast is the best. Dubai is sandy bottom (with wrecks as artificial reef) and visibility is very limited because of the dredging works (palm, the world, ...). Most of the marine life is on the east coast and Mussandam. It's about 1 to 1.5 h trip from Dubai.

Al Boom is good, very well priced.

There are also Mussandam trips are run by Al Marsa from Dibba (or reservation for that can be made with the Pavillion Dive centre located at the Jumeirah Beach hotel).

Mussandam trips start in the morning, first dive around 11am , second dive around 2 pm. Lunch is included + light morning breakfast.

Gear can also be rented in every dive centre (East coast: Le merdien Al Aqqa, Divers Down, Mussandam: Al Marsa, Extra Divers, Dubai: Pavillion Dive centre, Scuba Dubai, Al Boom) and is usually in excellent condition.

Last week i dove in mares 5-4-3 wetsuit with a hooded vest under it, but I get easily cold. The rest had a 3 or 5 mm wetsuit. But weather is heating up now. water temp = 23.

Last week there was still red tide here and there (red tide = red algea bloom).

Mussandam has some currents, be aware of that (certaily in the north where Extra Divers run their facilities). drift dives can be done over there, but it's a long trip from dubai (+ 2.5 h)

If you are European, you only need passport for Mussandam trips from Dibba, no need of visa. For mussandam trips from Khasab in the North, you may need a visum, depending on your nationality (European + USA don't need it, but others some do). Fujeirah, khor Fakkan, ... are part of the UAE, so no visum needed.