Oman diving - worth the trip for a week?

[HJ]

Hi all,

We know someone in Oman so have been thinking about making a trip out there. Question is - is there enough diving for say a week or more? Our likely dates are late July. We have dived mostly Caribbean but have been to Red Sea, Maldives and Galapagos.

Thanks.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Oman is a big place...

The Daymaniyat islands near Muscat are the countries best know. Yes I say they were worth a weeks diving. It different from the Red Sea and the Maldives ( I've dive them all too) last year my friends had 5 whale sharks and 20 black tips over a long weekend in August. Certainly it's whale shark season as we are getting them further north in the Mussandam.


Air temps will still be in the mid 40's and humidity high. Water temps will be around 28

 

[HJ]

Thank you for the response. Other than the Daymaniyat islands where would you recommend diving? We are planning around 2 weeks though not sure if it will be all diving.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Again, depends where you're staying.

Oman is split in two by the UAE, if you go right north to the straits of Hormuz then that's the Mussandam where we dive regularly. Very much off the beaten track, nothing but small fishing villages so pretty much untouched. Vis can be changeable (good this time of year) there can be some big currents ( easily rivalling Indonesia)

To the South west of Oman (400 miles) is salaha this is near the continental shelf drop off ( 5 miles off shore) so vety fertile waters.

The big stuff is limited to whale sharks , Mobla Rays eagle Ray's, very occasional Mola Mola ( I've only seen 1) white and black tips sometimes. There is talk of bull sharks off shore but no-one has seen them. Other than by helicopter

We get very blarze about the amount of life we have, while other places gave more pelagics we have a ton of other stuff

 

[Skulmoski]

Musandam - yes
Muscat (Daymaniat) - yes
Mirbat - yes BUT the Orca dive centre is unsafe

The diving can be quite good, but what you will also find if you have not visited the region before, is the intriguing Arabic culture.

GJS

 

[Searcaigh]

Two weeks in Oman, go for it.

Damaniyats in September is almost guaranteed a whale shark one day out of three according Saif from Oman Sail and Dive based at the Millennium Resort north of Muscat. We had one for all of two dives and the SI a couple of weeks ago



Oman has a lot of culture too, and after 30 years living in this region is still my favourite place in the Arabian peninsula

 

[jfe]

What everyone else have said, you will not be mistaken. Do it, great place ........... both the country and diving.