Budget Travel Ideas in Musandam peninsula

The Musandam peninsula is a great place to go to see the natural beauty of the Gulf of Oman, and, if you make it west, the Persian Gulf. The main attractions of the Musandam peninsula are the fjords that run throughout the entire northern half of the peninsula. Created by the action of the Asian tectonic plate slowly pushing against and going under the Eurasian plate, the Musandam peninsula's waterways closely resemble the glacial waterways of Northern Europe. Except in Oman you can go snorkeling. A lot of the tourist trade on the Musandam peninsula is high-end--resorts, chartered boats and private dive trips, for example. And honestly, this is not an easy place to stay on the cheap. Its prime location between the two gulfs has made it a prime example of the new tourist-oriented Middle East coast. Another issue is the remote location of the peninsula and the island's intimidating natural geography. There are really no big cities here, which makes it harder to find inexpensive places to stay. One advantage of the Musandam peninsula, however, is that most of the attractions focus on observing the natural beauty of the peninsula, which is, of course, free.

Snorkeling

While diving is growing in popularity on the Musandam, a much cheaper alternative is snorkeling. It's still a great way to enjoy the underwater wealth this area has to offer. If you bring your own gear, your local dhow tour guide will let you off at various prime spots around the fjords to explore the underwater terrain. Sometimes the dhows have snorkeling gear on-board, but not often enough to try and rely on it.

Diving

If you are going to go diving, save yourself some money by getting certified before you leave home. It is usually a lot cheaper at your local dive shop or community center then it would ever be at a destination dive shop or a resort. Another upside is you will get to spend more of your time actually diving, not training in a swimming pool. If you really want to explore the underwater side of the Musandam, try and work your way up to at least intermediate dives before visiting the peninsula, as the peninsula's varied waterways offer everything from beginner to extremely advanced dive conditions.

Sights

Many of the best sights of the Musandam can be observed just driving along the main highway that runs the western length of the peninsula. It will take you through Bukha, another good place to visit, and you will be able to see the entire coastline on a pleasant and enjoyable drive.