Day Trips in Musandam peninsula

The Musandam peninsula occupies a unique position on the border between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. Its position on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrowest point between the two bodies of water and a key geographical area controlling the flow of oil out of the Middle East, has made the Musandam peninsula an important part of Oman, despite the fact that it is not directly connected to it geographically. To get to the peninsula over land, you must go through the United Arab Emirates. The recent development of a fast (supposedly the world's fastest) ferry from Muscat, the capitol of Oman, to the Musandam peninsula has brought it into a closer connection with its home country.

Take a Boat Ride

Because of its location, boats have long played an integral part of the Musandam peninsula's livelihood and transportation. Used for everything from tourism to smuggling to the economic staple of many of the coastal villages, fishing, boats are a mainstay on the peninsula. Until recently you could not even get to the capitol city of Khasab without coming over the water, and there are still numerous places throughout the peninsula that you must have a boat to reach. Many of the traditional Dhows, or fishing boats, have been outfitted to show tourists around, and they are a pleasant way to explore the many waterways that criss-cross the Northern end of the peninsula. Another advantage of the Dhows is that dolphins will follow them fairly closely, whereas they stay away from the more modern boats with motors.

Explore the Wilderness

A major attraction of the Musandam peninsula is the geography. Located on the edge of the Arabian plate, the geography of the peninsula is created by the slow movement of the Arabian plate underneath the Eurasian plate, which means that the Musandam peninsula is ever so slowly sinking. This creates a network of Fjords that closely resembles the geography of glacial areas such as Norway. One of the results of having numerous fjords is having a great deal of beaches. If you come prepared you can finish off your exploration aboard your Dhow with a campfire on a private beautiful beach.

Dive Away

Although it is not a particularly well known diving and snorkeling destination, the Musandam peninsula is a great place to check out the underwater wealth of the Middle East. If you need equipment there is an Expert Divers center nearby the Golden Tulip hotel in Khasab. They also operate guided diving trips. If snorkeling is more your cup of tea, take your snorkel out on your Dhow tour to get a chance for some free snorkeling, or book a guided trip through one of several small companies.