Festivals in Musandam peninsula

There are really no major festivals that take place on the Musandam peninsula. The people, of course, celebrate the major Islamic and national holidays, but if you're looking for a big event you would be better served by making the trek south to other parts of Oman. The peninsula is part of Oman, but geographically it is attached to the United Arab Emirates. The main attraction of the Musandam peninsula is its coastline. The movement of the Earth's crust has created a network of fjords on the Musandam peninsula that resemble the fjord's of Northern Europe. If you are vacationing on the Musandam peninsula, however, you may want to explore some of the festivals in other cities of Oman, which are fairly easily accessible from the peninsula.

Muscat Festival

The easiest place to get to from the Musandam peninsula is Muscat. It is connected to Khasab, the capital city of the Musandam peninsula, by the world's fastest diesel powered ferry service, that can make the 200 nautical mile journey in as little as 6 hours. The Muscat Festival is the city's highlight of the year and occurs annually at the beginning of each year. The Muscat Festival is a great place to absorb the culture of the region, as you soak up local art, food and music. Other major events in the capital city include the Shopping Festival, held annually in September and the birthday of Sultan Qaboos, which is a big celebration featuring music and camel races. The birthday of the Sultan, or National Day, occurs in November. Holidays to avoid, unless you are celebrating them for religious purposes, are the Islamic New Year and the month of Ramadan, although there is a national holiday at the end of Ramadan.

Khareef Festival

While Salalah is definitely more of a trek than Muscat if you are vacationing on the Musandam peninsula, this southern city in Oman is home to one of nature's own festivals--and the city knows how to celebrate it. Every year the monsoon season soaks Salalah from late June until the beginning of September, and by the end of the season this desert city is the closest thing to the tropics that the region will ever see. A month-long festival, attracting people from all over the area, celebrates the natural beauty brought on by the monsoons. The festival features shopping, music, arts and more, making it well worth the journey from the Musandam.