The Musandam Peninsula Oman is 500 kilometers away from Muscat. The location of the Musandam Peninsula is into the Strait of Hormuz which is the narrow entry into the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula. This governorate is an exclave and is separated from the rest of Oman by the United Arab Emirates. The Musandam governorate basically includes the exclave Madha that is completely enclosed by the United Arab Emirates and inside of this exclave there is a truly small enclave that is called Nahwa and that is the part of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. The mountains of the Musandam Peninsula Oman had isolated it from the centuries and many coastal villages are only reachable by boat. Approximately 29,000 population is located in the capital Khasab is in the north and the small port town of Dibba on the east coast.
Get Into the Musandam Peninsula Oman
The Musandam Peninsula Oman is 500 kilometers away from Muscat having almost 6hours to drive and 45 minutes to fly. It is to be needed to reach Khasab to get into the Musandam Peninsula which is a primary town in the region. It is recommended to travel by car to the Batinah coast for a 6 hours’ drive. If you want to drive the whole way then it is required to drive through the UAE where you will need a road permit from the Oman police and also a potential visa that depends on your nationality. The possible road access is from Ras Al Khaymah that is on the West coast of the United Arab Emirates, Fujairah, and Dibba, Sharjah on the East coast.
Normally the access to the Musandam Peninsula was difficult but only for limited flights or for the ten hours’ drive with the help of four immigration posts. A ferry service between Muscat and Musandam was launched in August 2008 for the purpose of solving the get onto problem and making the region more possible for the visitors. Now the region is easily accessible by road only from the United Arab Emirates. The main area of Musandam can be accessed by Ras Al Khaimah which is near the Al Jeer and an exclave of Sharjah that is Dibba Al Hisn. An air link between the capital of the country Muscat and the main administrative town of the governorate, Khasab is provided for the visitors.
Iranian Influence
Historically Musandam is one of Oman’s most remote and weakened areas. The inhabitants of Kumzar village speak a unique language that is based on Iranian and blended with the elements of Arabic with numerous loan-words from Hindi, English, Spanish and French language that is to be said the result of sailors who shipwrecked along the coast and are settled in the village. The close connection with Iran as a short boat trip away over the Strait of Hormuz is also enjoyed by the region.
Tourism
Now there is decent infrastructure and basic for the tourists that are mostly found in the town of Khasab and it offers an absolute base for excursions into the Khawrs and mountains of Musandam Peninsula.
Things To See In The Musandam Peninsula
- Barren Mountains: There are Barren Mountains that rise up to 2000 meters and 6500 feet above the sea and present the view of jet-out-like fingers into the sea by creating many fjord-like scenes and unforgettable views. These mountains are starting from the basic town of Khasab is a graded road that straddles a ridge and on the other side high above the valley. This view is near to the Jabel Harim which is the highest point in the Musandam. This viewpoint is mostly used for military purposes so the road does not go over the top but shift over about ¼ mile from the mountains.
- Seacoasts are out on the water where it is easy to get a closer look at the fjords of Musandam. There are large chunks of rocks that are towering over the serene waters and small villages that are only accessible by boat. The history of these mountains over the year is that they are all twisting and turning through the years. With the help of agencies in Dubai, these boat trips are possible to catch. It is great to drive from UAE bypassing the Omani borders because it goes through awesome landscapes.
- Spectacular sea and mountain views both are offered by the Musandam peninsula. Because of the infrequent population of the Musandam peninsula coast, wildlife is generous in the waters with the coast. One of the main and most popular activities for the tourists in this region is scuba with the guide of a very competent dive center that is based at the Golden Tulip Hotel that is located near to the west of Khasab.
One of the wonderful experiences in the Musandam trip is the Dolphin watching on Omani dhow, where the dolphins respond to the whistle of the dhow captain and then they come along the dhow by floating and making a beautiful scene. These dolphins are just amazing and love to perform along with dhow.
By air trip to the Musandam peninsula is just called the “Norway of the Middle East” because this journey is linked with Norway’s fjords that provide an amazing eye view. The evident mountains of this region are 2000 meters out of the Arabian Gulf. The patterns and textures of both of these mountains are just amazing and striking.
Places to Visit in the Musandam Peninsula
- Khasab
Khasab is the city in an exclave of Oman that is bordering the United Arab Emirates and is the local capital of the Musandam peninsula. Khasab is a small city as compared to the nearby cities of the United Arab Emirates. There are many residents mostly living in the mainland of Oman and come to Khasab for vacations. There is a large population of containing Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis who work in restaurants, grocery stores, supermarkets, tour operators, and many other places of Kasab. The city is naturally enriched with the mountains of the Al Hajar range. There is a fully functional hospital and many hotels including Atana Khasab, Lake Hotel, and Khasab Hotel in the city. There are several beaches and parks are to be found across the city. The population of the city is dominated by ethnic Omanis who are from the mainland. There is also a fort in Khasab which is called Khasab fort. The people of Khasab city are so friendly to the tourists. The seaport of the Khasab is dominated because of the amazing dhows which take the visitors for a cruise across the natural dry “fjords” that is called the main reason for visiting the Khasab.
- The coastal road to Bukha
The 28km (17-mile) seaside road from Khasab to Bukha is Musandam’s just surfaced association with the outside world, a tremendous accomplishment of the building which winds significantly around the ocean bluffs and Khawrs of the drift. An initial couple of miles out of Khasab are especially fine, impacted out of the feet of the mountains around Khawr Qida and uncovering distinctive groups of sedimentary layering. On the most distant side of the cove, Wadi Tawi has petroglyphs including camels, sheep and seekers pecked into the stones. From here the road moves up to the town of Al Harf at the most elevated purpose of the edge, offering stupendous perspectives over the Strait of Hormuz, on a crisp morning you can see Iran. It is another 12km (7 miles) or so from here to the peaceful town of Bukha, home to an amazing seafront fortification.
- Khawr Sham
Khasab is the beginning point for dhow cruises down the awesome Khawr Sham, the greatest fjord in Musandam, ringed with the rugged red-shake mountains. Musandam Peninsula Oman is basically a governorate of Oman. About six little towns lie dabbed around the Khawr, available just by boat. You’re likewise prone to see cases of dolphins skipping around the Khawr, pursuing watercraft for no particular reason. Mostly down the Khawr lies the rough little Jazeera (Telegraph Island), named after the broadcast station set up here by the British in 1864 along the course of the London-to-Bombay submarine transmit link. The establishments of the old British structures can at present be seen, and the island is a prominent goal on dhow cruises.
- Kumzar
A considerably more emotional boat trip leads out to the broadly remote town of Kumzar. The best way to achieve the place is by boat around over two hours by dhow or 45 minutes to an hour by speedboat. It is never again conceivable to visit the town itself, however, it is still definitely justified even despite the outing out for the eminent marine landscape. Trips take off away from any confining influence ocean around the drift, passing the passageway to Khawr Ghob Ali and after that past Jazirat Al Ghanim (Goat Island). The trip proceeds into the Strait of Hormuz, with magnificent ocean perspectives of rocky headlands, inaccessible islands, and oil tankers employing here and there the strait, before handing over towards Kumzar itself, a brilliant cluster of structures wedged beneath sheer bluffs.
Things to do in the Musandam peninsula
- Sailing Through The Fjords On A Traditional Wooden Dhow
Oman’s fjords are just as amazing to see as the fjords in Norway. You will see the incredible sheers of cliff thrashing into crisp, blue waters on a large wooden dhow boat that is fitted with comfortable Arabian-style cushions and carpets. There are many operators and Musandam dhow cruise tours to choose from. They leave the Khasab harbor for half-day, full-day, and overnight packages with delicious spreads of authentic local cuisine for a very reasonable price. Usually, your trip would include time to snorkel in the clear waters and it is also possible to fit this in as a day trip from Dubai where transportation is provided from your hotel.
- Swimming, Cliff Jumping, or Canyoning in a Wadi
The Musandam Peninsula is blessed with natural splendors because of tectonic shifts and dramatic geological movements from way back in the day. Wadis, similar to valleys are deep and immense. They offer swimmers and hikers an awesome opportunity to experience a picturesque afternoon and one of Oman’s greatest past times, cliff jumping from the Wadi. Canyoning is also famous in the Wadis for more fun and adventure. It is not necessary to have experience of swimming but you can choose to go with a tour operator or by yourself. Wadi Shab, Wadi Rawdah, and Rawdah Bowl are the most popular Wadis of the city.
- Dolphin/ Whale watching
Dolphin spotting is part of the traditional dhow boat experience. The friendly spinners make many appearances on the trip and will even follow along with the boat. However, for more personal encounters there are many options as a separate trip where you will go further out of the coastline. Whales visit Oman very often but a couple of operators do take the visitors to see them and don’t miss the chance. Many whale species are spotted frequently in the waters of Oman.
- Camping in mountains
For camping, no tour operator or permit is needed but you will need a tent, some overnight gear, and a 4*4 to make it up the level gravel road mountain. The scenery of the mountains is just amazing, unreal and untouched. Musandam is blessed with more than a few optimal camping sites. You are sure to hear mountain goats that are looking for food outside for a tent in the night or the early morning.
- Khasab Fort
To immerse yourself with the Omni culture and history do visit the Khasab fort. Khasab is a small but busy settlement near the northern tip of Musandam. This fort was built by the Portuguese in the 17th century and it is like a small museum containing all the historical elements of the Omani culture. The harbor in front of the fort is also seen that was the center of bustling trade with Iran.
