MUSCAT REGION DIVING HOLIDAYS

Muscat, the capital of Oman, is a large coastal city flanked by some truly stunning mountain scenery and beautiful pristine coastline. With daily direct flights from London, and many other European international airports, this region is especially suitable for families who prefer easy travel. Oman is also a very safe, moderate and friendly country, a top consideration for many travelers.

There are broadly three options for a scuba diving holiday in the Muscat region of Oman. Stay close to the Muscat where you will find some beautiful new elegant luxury hotels, both family-friendly properties, and tranquil elegant retreats. Head a little South to the Sifah area for some beautiful scenery and a great value boutique hotel. Head a little North to Mussanah for a great value beach resort and superb watersports. For the dive enthusiast, probably the very best diving in the whole of Oman is at the Daymaniyat Islands, just 45 minutes by fast boat from some of the Muscat properties, as well as Mussanah. Whale Sharks can be seen on most dive trips to these islands from September to November!

To get the most out of a visit to Oman we strongly recommend combining your beach stay with a visit to some of the interior of the country, perhaps to one of the luxury mountain retreats, or even to a desert camp. Planet Dive Holidays have a huge amount of experience and knowledge regarding travel and scuba diving in Oman, and have personally checked all of the properties we offer. In the first instance, we would suggest calling and speaking to an Oman luxury travel expert.

The best time to dive the Muscat region of Oman is from late September through to early May. June through to August is oppressively hot, so although you can travel over this period, and the diving is still excellent, you should be prepared for 45 degrees Celsius + air temperature.

The first thing most people notice when diving in Oman is the huge amount of marine life, and the health of the reefs, something that is sadly harder and harder to find anywhere on the planet. On any given dive you can expect to see huge schools of fish, as well as reefs teaming with smaller life. The underwater scenery is similarly dramatic with picturesque walls and reefs festooned with healthy finger and fan corals.

Planet dive only work with the very best dive centres in Oman, with safety always high on the agenda. Purpose built fast dive boats are used, with travel time to any given dive site between 15 to 45 minutes. The exception to this is the Daymaniyat Islands, a string of offshore islands North of Muscat that has been placed under the protection of UNESCO and provides divers with pristine coral gardens, walls and abundant fish life. Various shark species are encountered here, including the occasional leopard sharks. From September to November Whale Sharks are regularly seen in this area!

Visibility in Oman is renowned for being unpredictable, even from one dive to the next. At worst it can be 5/8m, and at best it can be 20m +, then anything in between. Water temperature above 10m is a toasty 28/30 degrees Celsius, but colder undercurrent means most dive are using 5mm wetsuit.