MUSANDAM DIVING HOLIDAYS

The Musandam peninsula is separated from the rest of Oman by a stretch of the United Arab Emirates. The Musandam peninsula has remained isolated from the rest of Arabia and is still very remote. Sparsely populated by the Shihuh tribe, who for centuries have been eking a precarious existence from the seas. Some of their villages are only accessible by sea the capital of Musandam is Khasab accessible by road. Geographically, the area is a huge pale limestone massif characterised by large strata crossed saw tooth mountains which dramatically descend into the sea. The coastline itself carved into spectacular fjord like sunken valleys (khwars) giving Musandam its other name of the Norway of Arabia. The stunning scenery above the surface is reflected underwater by impressive drop offs and an incredible diversity of healthy corals, encouraging strong currents. Planet Dive Holidays offer the two best locations in this part of Oman, Khasab in the North (at the Khasab Musandam Hotel), and Zighy Bay in the South East (at the Six Senses Luxury Resort). Planet also offers combinations of these two resorts, plus tailor-made tours to include many other parts of Oman, both inland and by the ocean. To get the very best of the diving in Oman Planet Dive Holiday also offers two Oman liveaboards, which can also be combined with hotels and tours. If you are considering a diving holiday to Oman we suggest calling and speaking to a Oman Dive Holiday expert. We have a huge amount of first hand knowledge of this stunning country, so you can be sure to get the best holiday arranged for this complex location.

The dive sites of northern Musandam offer fantastic uncrowded diving in small groups in a remote location. Commercial fishing is not permitted so the reefs here are some of the healthiest you will find anywhere, with a huge amount of marine life and large schools of fish. There are some beautiful soft corals, even down at 30m, and interesting underwater topography to explore. The dive centre's boats are often accompanied by dolphins, which like the calm waters of Musandam’s fjords. It is sometimes possible to see Manta and Whalesharks in this area, but it is the exception, not the rule! This is compounded by the unpredictable visibility in Oman generally, which can range from 5m to 30m on any given dive. The best time to dive in Musandam is from October through to early May. Actually, the visibility is at it's best during the summer months, so the diving is very good, but with air temperatures over 40C the heat is too oppressive for a comfortable holiday.