SOUTH OMAN (SALALAH) DIVING HOLIDAYS

The Dhofar coast represents the perfect balance of a glorious past and the modernity splendor. The vestiges of past ages enchant tourists and bring them back to another time. There are three archeological sites and traces of an ancient wall and fort ruins witness to its past prosperity, whereas the streets of modern Salalah reflect the progress and the achievements of Oman.

The town of Salalah, known as the 'Perfume Capital of Arabia', is situated in the Dhofar region, in the southern part of Oman. Salalah has not only picturesque ruins to offer: the natural attractions of the nearby mountains and abundant stands of Frankincense trees, many landscaped gardens and parks, make the city a favoured resort for tourists. Mirbat one another in the chain of former frankincense small port towns along the Dhofar coast.

The Dhofar coast is exposed to the Indian Ocean's South East monsoon creating a micro-climate for lush green vegetation and spectacular waterfalls, Baobab and coconut trees, contrast with the barren 'Empty Quarter Desert', Rub' al Khali.

After a return into a glorious past through the ruins and after the enchantment of the nature, it’s time to enjoy the beautiful beaches and the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean.

This Dhofar Coast is an ideal diving holiday destination during the cold European winter. The season for diving Dhofar is October – May. The other half of the year the southeast monsoon (Khareef) brings rain and unsettled conditions. The temperature of the water most of the year is round 23-24 degrees.

As most of the dive site are shallow (max. 15 meters), this area is great for divers that are looking for long relaxed dives with lots to see and to photograph. Diving is pretty much undiscovered here and therefore the corals untouched. Marine life is typically Indo-Pacific offering a variety of macro life, and schooling fish; you could often see turtles, giant morays, all kinds of rays. There are also three wrecks at a max. depth of 10 meters. The wrecks have been there for more than 100 years and therefore fully overgrown with corals. Many of the potential sites accessed by boat are yet to be fully explored, offering something for the more adventurous diver, as most diving has been conducted from the shore until this point.

Diving the Dhofar Coast is either Liveaboard diving in Oman, with the opportunity to range around sites beyond the reach of most day boats, or Landbased diving in Dhofar based in a comfortable resort hotel with both day boats and shore diving available. We offer landbased diving from bases in Mirbat, set on a remote stretch of coastline, and from Salalah, close to Salalah town itself.