Khasab is a port city on Northern Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. Khasab is located close to UAE border at about 200km from Dubai. From Khasab harbor, ancient styled wooden boats named as “Dhow”(Arabic word for wooden boats) cruises the Strait of Hormuz, offering rugged coastal views surrounded by rocky mountains and dolphins sightings in ocean. Let’s go for Long weekend getaway to Khasab from Dubai.
Musandam Peninsula has an enchanting Fjords or Khors, created by fragmented rocks stretching like a claw into sea and huge cliffs standing besides are splendidly reflected in the blue waters of Strait of Hormuz.
The coast which meets Strait of Hormuz extends some 600 kms. These stunning Fjords have been named as “The Norway of Arabia”. Musandam area is divided into four parts – 1.) Khasab ( we stayed in Khasab)
2.) Bhuka
3.) Dibba
4.) Mudha.
10 Things to do in Khasab Musandam
1.) Dhow cruise Trip to Musandam Fjords- One full day tour by Dhow through a traditional Omani decorated dhow where visitors are comfortably seated on floor on cushions and carpets. Visitors are given opportunity to find the ancient towns and snorkel the waters of Telegraph Island & Seepi Island, going to Khor Shem, Qanaha & Maqlab along the way. Also dhow stops at dolphin sighting view in middle of sea where dolphins comes along with us. Buffet lunch and refreshments are served on board. Snorkeling gear and towels are provided on board. Timings of Cruise:- 10:A.M. TO 4:00P.M.
2.) Camping in Musandam Beach- People take camping stuff and do a overnight camping on beach besides sea and mountains. People take their caravans also.
3.) Overnight staying at Dhow cruise under moon-light to enjoy nights in sea surrounded by cliffs. Dinner and breakfast provided onboard.
4.) Mountain Safari to top of Fjords – You will need a 4 X 4 vehicle for this to reach Jebel Harim which offers most beautiful view from top at 2087m above ocean leve. Visitors enjoy the beautiful views of Hajar Mountains.
5.) Snorkeling & Swimming in Clear Waters- Dhow Cruise stops in middle of sea for an hour and offers snorkeling and swimming in between the sea.
6.) Natural Dolphin Watching along the Dhow Boat-
7.) Banana Boat ride, Local Beach Access with sea gulls – Local beach of Khasab is good for beach lovers and can access water sports.
8.) Kayaking and Fishing- There are many fishing points in Khasab area. Also lots of Kayaks can enjoy kayaking.
9.) Khasab City Tour – Very small city on the borders of UAE & Oman with local Arabic Culture and a small fort in Portugese style.
10.) Trekking – Explore the Mountains of Musandam. From top of mountains have a stunning views of Gulf of Arabia and Gulf of Oman. On top of mountains camping can also be done. Many people lay down their tents and stay here.
Nearest International Airports – Dubai in UAE and Muscat(Oman)
From Dubai it takes around 4 hours to reach here covering a distance of around 200kms by road.
Read more about visa and other practicalities for Musandam Trip Oman by clicking here.
Between UAE and Oman border there is checkpoint at border where are visa and passports are checked. Sometimes it takes lot of time because of huge rush on long weekends, so it is better to start early from Dubai so that Queue can be avoided. This place is favorite from UAE for day trips and long weekend trips. Check visa formalities on Oman site before going. Driving after crossing the border to the Khasab city is very scenic.
After reaching to Khasab we stayed in local 4 star hotel Atana Khasab hotel offering the views of sea with mountains and swimming pool. Many rooms are facing sea and many facing only mountains. Hotel is located on rocks facing sea. It offers professional diving course also with professional instructors. Parking is free in hotel.
Currency – Omani Rial
Food – Arabic and Continental
Atana Khasab hotel arrange cruise service and mountain safaris. These services picks up from hotel and drops also.
Muscat is capital city of Oman and it is also worth visiting place. Read about what to do and see in Muscat.
Thanks for reading… Love travelling ……Love ADVENTURES………
Coming soon with new experiences.
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Khasab is attraction for the tourist from UAE and visitors across the world. Its crystal clear water, mighty mountains and un-spoilt beaches are a great destination for many tourists.
Khasab Musandam does look quite spectacular. I particularly like the photographs where the dull grey of the desert is contrasted against the deep blue of the ocean.