SCUBA DIVING

ENJOY THE FANTASTIC DIVE SITES IN OMAN. EXPERIENCE DRAMATIC CORAL FORMATIONS AND INTENSE FISH LIFE IN THESE VERY PLANKTON RICH WATERS

The waters along Oman's coastline provide fine tropical coral sea diving and the nutrient-rich water attracts a wide variety and quantity of marine life:

The sea is abundant with 900 species of fish ranging from the little cleaner wrasse to the enormous whale shark. So varied is the fish population in the waters of Oman that new species are still being discovered and identified.

Water temperatures range from 22°C in winter to 30°C in summer, with a thermocline at around 15m to cool you off during the summer’s hotter months.

Visibility can reach 30 meters, although at times the massive presence of plankton reduces it notably. However, even when visibility is low, the sheer abundance and variety of species in Muscat waters is enough to keep divers coming back.

Bandar Khayan

Situated 20 minutes by boat from Muscat, this coastal area has fjord-like entrances, with a number of bays, and is predominately reef diving. There are a variety of different dive sites, from 30m drop-offs to shallow coral reefs or swim-through beneath huge boulders. You are likely to encounter huge schools of fish, turtles, gigantic stingrays, Seahorses and many Moray Eels on these divesites. There is also a very nice wreck in the area. Al Munassir, a former Navy cargo vessel which has been sunk for diving purpose in 2003. It is 80m long, lies in 30 m depth and is inhabited by a large amount of schooling fish. Sandy beaches and calm waters inside the main area make this an ideal site for picnics or a break between dives.

Fahal Island

Fahal is a Rock Island located 4 km offshore from Muscat's coastlineand is our secondary destination after The Daymaniyat Islands and has some very attractive dive sites. It offers excellent diving, with bays containing different types of hard and soft coral. Of the 39 genera of corals that have been found in the Muscat area, all but three occur at Fahal Island, on three nearby rock pinnacles which range in depth from 17 to 35 m. For the more adventurous divers there is a cave swim-through and a well inhabited wreck of a tug boat and barge at 30 meters depth to the north of the island. Huhe schools of fish and sharks can be often found basking on the sandbanks.

Daymaniat

The jewels in the crown of diving in the Gulf of Oman are the Daymaniyat Islands They are a group of uninhabited islands located approximately 18 kilometres offshore of the Batinah coast. This is around 60 minutes drive from Muscat, heading west towards Sohar.

They are Omans only marine nature reserve, and have been under UNESCO protection for the previous 21 years.

Important: visitors are not permitted to land on the islands between the beginning of May, until the end of October.

These islands offer numerous dive sites with beautiful coral gardens, reefs, walls, large pelagic fish, turtles, rays, leopard & black tip reef sharks and if you are really lucky, whale sharks.

The Daymaniyat islands consist of many submerged rocks, in an east to west alignment, which form the base for well developed coral reefs. Abundant coral growth extends to up to 20 m depth, in water that has the highest clarity of any coral growing area in Oman. The ecosystem for this area is magnificent.

Musandam

The waters surrounding Musandam and the Straights of Hormuz provide very fine coral reef diving. Plankton rich waters attract over 900 species of fish, ranging from cleaner wrasse through to whale sharks.

There are over 25 established dive sites. As the region is remote, and commercial fishing is not permitted, the volume of marine life is immediately noticed upon entering the water, and leaves a lasting impression on divers. The dive sites themselves range in character from walls to extensive coral gardens.

The combination of plankton and strong local currents attract a great range of pelagic species, which includes manta and eagle rays, along with whale sharks. The dive boats are often accompanied by dolphins, which like the calm waters of Musandam’s fjords. Numerous shark species can also be encountered, as well as most species of turtle. The trade off for the high concentrations of marine life is underwater visibility, which typically lies in a range from 12 and 20 metres.