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Scuba Diving In Musandam Oman
he Sultanate of Oman is massive overshadowing cliffs
the second largest country towering above are magnificently
on the Arabian Peninsula, reflected in the water below.
lying along its southeast corner.
It has a total land area of The coast juts into the Strait of
300,000 square kilometres and a Hormuz and extends some 600
population of over two million. kilometres. These spectacular
fjords have given the area a
The Musandam, separated from the second name "The Norway of
rest of Oman by the United Arab Arabia" The Strait of Hormuz is
Emirates, is the northernmost only 60km wide and does not
part of the Sultanate. exceed 60m in depth and is of
strategic importance to Oman as
Due to its geographical position 90% of all the Gulf's oil trade
and mountainous terrain it was passes through this area.
isolated from the rest of Oman
and the region developed at its The only dive center is the Extra
own pace. Graded roads cut across Divers Dive Center located in the
the mountains have now made it "Golden Tulip Hotel" in Khasab,
more accessible. The grandeur of which is the capital of the most
Musandam can best be explored by northerly province of Musandam.
sea.
It is the only dive center in the
Musandam Peninsula has an whole area...so lots of fish and
abundance of sheltered fjords, few divers! Turtles, rays,
some only connected to the nudibranches, dolphins,
mainland by narrow cliffs. barracudas...name it - you"´ see
Fjords, or khors, created by it.......maybe...! The dive
fragmented rock stretching center is brand new with new
claw-like into the sea and equipment, compressor, tanks,
dive shop, dry room for our
guests, multilingual instructors Its rugged mountains rise up over
(german, english, french, italian 2,000 meters above sea level. In
& russian), a workshop... and a Arabic it is known as Ra's
terrace for chill-out after Musandam. The Ru'us al-Jibal (the
diving. More infos at: Mountaintops), the northernmost
http://www.scubasailing.de extremity of the al-Gharbi
al-Hajar (Western Hajar
The total population of Musandam mountains), occupy the northern
is approximately 27,000 and the tip of the Musandam Peninsula.
capital Khasab has 18,000 The peninsula is generally about
inhabitants. Dibba on the East 35 km wide.
coast of Musandam has a
population of approximately The peninsula is mainly inhabited
5,500. The Peninsula begins with by the Shihuh, who are fishermen
Tibat, on the west coast in the and herdsmen and are probably
Arabian Gulf to Daba (Dibba), on descended from the original
the east coast in the Gulf of inhabitants of northern Oman.
Oman, this coastal zone, along Fishing is the peninsula's main
with many offshore islands, industry with packing plants at
offers a unique contact with al-Khasab and Bay'ah.
nature. Small villages nestle Transportation is mostly by sea,
along the tortuous shoreline, since no roads cross the
most of them only accessible by forbidding terrain.
sea, like Lima and Kumzar.
About the Author:
Uli Mewes - Dive center Manager in Khasab, Musandam - Oman. For more information about this topic or/and our dive center, please visit ScubaSailing Travel Resources Musandam Dive Center
Source: www.isnare.com
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