Head north-east on any highway in the United Arab Emirates, and eventually you’ll reach Musandam. Officially a governorate of the Sultanate of Oman, this magical exclave sits separated from mainland Oman at the very tip of the Arabian Peninsula, right on the Strait of Hormuz, the gateway to the Arabian Gulf. For this reason, it has significant strategic value, and features various lookout posts and naval installations standing guard at its northernmost reaches.
Fortunately, the rest of Musandam is open to explore. It boasts 1800km2 of rugged mountainous terrain, and the coastline comprises hundreds of kilometres of towering cliffs dropping straight into the ocean. These are punctuated by countless coves, inlets, islands, beaches, and remote Omani fishing villages, some only accessible by boat, that have existed and survived along this barren coastline for centuries.
The best part, though, is what Musandam boasts under the ocean’s surface! With around 40 known dive sites, ranging from shallow reefs to bottomless walls, isolated islands, rocky outcroppings and even an accessible wreck added by a powerful storm in recent years, Musandam offers a wealth of treasures for divers to explore. All the sites are dramatised by the striking topography Musandam is renowned for – towering walls, tiny islands that drop suddenly to 40m depths, clusters of huge sunken boulders and gorgeous reefs.
DIVING BY DHOW
There are a range of options available to divers who wish to explore Musandam’s many sites. You can head out by speedboat for a day trip, or choose from one of several dhow operators which head out from either Khasab on the western side, or Dibba on the eastern side of the peninsula. Our preference is always the eastern coastline, departing from Dibba.
The dhows range from single-deck vessels on which you will eat, sleep and dive from the main deck, to larger, triple-deck dhows with air-conditioned cabins below decks. One of the leading dhow cruise operators is Sheesa Beach Dhow Cruises, who is our company of choice for liveaboard trips to Musandam.
In addition to the more basic, open-air dhows, they operate two large triple-deck airconditioned dhows with berthing for up to 16 guests, though you also have the option to sleep under the stars on the top deck if the weather permits. Comfortable and spacious, they also offer a range of non-diving activities, including kayaking, fishing and even inflatable tow toys for the speedboat upon request.
On the main deck you’ll find the air-conditioned salon, galley, the open-air dive equipment, kit-up and briefing area at the rear, and an open space for sunbathing, chilling or fishing at the front.
Below that are the guest cabins, usually two or three bunks to a room, some ensuite, others with a shared bathroom. On the top deck, which is basically a big flybridge, is the leisure and dining area, with sun loungers, a chillout area with Arabian cushioned floor seating, and the dining table where the day’s meals are served.
DAY 1: Arrival
For the weekend liveaboard package, you’ll have to take the Friday afternoon off for the drive to Dibba, which takes around two hours by car from Dubai. You should aim to be there by around 5 or 6pm, to allow time for the border crossing into Omani territory and transfer onto the dhow.
Once everyone is safely aboard the dhow with all their gear, the friendly crew will provide a safety briefing for the dhow, and an overview of the weekend’s trip. For the longer trips, the Sheesa dhows will sail to the further northern reaches of Musandam, where the more remote and peaceful bays can be enjoyed away from all the day trippers and party dhows.
If the weather is choppy, dinner will be served in the fishing port before departure for safety reasons. However, if the weather is calm, the dhow will depart around 7pm, and dinner will be served while underway, which is a gorgeous al-fresco dining experience!
It’s a four-hour cruise to the northern reaches of Musandam, where the dhow’s captain will find a nice, calm sheltered bay to anchor in for the night. On the way, you’ll pass the glamorous Six Senses Zighy Bay resort and then the larger village of Lima on your left, but then as you leave civilisation behind, you’ll enjoy the inky darkness of Musandam’s wild coastline. If the sky is clear, you’ll also be treated to a beautiful starlit sky.
At this point, you will also lose all cell reception, so you are literally off the grid for the next two days, which is a truly refreshing and relaxing experience in today’s hyper-connected age!
Once the dhow has anchored and the engine is off, it’s advisable to get some sleep, as the next day’s first dive briefing will be around sunrise the next day.
DAY 2: Three Dives and a Glorious Sunset
The first day’s dive takes place before breakfast, so the bell rings for the briefing at 7am.
HOWEVER… if you’re already awake beforehand, there’s another incredible experience to be had for the early bird. As you’ll be on the coastline facing eastwards, if the weather permits, i.e. there are no clouds and the sea is calm, you can head out on the kayaks or stand-up paddleboards (you’ll have to bring your own SUPs, only kayaks are provided on the dhow) to be treated to an absolutely magnificent sunrise over the horizon of the Gulf of Oman.
Back at the dhow for the first dive of the day, there are many superb dive sites available in this area. Red Island is one of two islands surrounded by beautiful reefs in the protected area of Sheesa Bay, which is also often frequented by pods of dolphins. All along the coastline from Ras Allul to White Rock (so named because of the droppings of thousands of birds that have completely covered it) there are several fantastic reef and wall dives to choose from.
After the first dive, it’s back to the dhow for breakfast, and a couple of hours of surface time which can be used for kayaking, snorkelling, or snoozing, before the bell rings for the second dive at around 11am.
For this dive, our favourite choice is always Umm Al Fayyarin, an islet about a kilometre off the coastline with some fantastic diving to be done on both sides, where sharks, rays, turtles and even whale sharks can be spotted by the lucky diver. As you do this dive, the dhow will pull anchor and start slowly making its way down the coastline to a second spot, where you’ll meet it for lunch.
Following lunch, it’s time for the third dive of the day. Two popular choices for this are Ras Dillah, or Ras Sarkan, both exceptional dive sites boasting a combination of reef and wall diving.
Back to the dhow, it’s time for some R&R (unless you’ve opted for an extra night dive in the evening). At this point, it’s about 3pm, and the dhow will begin its cruise southwards for the final stop. On the two-hour journey, as everyone gathers on the top deck, you’ll be treated to a spectacular sunset over the Musandam mountains to the west.
The dhow will anchor for the final night in one of the many coves near Lima village, where those who wish to do a night dive can do so right after sunset, and before dinner. Aside from the night sea life, another great feature of Musandam’s waters is bioluminescent plankton often visible at night, so be sure to switch off your torches for a few moments to enjoy the light show!
DAY 3: Two Dives and a Journey Home
On day three, the first dive is always, by popular demand, Octopus Rock. So named because the pinnacle of this dive site pokes up out of the water like the body of an octopus, the rock walls then cascade down to a reef at about 20m below, from which you can then swim eastwards to a couple of fantastic walls to search for seahorses. Here we’ve also spotted cuttlefish, cowtail rays, eagle rays, turtles, and even the occasional whale shark.
Easily one of the most popular dive sites in Musandam, there is so much to see and explore, and visibility varies from 10m to 30m, so it’s never the same dive twice!
For the second dive of the day, the usual choice is Lima Rock, another islet with fantastic reef and wall diving on both sides. However, a violent storm in recent years has added yet another exciting site to the area! Just south of Lima, up against the base of the cliffs there lies a large tugboat that lost power in the storm and was grounded on the reef below the cliffs.
It sunk to a depth of about 15m, and its wheelhouse sits just below the surface of the water. Nice and shallow, you can easily explore the whole wreck in 15 to 20 minutes, and then spend the rest of the dive exploring the reef around it.
And then, it’s back to the dhow for lunch, and the cruise back to port in Dibba. Even though the weekend dhow liveaboard is only two nights, you’ll still feel relaxed and refreshed upon your return, having enjoyed the fresh sea air, gorgeous scenery, excellent diving, and dolphin spotting. It’s simply one of the best things you can do from the UAE without flying to far flung locations!
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