Beaches in Oman
Oman’s coastline stretches for a distance of 3,165 kilometres, including beaches overlooking the Sea of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Straits of Hormuz in the North. The nature of this coastal strip varies from tourist-friendly sandy beaches where summer holiday-makers hang out, and the rocky coasts, bays, islands and lagoons with their diverse geographical make-up, making them ideal for fishing and marine excursions. The most important beaches are:
Al Bustan Beach
Located in the Governorate of Muscat, Al Bustan Palace Hotel sprawls over the beach and overlooks the mountains that intertwine with the hotel’s sands and beaches. These mountains lend the beach an unsurpassed sense of privacy.
Ras Al Hadd Beach
The beach is about 60 kilometres from Sur City, the capital of the A'Sharqiyah South Governorate. This beach has been home to human activity since the third millennium BC and serves as a safe haven for ships from storms. Fighter planes took shelter in it in during World War II and the marks of the runways still exist today.
This beach has been proclaimed a turtle reserve. Turtles come here, especially to Ras Al Jinz beach in Wilayt Ras AlHadd, to lay an estimated number of from 6,000 to 13,000 eggs. The beach is distinguished by its spectacular bays and rock formations which are havens for large numbers of birds.
AlQurm Beach
This beach lies in AlQurm Area in the heart of Muscat and extends over a large area. A number of large hotel chains are built next to it, such as Hotel Muscat InterContinental and Crowne Plaza. This beach is considered one of the busiest in Muscat due to its location near shopping centres and restaurants. Walking enthusiasts can enjoy the boardwalk along the beach and then rest on the numerous chairs and umbrellas that dot the beach.
Dhofar Beaches
Dhofar Governorate is characterised by attractive and rich beaches. There are plenty of lagoons crowded with flamingos, as well as caves with winding entrances. The Governorate’s most important beaches are Al Maghsayl, Raysut, Al Hafah, and the shores of Wilayat Taqah, Mirbat and Sha, noted for the purity of their sands and the beauty of their surrounding rocks and scenic nature. There are a number of lagoons, such as Sawli, Al Baleed, Ad Dahareez, Atheeb and Salalah, where you can see large numbers of flamingos. As for lovers of diving and water skiing, they can rest assured that the shores of this governorate are among the best in the Sultanate. You can easily access these shores through well paved roads and other services.
Source: OmanTourism
