Serenity serenade

Want the perfect holiday without really taking off from the UAE? A trip to the Musandam Peninsula should do the trick, It is the northernmost part of Oman jutting out into the Strait of Hormuz, and is separated from the rest of Oman by Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

Musandam more or less begins where the mountains rise from the plains of Ras Al Khaimah. At its nearest point it is just 55 km from Iran across the strait. A boat trip from Dibba to Musandam is a given. Dhows that can carry up to 30 persons are available for hire along the coast.

As you sail along you see white caves, how the wind
and sea shaped the cliffs and created the caves. It's an extraordinary sight. You can sail all the way along the
mountains, magnificent sights rolling past, along with some picturesque villages.

Heading off in a rubber boat, not far offshore to Dibba Rock, is some experience. Within minutes of being in the water you can be swimming with a turtle. There are schools of lovely tropical fish, but not much coral as most of it had been destroyed in a cyclone a year back. While we were there we spent about an hour in the water catching a brief glimpse of a reef shark, some really large turtles and a flight of about eight stingrays, which we kept a good distance from.

A huge stingray jumped up in the air, sparkling in the
sunlight. If marine life thrills you, this is where you should go.

A rest on the lovely beach can restore your energy before heading back to town for another drive around, perhaps venturing into the Oman side of the town and through some of the suburban areas.

– Shiva Kumar Thekkepat, Feature Writer, Friday