Muscat: Environment Authority Oman has announced its decision to open the popular Daymaniyat Islands Reserve in Oman to visitors around the world and also to residents and citizens from November 1 onwards. The window to visit will be open till April 2021. The reserve is not open for visitors between May and October, as it is a protected area and home to endangered species such as turtles, exotic varieties of fish, and untouched coral reefs.
The Daymaniyat are a small archipelago of nine islands located about 40km off Muscat. Very popular among divers and snorkelers from Oman as well as from abroad, this picturesque place is a well-loved getaway for locals and residents alike.
Clean-up
Two main areas that are frequently used by divers are the seagrass beds extending in a small bay located on the southwestern side of the main island, and the shallow bay located on the northeastern side of the main island. There are also plenty of other great snorkeling sites scattered in this archipelago, say regular divers.
Environment Authority Oman recently conducted a reef clean-up campaign at the Daymaniyat Islands along with volunteers from Blue Water diving teams. The divers removed fishing nets and ropes stuck in the coral reefs. The Environment Authority has requested fishermen in the area to exercise caution while fishing in the islands to avoid the entangling of fishing nets on the coral reef areas due to currents.
