Musandam Hotels - Information, Online Reservation in Musandam
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| This differentiating factor between this governorate and the other three is that this one is an exclave; it is located on the Strait of Hormuz, and Ras al Khaimah and Fujairah in the UAE separate it from the remainder of Oman. Musandam basically begins at the mountainous plains of Ras al Khaimah; these mountains have played an isolating role between villages for centuries, and that is why to reach the Musandam inaccessible-by-land districts, you have to rent a boat from Dibba. |
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| The population of Musandam is around 29,000, and it is mostly concentrated in the capital, Khasab, as well as Dibba. Most of the people in the northern sector close to Kumzar, speak Kumzari, a Persian dialect which is a mixture of Arabic and Persian, but is distinctive from both. The area is a serene one of “peaceful estuaries and scatterings of palm trees.” |
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Primarily, economic enrichment comes from fishing and trade. Tourism is another source of income.
There is a diversity of fish types; king fish, tuna, and sardines are the most common. The latter is usually caught in immense quantities and spread out on the shores to dry. They are then used as animal provisions. |
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| Besides their obvious job, fishermen also operate the dhows that tourists can rent. Dolphins abound in the area, and they are quite playful with, and swim alongside people in dhows. |
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On the trade front, a lot of the activity on the Khasab Port is owed to Iranian sheep and goat traders. The cattle is then loaded on trucks and delivered to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The now empty Iranian boats stock up on electronics and cigarettes for their return trip.
Agriculture in Musandam exists on a small scale level, and crops, which grow during the rainy season of December to March, are protected from floods by low walls. |
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| Khasab is surrounded by three protective walls that keep it safe from flash floods. |
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| Beautiful rock formations and century old stone houses can be found on mountains and especially in the Wadi Qida valley and the Jabal Harim mountain – which, at 2,087m, is Musandam’s highest peak. The entrance of the valley is flanked by date palm groves. When you enter deep into the “wadi,” you should take caution of the sea’s high tide. Red posts along the roads are a warning of that, so keep your eyes out for them |
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Many forts have been built throughout Oman for security purposes. The Khasab Fort was built by the Portuguese in the 17th century as a primary supply point of dates and water to Portuguese ships passing through. Access to this fort was strictly naval. For a long time, and until not too long ago, the fort was used as the local governor’s residence. At one point, it was also a jail. |
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| From what you read above, you might have the image that the islands are quite primitive fjord areas. However, electricity and desalination plants are present throughout Musandam. |
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| Some interesting activities you should be sure to take advantage on if on these islands are the following: |
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 Sightseeing – forts, walks within the valleys and mountains or along the picturesque Corniche.
Enjoying the underwater species diversity – especially while snorkelling in the vicinity of Telegraph Island (called so because in the mid 19th century, the British set a telegraph cable from India to Basra, Iraq). A warning however: make sure you take along your snorkelling gear, as you can’t always acquire them on the dhows. |
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| Swimming or boating - (in dhows, not speedboats, as dolphins flee the motorised ones) alongside the dolphins. |
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