Routes / MY Oman Explorer
Best of Daymaniyat - Fahal and Bandar Khayran: from/to Sifah (airport Muscat)
During the summer and fall, Oman Explorer operates in the central area, in the capital region around Muscat. These tours start and end in Sifah, divers spend three days at the popular Daymaniyat Islands, one day in Fahal and one and a half days in Bandar Khayran. The Daymaniyat Islands are a chain of 9 inhabited islands. Numerous dive sites for all levels of divers are sites are located around the islands. The area is a protected nature reserve with incredible masses of fish, leopard sharks, lots of turtles plus, with a bit of luck, chances of meeting whale sharks. Fahal island is a large island around 4 km offshore from Muscat. The bays contain many varieties of hard and soft corrals and on the sandy bottom there is a chance to spot sharks and stingrays. The wreck of Al Munassir at Bandar Khayran is another highlight of this trip as it is populated with moray eels, lobsters, many nudibranchs and huge schools of fish.
The exact routing is weather dependent or depending on the diving experience of our guests. Routing changes due to port authority regulations are reserved.
"Best of Oman" Transfer Trip Sifah - Mirbat / Mirbat - Sifah
The transfer trip of the Oman Explorer offers guests on board a complete insight into the diversity of the Sultanate of Oman. At the beginning of the tour, the fabulous dive sites Daymaniyat Islands, Al Munassir Wreck and Fahal Islands are explored. Along the coast, it's the end of November via Masirah Island in 10 days towards South. The tour ends with wonderful dives to the famous Hallaniyat Islands: There is a chance of seeing humpback whales and dolphins from the boat. While diving, you’ll mainly encounter different species of smaller rays, leopard sharks and lots of cuttlefish, moray eels and don’t forget watching out for turtles hiding and nudibranchs crawling between the corals. Even off the coast of Mirbat, the last stop of the crossing, there are beautiful old wrecks and the masses of fish that make Oman a unique destination! The trips back from is usually in early April, when we head back from Mirbat up to Sifah.
The exact routing is weather dependent or depending on the diving experience of our guests. Routing changes due to port authority regulations are reserved.
Hallaniyat Islands: from/to Mirbat (airport Salalah)
The winter season (December to March) is dedicated to the southern tour, which follows the coast to the Hallaniyat Islands, arguably the most diverse diving area in the Sultanate! These islands offer extraordinary biodiversity and an incredible abundance of fish.
This group of five remote islands lies in the open ocean, about 40 to 70 km south of Dhofar, with only one of them inhabited. Stunning bays, framed by rugged cliffs, make the crossings between the islands a breathtaking experience, even above water!
With a bit of luck, you may encounter the resident population of humpback whales and even large pods of dolphins on the return journey to Mirbat. The untouched Hallaniyat Islands boast healthy marine life, vast fish schools, and a fascinating wreck. You might even spot leopard sharks and mobula rays.
Typically, some of the following dive sites are visited:
- Ras Mirbat: Slipper lobsters, nudibranchs, nice soft corals, scorpionfish, moray eels
- Marriott Wreck: A true “fish soup” with large fish schools, octopuses, and barracudas
- Hasikyah Aquarium: Stunning coral formations, massive table corals, schools of jackfish, leopard sharks and a fantastic night dive site
- City of Winchester: A large wreck at 20–30m featuring barracudas, batfish, jackfish, rays, mobulas, and an abundance of fish
The exact routing is weather dependent or depending on the diving experience of our guests. Routing changes due to port authority regulations are reserved.
General diving information Oman:
The Oman is not as well-known for diving as other destinations. However, if you like to avoid the crowds and be almost alone at the dive sites, Oman diving offers a genuine alternative to the Red Sea. The destination is also quite easy accessible from Europe. The maximum depth of the dive site varies between 15 and 30 meters and both, beginners and advanced divers, get their money’s worth with diversified dives. In Oman you expect the unexpected! The fish life and the abundance of fish is amazing, as the waters are filled with plankton and attract large schools of fish. Large groupers, leopard sharks, stingrays, barracudas, turtles, sepia and rare moray eels cam be encountered during the dives. At the right time of the year even a friendly whale shark might pass by. In the Southern part at the Hallaniyat Islands you can even see humpback whales! Also the macro life with nudibranchs in various colours, sea horses, shrimps and other critters is amazing. Divers encounter a mixture of walls and rocky landscapes with small wall sections. The reefs are covered with colourful hard and soft corrals. Due to the plankton and the thermocline the visibility varies between 5 and 20 metres but the mass of fish and richness of species surely make up for it. As the water temperature might vary between 26 degrees on the surface and 22 below the thermocline we recommend at least a 5mm wetsuit and an extra hood for the diving. Please note, the minimum required level of certification to dive is Open Water and we strongly recommend having at least the Specialty of Deep Diver. We also recommend having a minimum of 50 dives for liveaboard trips (for Oman Explorer trips).
