Oman advice

Hi,

I am currently trying to plan a trip to Oman or UAE. I am not having much success as the most dive operators/hotels don't seem to be in a rush to reply to my emails and there aren't heaps of articles on the region.

I will be traveling with my newly surfaced son of 7 months so will have some restrictions on travel and more tragically number of days I can dive. My wife insists that she should be able to dive as often as me, some people be really can so selfish .

Anyway on to the questions;

1) As I am an avid underwater photographer, particularly macro could anyone suggest best area for this in Oman UAE area.

2) As mentioned above as I can only dive alternate days dose anybody know is any of the diving schools organize more than two dives a day.

3) Third and most controversially not having a buddy that is unless we can find a baby sitter, and having a dive speed equal to any nudibranch I might happen to find. Do you know of a dive operator that allows solo, diving conditions permitting.

By the way the Oman dive Center is full during the dates we want to travel, so this has narrowed down our options.

I think there is another dive op in Muscat called bluzone or something similar. However, other options, one I've tried and the second, not yet.

The first option is to goup to Al Sawadi Resort which is maybe 45-60 drive north of Muscat. The resort itself is nice and not overly expensive. On resort property you find a dive op whose name I can't remember, but likely you can find it on the AlSawadi web site. This op takes you on a 2 tank dive out to the Diminiyat Islands, a 40 or so minute ride. A protected area...not always crystal clear waters, but lots of fish, rays, turtles, eels, macro stuff. It is a protected area. Colorful prolific, all round very nice diving. Oh, yes I've seen nice large sharks, (tiger, I think) there as well .I have never had a dive partner on my times out there.

The second option I've not tried, only spoken to the op in considering a future visit. This one is on the Musandum Peninsula, located on the property of the Golden Tulip. They dive out to the Strait of Hormuz, and claim quite good pelagic activity with, of course, a fair bit of current. Golden tulip is a nice resort, beautiful location.

Hi from Dubai,

UAE Diving - Dubai (West Coast)

The diving based from Dubai is regretably fairly poor now due to the massive amount of dredging going on. There are dive centers here but sadly don't expect anything fantastic. But very good for the family, great hotels, top shopping etc but not for Diving.

UAE Diving - East Coast

The East Coast (Fujairah and Khor Fakkan) is much better but there is not much else to do, no shopping etc. However some outfits will run shuttles from Dubai but a LONG day. Try Al Boom or Pavillion Divers.

Oman - Mussamdam.

North of the UAE is the Oman enclave of Musamdam, the diving here is very good but really only liveabord based and again not suitable for a Family. You might get lucky with one of the Dubai outfits running a weekend special but not regularly.

Oman - Muscat

Diving is good, ODC have a fantasitc operation but you say full (common now). Otherwise the Damiyats is nice diving, equivilent to UAE east coast but IMHO not up to Musamdam standards.

If you want holiday as first priority would stongly recomend going Dubai and then live with the West coast and maybe a trip or two to the the east coast. Otherwise if diving is number one but shore based with something for the family check out Muscat. (Outside of Muscat thier is not much to do, resort only.)

Cheers,

Richard B.

I have mainly dove the east coast of the UAE and used Freestyle divers for my dive op. I would highly recommend them and they could probably get you on trip to Mussandam. This time of year is the High season, so not sure on hotel availability. Also, the only thing to do on the east coast is to sit in the sun and relax. There is no night life and shopping.

Here is link to some of my shots.

www.djunderwater.com