Travel Guide Îles Damaniyat

Off the coast of Barka and Sawadi and north of Muscat, the Damaniyat form an archipelago of a dozen limestone islets and submerged rocks. These are made up of ancient reefs of fossils and lime that emerge from the ocean. Lined up from east to west over an area of 203 km², they form the base of a well-developed coral reef, extending to a depth of 20 m in crystal-clear waters. Because of the richness of their seabed, these bits of land have been classified as Oman's National and Natural Marine Life Reserve. They offer some twenty dive sites (with mask and snorkel or tanks) and form splendid coral gardens populated by colorful reef fish, large pelagics, turtles, rays, etc. On land, the archipelago is home to a large bird population, especially migratory birds. The islands can be visited by half-day or full-day excursions from Muscat (particularly from Al Mouj marina north of the capital, with the Mola Mola Diving Center or Daymaniat Shells companies; allow 45 minutes for the crossing) or Sawadi. To preserve the islands and their species, it is forbidden to land in the reserve between May and October.