Khasab- The "Norway" of Arabia

The "Norway" of ArabiaThe Musandam Peninsula is the northernmost part of Oman jutting out into the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. The province, or governorate of Musandam as it is officially known, is separated from the rest of Oman by various of the United Arab Emirates - Ras al Khaimah and Fujairah. Musandam more or less begins where the mountains rise from the plains of Ras al Khaimah.

The mountains have isolated communities for centuries. Coastal villages can be reached only by boat rather than by road. Pockets of flat land support meagre agriculture. The population of approximately 29,000 is concentrated in the capital, Khasab (18,000 in 2004) in the north and Dibba (5,500) on the east coast. Fishing is the principal economic activity supported by employment in government jobs. Tourism could be a major earner. Traders from Iran boost the port trade of Khasab.

At its nearest point Musandam is just 55 km from Iran across the strait. See the satellite image which will open in a separate window. The file size is 72.5 K and takes up to 30 seconds to download fully at 28.8K. Khasab makes its money now from the port trade. Iranians import sheep and goats in small fibre glass hulls with very powerful engines into the local port, where the animals are shipped off to UAE and Saudi Arabia in trucks. Traders have to arrive in Khasab port after sunrise and leave before sunset. We watched as some fifty or so boats gathered outside the port in the late afternoon, taking off together at high speed at some unseen signal. They have to avoid the Iranian coastguard as well as other shipping in the strait waters; the crossing is dangerous with so many oil-tankers passing to and fro.

Oman Air flies regularly between UAE (Dubai) and Khasab, and offers very good value package stays of a return flight and two nights at the hotel. Contact Oman Air in Dubai on + 971 4 3518080 / 3521777 or by e-mail. The Golden Tulip Khasab hotel stands on the edge of the Straits of Hormuz The old Khasab Hotel. Business in the bar suffered once the new road was built from Khasab to UAE. The Khasab Hotel is still open. Basic, but adequate, and cheaper than the Golden Tulip. Telephone + 968 26730267, fax + 968 26730989. Khasab Travel also offer apartments. The Ras al Khaimah Hilton hotel organizes trips to Khasab Or you can choose the Al Hamra Hotel, also in Ras al Khaimah, UAE.

If you prefer a boat trip, take a look at Oryx Offroad. Al Marsa Charters offers diving, cruising and snorkeling along the east coast of Musandam from Dibba.