By Manal Abdel Fattah
Musandam Governorate is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in the Sultanate of Oman and the region. It is characterized by the diversity of its terrain, its picturesque nature, and its ancient history, in addition to its exceptional location, as it extends over the surfaces of the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Gulf, to be an important waterway linking the former ancient civilizations of the East and the centers of trade and finance and the sites of modern oil production and export.
Tourism in Musandam is a unique experience because it suits all age groups and varies with the different orientations of visitors.
The governorate brings together many tourist destinations, ranging from beautiful sandy beaches to towering mountains and picturesque valleys. The governorate also provides opportunities to practice exciting sports activities such as surfing, diving, and mountain biking.
Musandam Governorate, with its straits, islands, and unique geographical location, has become a tourist destination on the global tourism map. It has been considered the pearl of the world and the favorite tourist destination for many tourists from all over the world. In the past, the British said at the height of the prosperity of their empire, “If the world were a ring, then Hormuz is its pearl.”
Under the directives of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Sultan of Oman, to develop the governorates and intensify efforts to develop the tourism sector and the local economy, the governorate is witnessing a noticeable increase in the numbers of visitors and tourists, and with continuous efforts to create recreational tourism projects that meet the demands of tourists, Musandam Governorate has received 52 giant cruise ships over the course of a year. 2023 carries 76,156 tourists.
Musandam has many heritage and historical attractions that tell the story of the governorate’s history. There are more than 46 archaeological monuments registered with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, including towers, mosques, forts, and castles, in addition to 4 archaeological tombs and 115 lanes. 25,009 visitors were registered to Hasab Fort, Al-Kamazra Fort, Bukha Fort, and Fort Bukha. Dibba, according to the latest statistics of the Ministry.
The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is working to continue supporting and developing museums and developing strategies to invest in these attractions and supply them with artifacts that are found as a result of the work of archaeological excavation teams in coordination with foreign missions. For example, more than 7,000 artifacts have been found and are displayed at the Dibba archaeological site. .
The Ministry’s efforts were not limited to promoting Musandam Governorate through various marketing methods, including printing brochures, maps and special instructions for tourists only, but the Ministry also completed many tourism projects that contribute to the development of the tourism sector and make the Governorate a global tourist destination, such as the zip line project, which is a step forward. Successful in adventure tourism, Al Thith allows tourists to have unique experiences and adventures.
The length of the zip line is 1,850 kilometers, with a height of 220 meters, and extends from the Fatt area and passes over Khor Qada and the Mukhi area, all the way to the Atana Khasab Hotel.
In press statements, Ibrahim bin Saeed Al Busaidi, Governor of Musandam, stated that the number of development and tourism projects in the governorate reached 56 projects under the supervision of the governor’s office, adding: “At the forefront of these projects is the development of waterfronts, public parks, and children’s playgrounds, in addition to road and lighting services.” And urban development in maritime cities and villages, followed by tourism projects, which vary between resorts and five-star hotels, as well as the development of daily tourism activities that are a destination for tourists, in addition to adventure activities, as the Oman Adventure Center was launched, which included a number of adventures, in addition to activities. Water adventures and mountain sports activities such as walking, mountain climbing, etc.
Royal Decree No. (54/2022 AD) establishing the National Natural Park Reserve in Musandam Governorate came as an affirmation of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq’s interest in economic diversification in the governorates and highlighting the geographical and natural diversity of the governorate.
The area of the reserve is 1,149.40 km2, and includes nine marine islands, coasts, shallow waters far from the coast, creeks, and bays. The islands are among the most important sites that have not been affected by human interventions, and they are of national and regional importance, in addition to being safe areas for the nesting of several types of sea and land birds. It also contains stunning landscapes.
With many picturesque sea inlets with different windings and lengths between the terrain and towering mountains, tourists can see marine mammals such as the bottlenose dolphin and local species of common dolphin, as well as the spinner dolphin, humpback whale and other marine creatures.
The four states of the governorate, Khasab, Bukha, Dibba, and Madha, include large numbers of rocky islands, such as Umm al-Ghanam Island, Umm al-Tair Island, Salama and Banatah Island, and other islands. The “Telegraph” dump island may be considered one of the most famous islands. It is an island located in the waters of Khor Sham in the Wilayat of Khasab, and it is considered a water station. Parking tours.
“Musandam Winter” is characterized by various activities to get to know a number of destinations that attract tourists, such as the camping experience, watching dolphins, enjoying coral reef viewing, visiting the mountain stairs, and other interests of winter tourism lovers.
The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is keen to promote the winter season in Musandam and organize a number of diverse events, which include adventure activities, entertainment, art, culture and sports, in addition to organizing trips to explore mountain caves, hang-gliding rides, safaris, diving and mountain climbing.
Last year, the governorate also hosted the activities of the Xterra Musandam Championship 2023, which is a global event that combines tourism promotion and adventure sports, and is one of the largest sporting brands in mountain triathlon races, which consolidates the governorate’s position on the global map and classifies it as an essential destination for mountain sports in the region and the world.
