Khasab

Adventurous, living the moment, being spontaneous, is everything I’m not. Especially if it involves waking up at 6:am in the middle of the night, on a weekend!
But there was no better time than the onset of a long weekend to change things so we decided to go all out. And all out we did. We drove to Khasab - located in Musandam directorate, the northern part of Oman, separated from the rest of Oman by the north of the United Arab Emirates. It is about a 160 Kms from Dubai(directions).

Khasab is known for fishing and smuggling in small, fast boats, to and from Iran. They are destined for the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. A variety of goods are taken back to Iran for sale. Cigarettes are the main export though scrap metal and white goods form a significant part. Due to its geographical position and mountainous terrain it was isolated from the rest of Oman and the region developed at its own pace. Only in 1980 was the first track made to reach from the border.

The scenic view from Khasab says a lot more than its economy. We finally left Dubai at 7:am, and the trip towards the Ras-Al-Khaima border was an hour.

UAE Border

I was quite surprised at not being greeted by long queues at both the UAE & Oman borders. The exit fees from the UAE border cost AED 30/per person and entry into Oman AED 20/person.

Oman Border

Leaving the border was the beginning of a picturesque weekend. Khasab lay two hours ahead. Long winding roads embraced the calm gulf waters. As the sun shone above, the stars twinkled below. Even if it took longer, the journey was nothing short of breathtaking.

The 40 degrees outside did not stop us from driving with our windows down occasionally to breathe in what our eyes behold.

I wasnt kidding!

We pulled into the Golden Tulip Hotel at about 11:15 am, and were rearing to go on the dolphin sighting trip. Chances of seeing Dolphins in the afternoon, is reduced by 50%, and that’s something to keep in mind for the next time. But before that – lunch, their buffet was not too exciting but you have the option of either doing the full course or only the salad, soup & desert option

In mid summer the one hour boat trip to a reef which included dolphin sighting and snorkeling was surprisingly pleasant for 1:45 pm. The Musandam Peninsula has an abundance of sheltered fjords, miles of sparkling blue water, rocky mountains, birds and yes, two dolphins added to the breeze. I felt a bit cheated out of my experience because the guy maneuvering our boat did not make any attempts to attract the dolphins closer, so all aboard had to be satisfied by watching the dolphins’ spring to the claps, cheers and whistles of the boat opposite at a distance. We tried doing the same but apparently they respond to a particular kind noise made by whistling. No experience there. It seemed like an experience too surreal. I’ve seen so many pictures set in similar scenarios, that by now I’m not convinced if it wasn’t just my imagination.

Snorkeling was disappointing because the anchor point wasn’t really a reef. Snoppy Island in Fujairah hosts a much larger smorgasbord of marine life, they even have 4 resident black reef sharks! But having said that, this was a different experience, never before have I gotten into the sea without a proper life jacket, broken zippers, strings barely there, snorkeling gear a size too small and all this included in the price you pay for the boat trip. So all those heading there, either carry your own gear, or ensure you rush to get yours first after boarding.

The boat ride back seemed like an empty pistol, no longer loaded but yet a pistol.
On the way out of the city we tried to look for small baklavas but found none that served tea or coffee. Pathetic, what the Bebsi (Pepsi) generation has amounted to!
At the end of the trip as I soaked my fingers into butter chicken and garlic naans, reminiscing, I was only too happy to have tapped into the half adventurous & spontaneous side of my spine.

No, I havent taken this but next time I will!