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Anyone Been To Masirah Island Oman?

619

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 15 July 2011 - 07:33

I had posted this on the Oman forum but no reply yet, so I figured I'd post it again here.

I was just looking at places to go for Christmas for a couple of nights and I saw Masirah Island on the net. The Swiss-Bellhotel looks really nice and has really reasonable rates. Have any of you been there? Is it as good as it looks? We want somewhere peaceful for some nice R&R and exploring. We would be coming from Dubai.

Thanks for any help.

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619

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 25 September 2011 - 19:00

Hey thanks, HappyCamper. I was just talking to a friend about this today.

HappyCamper32358

5

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 September 2011 - 13:02

If you are looking for some other camping ideas then you can have a look at: http://www.blingmytruck.com/blog.aspx Wouldn't recommend Jebel Shams or Jebel Akhdar in the winter though unless you are used to UK temperature camping! Masirah Island can be alot of fun, although unfortunately not as pristine / remote as it used to be. Beware - the ferries are a nightmare. You might find it less hassle to enjoy the fantastic beaches of the Wahiba Sands on the mainland instead.

619

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 17 July 2011 - 12:21

Hi ari. Good suggestion on staying in Nizwa rather than Muscat overnight. I'll let you know about needing more info or pics in the next couple of weeks. :-)

131

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 17 July 2011 - 07:40

hi Natalie, we went to Masirah Island a few months ago. you can cover all trip in one go or stay in Nizwa for a night on your way. Island connected to the main land by ferries. the ferries are very efficient: one is departing, another is ready to load. it took us 1.5 hour to reach the island. the village, military base, shops, petrol stations, fish processing factories are one one side of the island and another side is unspoiled totally. you can pretty much go anywhere there and camp. We stayed in Swiss-Bellhotel for two nights. it's the only decent place there (there are two other hotels, but they are more like guest houses and located close to the village). The hotel has 18 rooms only - 14 rooms and 4 bungalows, so I would advise to do pre-booking before you arrive. It's quiet place with a pool... not much there. Food was ok (fish was very fresh though). if you need more info or pictures, let me know.

619

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 16 July 2011 - 21:11

I'm getting excited now! We'll have to do that. Thanks again and if I think of anything, I'll ask later on in this thread. :-D

624

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 16 July 2011 - 21:03

The turtles hatch all year round - there's more in the summer, but there's never a night when they don't come ashore to lay their eggs from what we were told there. We saw all stages of the process - the mother laying the eggs, the hatchlings popping out of the sand (really incredible!) and the newborns walking to the sea and starting to swim. Absolutely awesome! From the fixed tent camp (which incidentally, was a very good place to stay), they take you down to the beach in the evening, and there's also an optional excursion just before dawn (about 4am). Would highly recommend it, and it was the cheapest part of our itinerary!

619

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 16 July 2011 - 20:58

Oooooooh, thanks shamat! I thought the turtles only hatched in the summer, but if they hatch around Xmas and NY that would be a huge bonus. I'll take another look at the map of Oman in the morning, then I can ask you some Q's. The only thing is I want to stick to a budget and not go crazy. I also want it to be a bit of a surprise for DH.

624

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 16 July 2011 - 20:45

I know that this won't exactly answer your question, but my husband and I did a driving trip to Oman last New Year. We started off by staying at the only hotel on Jebel Al Aktar (very expensive and basic, but perfectly adequate), then we did a night camping in fixed tents on Turtle Beach to see the baby turtles hatching (absolutely lovely to watch!) then we finished our tour in Muscat for New Year's Eve. We had a fantastic time - a great mix of natural beauty and peace and quiet, but it was a lot of driving and it was quite expensive. If I was doing it again, I would extend the Jebel Al Aktar bit, as there was some brilliant walking opportunities there. Let me know if you want any more details about our itinerary if it interests you.

619

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 15 July 2011 - 11:03

Thanks, DR. We went to Oman for the first time 3 years ago in the summer and we stayed in Muscat and drove down the coast to Sur. We absolutely love it but we haven't been back since. I was thinking of spending one night in Muscat, then gping to the island for a couple of days after that to break up the drive. My husban'd working in London now and he'll be here for the Christmas holidays. It looks like I'll be moving to London in January so this is our last chance for Oman. ''I once lived there for quite some time in an old RAF Nissan Hut'' That sounds amazing. Why were you there? Maybe you can give us tips on what to see and do either on the island (probably not much, LOL) or on the way there or back.

1337

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 15 July 2011 - 09:24

Thats a long way to go for a couple of nights. But apart from that - I once lived there for quite some time in an old RAF Nissan Hut and if its peace and quiet you're after you'll certainly get that. Its not a place I would go back to but people do go for weekends so I think if you go with an open mind you might just have a nice time. I'm sorry this isnt more help.

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