Considered one of the top diving spots in Oman, the Daymaniyat islands are also a great place to snorkel or just relax on the white sand beaches.
Below is my travel guide to help you discover the rocky islets and their underwater world with a snorkeling tour.
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Why visit the Daymaniyat Islands in Oman?
If you are looking for a great excursion from Muscat or the North Coast of Oman, the Daymaniyat Islands Nature Reserve is a great choice:
- 9 Rocky islets
- Stunning white sand beaches
- Turquoise waters
- A protected marine reserve with colored fish and sea turtles
- Great diving and snorkeling opportunity
Below is a short video of my boat tour to the Daymaniyat Islands, where I toured several of them and snorkeled at 3 different spots:
Check out the Daymaniyat island tours.
More photos after the planning tips.
PLANNING TIPS & Map - Daymaniyat Islands Oman
Location - Daymaniyat islands Nature Reserve - Map
- The Daymaniyat islands are off the coast and it will take you 30 min to 1 hour to reach them depending on your starting point (1hour from Muscat).
- The 9 islands are clustered into 3 distinct groups, so plan also some time to travel between them.
- Located 17 kilometers off the Oman shore
- North of Muscat, between Barka and Seeb
- They are also called Dimaniyat or Dimaaniyat or al Dimaniyyat.
- Below is a map to help you located the islands:
Map Daymaniyat Islands nature reserve Oman - Location
The islands are included in my travel guide to help you plan your itinerary:
Be overwhelmed by the beauty, not the planning!
- 8 exclusive easy-to-plan maps
- 90+ amazing locations
- Tips to make the most of your time
- 100+ large photos to decide
- GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
Getting to the Daymaniyat Islands - Tours
- Tours depart from the Wave Marina (Almouj Marina) in Muscat or further along the coast from Al Sawadi beach resort or from the Millennium Resort Mussanah - I used SeaOman from the Wave and was satisfied with their service.
- 30 min to 1 hour with a small motor boat - depending on departure point
- See snorkeling or diving tour options on Getyourguide or the options on Viator
Visit Tips
- This is a Nature Reserve so access is regulated (permit is required if you take your own boat)
- Landing is not authorized from May to October in order to protect the ecosystem
- The best season for diving is supposed to be from April to October - scuba travel has some diving maps
- Some of the snorkeling spots are very quiet and good for less confident swimmers
- Plan one day for a trip to the reserve - some tour operator organize lunch on the beach when authorized
- You can use their equipment, or you can bring your own snorkeling gear
Where to stay in Oman?
My tips:
- Muscat - capital city - see best rated accommodations
- Nizwa - to explore the forts and hinterlands - see best rated accommodations
- Sur - for the turtles, beaches, wadis... - see best rated accommodations
- Wahiba Sands - for the experience of sleeping in the desert - see best rated accommodations
- Salalah - the explore the Southern lands - see best rated accommodations
- Khasab - to explore the Musandam Peninsula - see best rated accommodations
Landscapes and beaches at the Daymaniyat Islands
The islands of Daymaniyat have been protected since 1996 as a Nature Reserve.
The tiny islets are made of orange or grey rocks with some sandy area.
It looks quite strange as you approach some of them on a boat. You wonder why there are such small islands here surrounded only by water...
This is a famous spot for diving, where the vairous isles offer different experiences:
But it also offers a few dreamy white sand beaches with shallow turquoise water. A great place to relax!
Daymaniyat islands Nature Reserve - beach
Daymanyiat Islands Snorkeling Tour
About Snorkeling at the Daymaniyat islands
- The islands are a great places to snorkel
- Each group of isles offer a different experience: a great variety of corals, algae and fish
- Some areas are quiet and easy, while other will require you to be a good swimmer with waves
- The Daymaniyat islands are also a nesting ground for the turtles. Being off season, I was still hopeful to spot one, like I did on my Muscat Boat tours, but sadly I did not.
- Apparently, if you dive there are also caves to explore.
Daymaniyat Snorkeling in photos
And below is a selection of photos I took while snorkeling at 3 different spots along the various islands:
Daymaniyat Islands snorkeling
Check out the Daymaniyat island tours.
And if you like snorkeling photos, I also went along the Muscat Shores and spotted a turtle!
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Birds at the Daymaniyat Islands Nature Reserve
But the Daymaniyat islands are not all about water and fish, with snorkeling and diving.
The reserve is also a nesting site for several migratory birds. I was off season but still spotted few birds:
Want to see more of Oman?
- Best things to do in Oman - read article
- Best of photos from Oman - Landscapes - read article
- Where to stay in Oman - read article
- Best days trips from Muscat - read article
- Planning a road trip in Oman - read article
- Driving in Oman - read article
- Best things to do in Muscat - read article
- The impressive Wadi Shab - read article
- The Bimmah Sinkhole - read article
- The desert of Wahiba Sands - read article
- The Ras Al Jinz turtle reserves - read article
Planning a trip to Oman?
Check out my travel guide to help you plan:
Be overwhelmed by the beauty, not the planning!
- 8 exclusive easy-to-plan maps
- 90+ amazing locations
- Tips to make the most of your time
- 100+ large photos to decide
- GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
And keep track of your own trip!
Want to see more of Oman's beauty?
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