Daymaniyat Islands

The boat anchors over coral so close to the surface it looks like you could step onto it. Below, hawksbill turtles glide past without urgency, and the water is clear enough to see the reef drop away into deep blue thirty metres down. There is no one else here. The islands are nine dots of sand and rock, each one uninhabited.

The Daymaniyat Islands are a chain of nine uninhabited islands designated as Oman's premier marine nature reserve. Access requires a permit from the Environment Authority, and visitor numbers are strictly controlled, which keeps the coral reefs in exceptional condition. The snorkelling and diving here is among the best in the Middle East, with visibility regularly exceeding twenty metres and a reef ecosystem that includes hawksbill and green turtles, reef sharks, rays, and dense schools of tropical fish. The islands' beaches serve as nesting sites for turtles between April and November. Day trips depart from the coast near Muscat, with operators providing snorkelling equipment and beach barbecues. The reserve is closed during the summer turtle nesting season, which means peak visiting months coincide with Oman's most comfortable weather.