Making the most of Khasab Musandam
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The dock is about 5 km from town. Shuttles run into town, sometimes free and sometimes paid, although the town itself offers very little.
The port has a spectacular setting: a fjord imagined on the moon, with no vegetation at all.
As throughout Oman, everything is extremely clean and the people are among the nicest you will ever meet.
A nice little beach is next to the dock, only 5 minutes on foot. Sharks are present but do not like human flesh.
Do not miss sunset from a higher ship deck, watching speedboats with Iranian smugglers load merchandise destined for Iran; it is a real photo opportunity.
Bring a printable map with you.
Khasab, or Khassab, sits at the northern tip of the spectacular Musandam Peninsula. Still relatively unknown to travelers, it has dramatic towering cliffs and fjord like inlets with much scenic beauty, and is destined to become a major resort in the future.
Khasab is a calm fishing village and oasis overlooking the Gulf of Arabia and the Straits of Hormuz, with little sightseeing. Watch the traditional lives of fishermen and Bedouins, and visit the restored Portuguese Fort of Khasab, whose Museum displays many Omani handicrafts items.
The harbor is busy with smuggling, especially US cigarettes sent to Iran in return for goats. Mostly Iranian smugglers use fibre glass boats with outboard motors. Every night at sunset the scene repeats, clearly visible from your cruise ship.
Getting around
Take a thrilling, spectacular dhow cruise through Musandam fjords for snorkeling, swimming, dolphin watching, historical Telegraph and Seebi Island, and views of small fishing villages.
Food and shopping
Shopping opportunities are very limited.
Money
Muscat uses the Omani rial (OMR), made up of one thousand Baisa. Since 1986, the rial has officially been tied to the US dollar at 1 rial = 2.6008 dollars, although street rates are a percent or two lower.
Dhow cruise operators accept Euro and USD.
Staying connected
Arabic is the national language, but most Omanis speak good to excellent English, especially in major tourist areas and cities.
Opening Hours and
Shopping establishments open 9am to 1 pm and 4pm to 9 pm. During Ramadan, department stores, supermarkets and shopping complexes trade throughout the day 9am to 10 pm, with a short lunch break all week except Fridays. Hours can vary between shops.