With translation from Mai al Abri
At the peak of the sea turtle nesting season pre-corona, dozens of visitors usually head out towards the beaches of Ras al Jinz to witness one of nature's most amazing miracles.
Guided by a staff from the Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve hotel, these visitors are asked to put on a red headlight and in the darkness, sometimes as early as 4 in the morning, would walk by batch towards the beach for a rendezvous with the turtles all due for laying their eggs.
This seasonal event is what Ras al Hadd vis a vis, Ras al Jinz has been known for — a sanctuary for sea turtles and a beautiful place to enjoy the usually lighter, cold breeze even during the summer.
Once the sea turtles rush back to the sea however, and the sun started to embrace to usually empty shores with warm light, the next thing everyone will notice are the amazing rock formations that pepper this side of the Wilayat of Sur.
These distinctive rock formations in Ras Al Jinz in Ras Al Hadd in the Wilayat of Sur had now attracted the interest of a wide range of professional and amateur photographers, tourists, geologists and students researching on this topic.
In my personal visit a year ago, I've checked out several of the rock formations located about 100 metres away from the hotel. While the rock garden of Duqm is now protected and has been thoroughly catalogue, no such effort has been made yet for the impressive rock formations of Ras al Jinz. No names had been given or attributed nor its potential as another attraction has been explored.
One of the most memorable formations that I've spotted is the formation I called the "Tres Marias" or the Triple Goddess simply because they reminded me of the Maiden, Mother and Crone from popular Greek Mythology. The rocks, due to the years of weathering and erosion, somehow resembles women with their garbs on each whispering to each other. There are others too, like the tabletop rock and the different animal-shaped formations that I thought are great learning opportunities especially for kids who usually found their way into Ras al Jinz's remote shores.
The beauty of these rock formations didn't escape photographer Hussein bin Ali Al Ameri when he visited Ras al Jinz.
He said, 'Ras al Jinz beach has always attracted tourists and photography enthusiasts because of the diversity of the landscape and how nature has created this breathtaking view. The natural beauty of the place allows anyone with a camera to capture the most beautiful pictures and the most wonderful moments, from sunrise and sunset, mountain views, waterfalls and green spaces, lakes, sea waves, lighthouses, desert and other charming scenery."
He added that Ras Al Jinz is characterized by its magnificent rock formations, which attract photographers, who try to choose the best angles to produce an impressive picture.
Al Ameri is especially impressed with the narrow passageways created by the rock formations and the view between these rocks create a beautiful window of the sea, shore and the little things that make Oman's waters some of the best in the world.
Like other photographers, Al Ameri believed that rock formations on their own can become amazing attractions, it just needed development and story so that it will intrigue more people.
Once these rock formations are looked after, they can become another attraction that visitors can visit any time of the year and in the greater efforts of tourism, can make Ras al Jins and the greater Ras al Hadd area a year-long destination because of its usually cool weather and amazing beaches.
Ras Al Hadd is one of the most important and prominent tourist attractions and is the first spot on which the sun rises in the Sultanate and the Arabian Peninsula. It is characterized by a diverse landscape and mild weather throughout the year. The place has many natural features and beautiful bays, the most important of which is Ras Al Jinz.
Ras Al Jinz is a fishing village located in the Ras Al Hadd, on the eastern shores of the Arabian Peninsula. The village features earth’s raw beauty, with unique landscapes, and extraordinary animals, such as sea turtles, which Ras Al Jinz makes the perfect home for.
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