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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Come September Dive In Musandam

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Barbara Alessi of Extra Divers Oman says Oman has great diving spots because of its unique location and is finally starting to be considered as a ‘top-dive-destination from worldwide scuba community’


Do you want to explore and discover the rich marine life and underwater world. Come to Oman. Take a plunge into any of the Sultanate’s diving sites. You will encounter countless morays, scorpion fish, nudibranchs, big rays, sometimes leopard sharks and even whale sharks and bull sharks.


Omran has set up one more diving centre in Musandam is association with Freestyle Divers Oman.


Musandam is blessed with an abundance of marine life, and the new dive centre will not only add additional leisure activities to the hotel’s offering, but also encourage awareness of marine life conservation.


Set to open in September, the dive centre will accept guest reservations for packages that focus on underwater photography, discovery and exploration of new sites, as well as marine conservation and biology.


Barbara Alessi of Extra Divers Oman says Oman has great diving spots because of its unique location and is finally starting to be considered as a ‘top-dive-destination from worldwide scuba community.’


Calling herself a passionate dive instructor, and boat skipper, she says Oman’s unpredictable marine condition and surprising underwater encounters come naturally because of its quiet and relaxed life style.


Hafidh al Hadhrami, Omran’s Asset Manager, says the project is expected to boost Atana Musandam.


“This partnership supports Omran’s Local Development Investment strategy to position Atana as one of the leading hotel destinations in the Sultanate, as well as encourage partnerships with Omani-based companies,” he says.


Bader al Shahi, co-founder of Freestyle Divers Oman, also praised Musandam as an excellent diving site.


“We have pristine reefs with amazingly diverse marine life, from tiny critters up to large animals such as whales, dolphins and sharks. All of that against a backdrop of amazing fjords, beautiful cliffs and warm water,” he says.


The Musandam centre will offer a comprehensive array of beginner and professional courses, including recreational diving suitable for the whole family, as well as technical diving involving diving beyond 40 metres using mixed gases.


Barbara also notes that Oman’s location meant it was one of only two prime diving spots in the Middle East.


“Oman’s waters are very good for diving all year round. The water in is not that clear, but that is actually a good thing because the water is nutrient-rich, which means it is always full of fish.” From the small fish to bigger cetaceans and pelagic fish, every type of fish can be seen in the Omani waters.


Extra Divers Qantab also has important dive centre located in Sifah, Daba, Mirbat and Salalah, with its dive-live aboard-vessel also exploring the south coast (Hallaniyat Island) and north coast (Dimaniyat Islands), during different times of the year.


Divers call for setting up more marine conservation and protection areas, despite the diving industry in Oman having been established for some time now.


Liju Cherian


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