Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Masirah
With its rocky interior of palm oases and gorgeous rim of sandy beaches, Masirah is the
typical desert island. Flamingos, herons and oyster-catchers patrol the coast by day, and
armies of ghost crabs march ashore at night. Home to a rare shell, the Eloise, and large
turtle-nesting sites, the island is justifiably fabled as a naturalist's paradise. Expats sta-
tioned here affectionately termed Masirah 'Fantasy Island' - not because of the wildlife,
but because anything they wanted during the long months of internment was the subject of
fantasy only.
Little is known about the history of the island, except through hearsay. At one point it
was inhabited by Bahriya tribespeople, shipwrecked from Salalah. Wiped out by an epi-
demic 300 years ago, their unusual tombstones can still be seen at Safa'iq ( Click here ) .
The island has been used variously as a staging post for trade in the Indian Ocean, and as
home to a floating population of fishermen attracted by the rich catch of kingfish, lobster
and prawn.
Masirah, 63km long, 18km wide and lying 15km from the mainland coast, is still re-
mote, with minimal facilities, but the island's splendid isolation is under threat with hotel
chains negotiating for a portion of the eastern shore. For now, though, Masirah continues
to offer a rare chance to see nature in the raw: if you can get there it promises a rare trip
on the wild side.
A sealed road runs around the entire island but without a 4WD it is hard to get a close-
up of the coast without a long walk. The northwestern tip of the island is a military zone
and is off limits.
If you miss the last ferry to Masirah, there are two places to stay on the mainland that
are relatively nearby. The sparkling Al-Jazeera Tourist Guesthouse ( 99 820882; s/d/ste OR12/15/25)
is in Mahout (also spelt Mahoot and Mahouth), 63km from the ferry, at the Hijj junction
on the Sinaw-Duqm road. Or, if you are desperate, there is the Mahouth Guesthouse (
95
288177; r OR15) in Hijj, 45km from the ferry .
SHIPWRECKED!
Masirah must be the only place in Oman without a fort - unless the air base counts. The local population tolerates
the overseas militia with good grace, but outsiders have not always been welcome. In 1904 a British ship called
the Baron Inverdale was wrecked off the rugged eastern coast. Her crew struggled ashore expecting Arab hospit-
 
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