Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
26 / POP 18,000
The capital of the province is small but far from sleepy. Its souq resounds to a babble of
different languages, including Kumzari (a compound language of Arabic, Farsi, English,
Hindi and Portuguese), and its harbour bursts with activity, much of it involving the
smuggling of US cigarettes to Iran in return for goats. The smugglers are distinguished by
their souped-up fibreglass boats with outboard motors that line up along the creeks wait-
ing for dusk to make the mad dash 55km across the strait to Iran. They bring money and
character into town, so no one seems in a hurry to get rid of them; besides, piracy has
been a tradition in these parts for well over 200 years and locals respect a good piece of
tradition.
Sights
Forget what you read about 'city tours', Khasab is still just a town where the biggest event
of the past three years has been the building of a Lulu's supermarket. That said, it makes a
pleasant place to wander around and it boasts an excellent museum and a lively shopping
area. If you drive past Lulu's on the left and take the first right towards Khmazera Castle,
you'll circuit some grand modern villas with nautical themes: one house has a scale model
of a dhow over the entrance while another sports fine Iranian tiles with a seafaring theme.
The whole town is partially buried in date plantations.
WAJAJA &
KHATMAT MILAHAH
These two
border crossings
are the most common entry and exit points for the UAE. Wajaja is the post that
buses use (it takes about an hour for a full bus to clear customs) while Khatmat Milahah is more useful for those
with their own transport wanting to explore the eastern coast of the UAE. A good tip when using either border is
to bring a photocopy of your passport and a pen; you may find that this helps speed up the process, which can be
lengthy at weekends and on public holidays. Don't try to take beer in your coolbox in either direction! The rules
regarding entry and exit formalities change frequently so check with the Royal Oman Police (
Click here
) before
travelling.
Khasab Fort
FORT
(admission 500 baisa; 9am-4pm Sat-Thu, 8-11am Fri)
With its command of the bay sadly dimin-
ished since Lulu's was built on reclaimed land, Khasab Fort nonetheless cuts quite a dash
with its four stone turrets and fine set of crenulations. Built by the Portuguese in the 17th
century around a much older circular tower, this well-preserved fort now houses one of
the best little ethnographic museums in Oman.
