Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Allow an hour to do a visit justice and to explore the
bait al qufl
, literally the 'house of
locks', built by a master craftsman in the courtyard. Typical of the region, these houses
were built with a floor well below ground level - one of several features keeping the
house safe during the empty summer months when the occupants moved to the shore to
fish and harvest dates. You can see remnants of these houses in Rawdah Bowl, a two-hour
off-road drive through the mountains. Also on display is
'arish
, a summer house built on
stilts to allow for ventilation in the sweltering summer months.
The central tower of the fort houses the best part of the museum with displays on the
peninsula's flora and fauna and a video highlighting the famous sea chants of local fisher-
men.
Khmazera Castle
CASTLE
( 8am-2pm Sat-Wed)
Buried in the heart of town (brown signs show the way), this
small fortified house sports two cannons at the doorway, a renovated well in the courtyard
and giant oyster shells in one of the rooms. It's underwhelming after Khasab Fort but
worth a pause during a walk or drive around town.
Activities
In addition to dhow rides and diving, Khasab is a good place for a swim. There is a lovely
sandy beach with palm umbrellas and toilets on the town's outskirts and beautiful shells
often wash up here when the weather is rough. Follow the road from the port towards
Bukha for 2km or so. Don't be alarmed by the 1.8m sharks that often circle in the shallow
bays near Khasab - apparently they're not interested in human flesh.
Dhow Trips
A key activity from Khasab is to explore the coastline with its rugged inlets on board a
traditional wooden fishing vessel known locally as a 'dhow'. A boat ride is easy to ar-
range either through your hotel or through one of the many agencies in town. The trips are
a fantastic way not just to enjoy the spectacular fjord-like scenery, but also to watch the
great flocks of Socotra cormorants and bridled terns that inhabit the
khors
' vertical cliffs.
Equally rewarding are the antics of humpback dolphins that invariably accompany boats
around the neck of each inlet. Deep-sea fishing is popular off the most northen tip of the
peninsula, especially around Musandam Island.
Musandam Sea
Adventure Tourism
BOAT RIDE
