Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
year, it becomes violently rough in the
khareef
(summer monsoon), casting up shells on
some of the most magnificent, pristine, uninterrupted beaches in the world. Rimmed by
cliffs for much of its length, this sea is punctuated with fishing villages that continue a
way of life little changed in centuries, supported by seas rich in sardine and tuna.
The Gulf has a completely different character to the other two seas. Flat, calm, so
smooth that at times it looks solid like a piece of shiny coal, it tends to be shallow for up
to a kilometre from the shore. With lagoons edged with valuable mangroves, this is an im-
portant habitat for birds. It is also conducive to human development: much of the rim of
the Gulf has been paved over or 'reclaimed' for the improbable new cities at its edge.
