Karl WP Beyer A rather unusual destination for cruise ships on the Arabian Peninsula is the exclave of Musandam, which belongs to the Sultanate of Oman. The territories of two of the seven members of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - Fujairah and Ra's al-Khaimah - separate Musandam from the motherland. The approximately 1.800 square kilometer Omani part of the country is an interesting and attractive destination, especially for individual tourists, due to its rugged rocky landscapes and fjord-like sea bays. Cruise ships, on the other hand, rarely visit the port of Khasab. In the 2025 and 2026 seasons, TUI Cruises ships will also call at the provincial capital Khasab - as in previous years.
Musandam's landscape is dominated by the foothills of the towering Hajar Mountains. Typical of the mountain landscape are barren, unforested mountains, steep cliffs and wadis. A special attraction are the fjord-like sea bays at the tip of the peninsula. Even today, many of the settlements there can only be reached by boat. And only one paved road connects Khasab - via the Emirate of Ras-al-Khaimah - with the rest of the world.
Khasab - Musandam's wild mountain world
Khasab - on the way to Bukha
Must
Khasab is Musandam's administrative centre and military base. Its approximately 22.000 inhabitants - unless they are employed by the state - eke out a living mainly through fishing, growing dates, trading and smuggling activities with Iran, which is separated by the Strait of Hormuz. The online guide "What's in Port" describes Khasab as a growing destination.
Khasab Center
Khasab - Iranian smuggling boats in the harbor
The two most important sights are the old fort, built by Portuguese occupiers in the 17th century, and the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, one of many mosques named after the popular late ruler. Popular tourist activities on site are “jeep tours” with SUVs into the hinterland and boat trips with a dhow. As guests of the Mein Schiff 6 and the Mein Schiff 4 In December 2021 and 2024, we tested several shore excursion offers during two Orient cruises.
fortress of al-Khasab
In the 17th century, the Portuguese controlled the entrance to the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. They built a supply station and the associated fortress in Khasab. The troops may have used building materials from a fortress previously built by local tribes to build the fortress.
Khasab - Fortress of al-Khasab
The fortress, which was restored a few years ago, has a square floor plan. Four corner towers - one round and three square - secure the fort on all sides. In the middle is a round defensive tower, which once served as the garrison's last refuge during attacks. This tower currently houses a small museum. The regional culture and local customs are presented there. The museum also offers an insight into boat building and traditional craft techniques. In our opinion, the fortress of al-Khasab is one of the city's most important sights.
Khasab - Al-Khasab Fortress Museum
Within walking distance is the Al-Kamazrah fortress, built by tribal elders of the Al-Kamazrah clan in the 19th century. We have no reliable information about it.
Sultan Qaboos Mosque
The central mosque of Khasab, named after Sultan Qaboos, the long-time ruler of Oman, appears rather plain from the outside and inside. The place of worship, located in the city center, is by no means comparable to the Sultan Qaboos Mosque in the capital Muscat However, you should spend some time visiting.
Khasab - Sultan Qaboos Mosque
Khasab - Sultan Qaboos Mosque
Jeep tour in the hinterland
The destination of such excursions with off-road vehicles is the mountain Jebel al Harim, the "mountain of women", which is more than 60 kilometers from Khasab. The destination is at an altitude of 2.087 meters. The excursions with off-road vehicles - cars cannot manage part of the route - lead along asphalt roads near the city. Later, the roads turn into dusty gravel tracks. The route leads past barren, steeply rising rocks, dry streams and agricultural plateaus.
Khasab - Musandam's rocky landscape
Khasab - Musandam - Military trucks transport water
Participants can expect stops at the Khor Najd viewing point. At the top, in addition to a spectacular panoramic view of the fantastic mountain landscape, the words "I ♥ OMAN" greet them - rather unexpectedly. At a height of 1.600 meters, millions of years old fossils of sea creatures can be discovered due to the tectonic shifts of the Arabian plate beneath the Eurasian plate. Over the course of millions of years, the fossils were gradually carried upwards.
The rock is located in the center of the Musandam Peninsula. Jebel al Harim offers nothing special except a radar station and a transmission tower, if it weren't for the view of the magnificent rock landscape. Jeep tour in the hinterland let's take a closer look at the organized excursion.
Trip to Bukha
An organized bus trip of about 30 kilometers takes you along the coast from Khasab to Bukha. The trip runs along the Strait of Hormuz and includes steep climbs into the barren landscape of Musandam. The road then drops back down to sea level. 
Khasab - Mukhi Fisherman Bay
When visiting the small town of Bukha, the journey is the destination. Bukha's inhabitants live according to their traditions, mainly from growing dates and citrus fruits. Boat building and the production of fishing nets are also very popular.
Khasab - Bukha Castle
Khasab - Bukha - Sultan Qaboos Mosque
In addition to the attractive beach area, there are only two buildings that stand out from the mass of low-rise residential and commercial buildings: the Al-Bilad Fort and the Sultan Qaboos Mosque. Trip to Bukha we report on our impressions gained during the trip.
Discover the fjord landscape by dhow
It is a special experience to take a look into the valley from Jebel al Harim. A boat trip to the fjords of Musandam on a dhow that has been converted for tourist purposes with comfortable cushions and carpets is just as much fun. The excursion boats wait for passengers within sight of the cruise terminal. The boats are comfortable. Drinks and the obligatory dates for refreshment are served along the way. A dhow is a pleasant place to be when the sea is calm. The trips are generally offered as trips lasting several hours or as full-day trips with meals and bathing breaks.
Khasab - cozy get-together on a dhow
The wooden boats travel along the 17-kilometer-long Khor Sham estuary (also called Khor Shimm). At first, the landscape is not very spectacular. In the foreground, there are flat hills, even a bit of sandy beach, and in the background, the mountains rise up. Discover Musandam's fjord landscape by dhow we describe the boat trip.
Khasa - Musandam's coast
Dhow off Khasab
Visit to Bassa Beach
If none of these excursion options appeal to you, you might be better off spending time on the beach at Bassa Beach. About a kilometer from the cruise terminal, a coarse-grained stretch of beach attracts water lovers. There are pergolas at regular intervals to protect you from the sun.
Khasab - Bassa Beach
Conclusion
The excursions are worth the money. We recommend doing the jeep ride in the first half of the day. In the afternoon, the leisurely dhow ride follows. Dolphin sightings are possible from time to time. The absence of marine mammals does not, however, detract from the enjoyment of the dhow rides.
Cost of jeep tours at TUI Cruises (as of December 2024): 93,00 euros; the four-hour trip cost 63,20 euros three years ago.
The trip to Bukha was offered by TUI Cruises in December 2024 for 65,00 euros.
Cost of the dhow trip with TUI Cruises (as of December 2024): 89,00 euros; the four-hour trip cost 52,00 euros three years ago.
February 2025
