Month: January 2016

Masirah Island

a short hop from the mainland

We drove onto Masirah Island in total darkness after a ferry trip and arrived into the hotel in time for dinner. The next morning the 60kilometer length of the island would be ours. Rock pools at low tide revealed frightened fish, while the sands occasionally showed elegant Cowrie shells and beyond the sands of the aptly named White Beach provide a place to swim off.

White Beach Masirah
White Beach Masirah

This was where we came across Continue reading “Masirah Island”

Masirah Island Ferry

and lots of Gulls

Taking a trip over to Masirah Island can now be done on three different boat types. The small fishing boats are super fast, but uncomfortable especially if there is fishing equipment alongside you; the old flat bottomed ferries chug over and really feel like an adventure all be it in slow motion; and the new catamarans are a cocoon-like experience, with air-conditioned passenger areas. We booked the new ferry from their Muscat office and arrived a couple of hours early in Shennah to make certain we caught it.

Sooty Gulls and Sardines
Sooty Gulls and Sardines

Tickets having Continue reading “Masirah Island Ferry”

OMRAN’s new Management Team

leading the company into a challenging future

OMRAN, the Oman Ministry of Tourism’s subsidiary, is charged with developing the commercial tourism/leisure & similar operations in which the government has a stake. Since 2007 the operation has overseen the expansion of its assets from relatively small properties, such as Ras Al Jinz with 14 bedrooms, to today’s substantial portfolio.

Mina Qaboos OMRAN
Mina Qaboos OMRAN

This includes Continue reading “OMRAN’s new Management Team”