Things to remember while planning a trip to Khasab from UAE
Surrounded by beautiful mountainscapes and craggy inlets, Khasab is one of the most-visited exclaves in Oman. Famous for its dhow cruises, souks and restaurants, the place is extremely popular with tourists from the UAE. If you’re planning a trip to Khasab for the first time, there are certain tips to keep in mind to make the most of your journey.
Things to remember before planning a trip to Khasab
This port city on Oman’s Musandam Peninsula has plenty of attractions for tourists. You can enjoy coastal views, dolphin sightings, journey across wooden boats and visit green valleys and mountain villages there. However, the key to bask in these moments is to be well-prepared for the trip.
Here’s a checklist of things you need to remember before setting on an exciting journey to Khasab.
Plan your trip to Khasab during the cooler months
Since Khasab has an arid landscape, the average temperature varies greatly here. Half of the year, the temperature remains hot. While during the other half, cool breezes keep the weather fairly pleasant.
The weather is usually good in November and March, so if you’re planning a trip to Khasab, make sure you visit it during these months. Avoid visiting it during the rainy season because the mountain terrain gets very muddy and slippery.
Learn about the visa requirements to reach Khasab from UAE
You can easily reach Khasab from UAE by road. The Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road runs straight from Abu Dhabi and passes through different emirates, extending right into Oman border. If you hold a designation in the UAE which is approved for a visa to be issued immediately, you will be able to enter the place by paying AED 35 at the UAE exit point and getting a visa at AED 50 from Hatta checkpoint in Oman.
The visa will be valid for 28 days. To attain a visa, you will require a three months’ valid passport and UAE resident visa that you will have to show at the checkpoint. You can also apply for a visa online to travel from UAE to Khasab.
If you are travelling with drivers, housemaids or other companions, please note that they will be allowed only if they show their labour cards and passports.
Their passports should be valid for not less than three months. Those who work in service, construction or the sales industry will have to get a visa stamped on their passport from Oman Embassy in Abu Dhabi or Oman Consulate in Dubai to enter the border of Oman.
Book your accommodation beforehand
It’s better to book accommodation beforehand because the hotels are mostly crowded during peak tourist sessions. In Khasab, you can stay in the Lake Hotel, Khasab Hotel or Diwan Al-Amir. Each of these hotels offer comfortable accommodation that will make your trip memorable.
You can enjoy 24-hour front desk and room service and free WiFi and swimming pool access there.
Make wise clothing choices
Similar to the UAE, Khasab also has certain cultural sensibilities that you should respect while planning your wardrobe. Wear a dress that covers your knees and shoulders especially if you are going to the malls, souks, shops or villages. Swimwear is only confined to the beach and hotel pools. You can’t wear it outside the premises of beaches or pools.
If you’re visiting during the winter months, bring along a pair of jackets and sweaters high-SPF sunscreen lotion with you.
In case, you plan to visit the city in June, July and August, take hats or head protectors along because these are the hottest months in Oman and you will need something to avoid direct contact with sunlight.
If you plan to go for cycling in the city, pack long or short-sleeved tops, jerseys, baggies and breathable socks as well in your suitcase.
Things to remember after entering Khasab
Now that you entered the premises of the city, you will need to focus on a couple of things to make your trip as exciting as you imagined it to be.
Get a SIM Card or use UAE telecom card
Once you enter the city, get a SIM card for yourself. Omantel is a good mobile network in Oman that you can opt for. Otherwise, with a UAE SIM Card, roaming, too, is pretty reasonable for you.
Exchange currency
You can exchange money in Khasab from banks during weekdays or the Western Union office. Muscat Bank ATM, Oman National Bank ATM will assist you in this regard.
Other than that, you can approach Travelex, the world’s foreign exchange currency specialist for currency exchange.
Getting around Khasab
Like elsewhere in Oman, taxis are not easily available in Khasab so you will need to rely on your hotel minivan transportation or consider a rent-a-car option. Options include Rahal Khasab Rent-a-Car and Musandam car hire services.
Walking around the mountainous region is also a good option. If you’re into full-day treks, you can explore various places of the city, including souks and many nearby villages on foot. However, this option is suitable only if you are going to the city during the winter months.
Similarly, browsing through different areas of the city on a bicycle can also make your exploration journey more fun-filled and easy.
Explore different places in Khasab
Plan your itinerary carefully. There are many things to do in Khasab.
Adventurous activities in Khasab
You can go for scuba diving on the upper east coast of Musandam, enjoy a dhow boat excursion within 15 rials and wander around the village of Tawi. Tawi has some prehistoric drawings and rocks engraved with warriors, animals and boats. Khasab boat tour, courtesy of Tawi, make your trip even more memorable.
Visiting the Mountain Safari, camping at the Khasab Beach, snorkelling during Musandam Khasab day trip and enjoying the views of dolphins are also some of the things that you can do in Khasab.
Shopping in Khasab
You can also enjoy a shopping spree in Khasab. There is a local handicraft shop inside Khasab Castle that offers local handicrafts and Omani souvenirs so, maybe, you can buy them for your friends and family.
Located in Lulu Hypermarket, shops such as Merchants of Pottery & Handicrafts and Hormuz Flower also offer beautiful handmade artefacts. You can find earthenware pots, camel sticks and axes there.
In the tiny Sikkit market, there are fresh palm dates available that you can pair with these souvenirs and handicrafts.
Heritage sites in Khasab
Cutting quite a dash with its beautiful ornamentations, Khasab Fort is also a place that you need to add to your itinerary. It is a well-preserved place that houses an ethnographic museum in Oman. As you walk into the place, you can see the flora and fauna of the peninsula and a video highlighting the journey of local fishermen.
Sporting two cannons, a renovated well and a bunch of giant oyster shells, Khmazera Castle is also worth visiting. You can visit it during a walk or while driving around town.
Beach in Khasab
Amidst all these places, is the most relaxing place of Khasab – Bassa Beach. A perpetual hive of activity, the quintessential beach boasts of a variety of kebab shops and cool evening breezes.
Other than these elements, know that there are many cruises that start from Dubai and drop passengers to Oman and other places across the world. So, if you want to enjoy a luxurious trip to Khasab or other areas in the country, hop aboard any of these cruise liners in Dubai and escape in the sea.
Khasab is not the only place to visit in Oman. There are many other places to explore in Oman as well. If you’re looking for a romantic getaway or an adventure trip across the country, you can check them out as well.
