There was an abundance marine life in a small area at Fahal Island located off the coast of Muscat, Oman. It’s only possible to snorkel if the water is flat as it is dangerous if there are waves, strong current on the edge of the island. You can see Rays, Blacktip Reef sharks, Stingrays, Barracudas, and more. We even saw a pod of Spinner Dolphins on the boat journey!
Pros
Cons
Snorkel Video
(Old, But Gold)
Snorkel Snaps
Snorkel Review
Highlights
Coral present
2-5 Meters Average Depth
Good visibility
Difficult difficulty
No Cafe’s
Tours approx $80 USD
Sea Urchins might be present
Unlikely
When:
Who:
Tour Cost:
Star Rating:
Cost:
Fahal Island is located 4km off the coast of Muscat, Oman, in the Middle East. The sandstone island is believed to be millions of years old and has an abundance of coral reefs and marine life on its shores. One side of the island has predominantly table coral reefs in the shallower water (5-8m) and the other side of the island has deeper water without coral reefs, home to much larger fish, schools of fish, and predators.
Snorkel Spot
Coral Reef
During our snorkel on the coral reef at the front of the island, we saw within one area, a large Cowtail stingray, three Mobular rays cruising, two Omani Cuttlefish illuminating, Blacktip Reef shark, eagle rays, and a Green turtle. The reef is shallow but does get pretty deep quickly (5-6 metres) as you go away from the front of the island. The currents are very strong around the sides of the island. The coral reef was packed with good quality deep red Table coral, which covers the sea bed.
My friend and I had a curious encounter with ten barracudas that circled us and checked us out. One split off from the group (battery) as shown in the video! You do have to be careful with Barracuda as they are curious and if they see something shiny they can mistake it for a fish and attack. Stay calm and make sure you haven’t got any jewellery that will reflect.
Top Tip:
Fahal island is only accessible at very low wave height, probably 0.0-0.1. Check the wave height before a snorkel trip as it is dangerous at a higher wave height. This is the website I used to check the wave.
What a Special Experience!
Fahal Island was one of my first snorkeling experiences outside of Europe, and what an experience it was. On the day that my friend and I went snorkeling in the shoresof the island, the ocean was as still as a pond, with a wave height 0.0-0.1 on the way out. During the boat ride to the sandstone island, I spotted movement in the water in the distance near a fishing boat. We drove over to investigate and to our surprise, there were what seemed at first 30 Dolphins swimming towards us, but it could of been over a hundred. Our boat was drifting with the engine off and then something truly magical happened. View the video in the link below:
Review Continued….
We made our way to the waters of Fahal, which would usually take 30 minutes from Al Mouj Marina. We docked the boat away from the coral reef on the shallower side of the island. We then proceeded to snorkel around the shallower side of the island, above the table coral reefs for about an hour. It was a pretty special experience. I even saw a Spotted Eagle Ray leap out of the water. What an awesome experience!
Safety Tip:
The waves and currents can be very unpredictable and can be quite powerful, do not get in the water if it is dangerous to do so. If you do wear flippers and a floatation vest for safety.
Tour Guide Options
There are few snorkel and diving tour operators that will go to Fahal Island, they mostly go to the much more popular Daymaniyat Islands.
Best Snorkel Spot
Round the shallow coral reefs at the front of the island facing the coast. This area is more protected and there is less of a current. Be careful near the sides of the island as there is a very strong current pulling you round to the deeper back side of the island. Ask snorkel guide.
Best Time Of Year
The best time of year to snorkel off the Muscat, Oman coast is April-May, or late September-early November.
Popular Marine Life
Cowtail Stingray
Blacktip Reef Shark
Oman Cuttlefish
Spotted Eagle Ray
Arabian Butterflyfish
Rare Marine Life
Green Turtle
Barracuda
Spinner Dolphin
Coral Reef
Table Coral
Massive Boulder Coral
What I Saw
(Seen on September, 2017)
| Green Turtle | Barracuda |
| Spotted Eagle Ray | Arabian Butterflyfish |
| Mobular Ray | Blacktip Reef Shark |
| Cowtail Stingray | Spinner Dolphins (Boat) |
| Massive Boulder Coral | Table Coral |
Where is Fahal Island?
The island is located 4km the coast of Muscat, Oman in the Gulf of Oman, Middle East. The sandstone island was once a center for pearl diving and also for trading with nearby countries. Easily visible from the coast on mainland.
Frequently Asked Questions
I didn’t go on a tour, I went with a friend on his boat. The island isn’t always accessible due to the sea conditions, with few tours going to the island. When we went the wave level was 0.0, the ocean was like a pond, perfect conditions. There are select snorkel tours to Fahal Island, although it isn’t the most popular and accessible.
You can see turtles all year round at Fahal Island, although it isn’t a hotspot for turtles, they are mainly found at the neighbouring Daymaniyat Islands. The Daymaniyat Islands is a nature reserve, containing a group of protected islands approximately 20km from Muscat.
Luke
FOUNDER
Luke is a passionate snorkeler who started Snorkelverse to live his dream of combining his passions for snorkeling, marine life, protecting marine ecosystems, and helping others.
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