DAYMANIYAT DIVE SITES

CLIVE ROCK

This dive site is a great place to see large shoals of fish, namely Jacks, Tuna, Travelly and batfish.
A diverse site that offers a regular spot where you can see large green turtles, Clive rock is the only spot that has carpet soft coral.
The wall face is a crescent shaped structure that extends from east to west with 20m at the base and 10 m at the top of the wall.
There is however two breaks in the wall that has a 10m stretch of sloping sand. This is the place where you are likely to find sting rays nestling under the sand.
Larger rays and Leopard sharks can be seen around the depth of 20 m, Clive rock is a great place to dive, as it is not only fairly easy to navigate but offers the diver a plethora of sea life in one site.

 

F.A.D. ISLAND

This island is by far the most rewarding site, with a dramatic wall and phenomenal corals. That probably explains why some divers say that FAD stands for ‘Fantastically Awesome Diving”! The north face of the island offers depths of up to 20m while the south side is a gently undulating slope with impressive and unusual table corals.

The west of the island has a plateau at 15m and is a regular site for turtles and leopard sharks. The circuit will take approximately an hour and is relatively easy to navigate. The best way to navigate this site is to begin in the east and work your way along the north face, and finish your dive in the shallow corals.

 

JUNN ISLAND

If you like the idea of using a Diver Propulsion vehicle, then this is the perfect dive site for you. The wall is a continuous stretch with the depth going down to 20m in a few areas, with a strip of sand forms a kind of ledge at the 10m level. This separates the hard from the soft coral and creates the perfect hiding spot for small turtles that show themselves, only if they are spooked by a diver!

Junn Island sometimes has strong currents, and can also double as a drift dive site. A shallow reef call the Aztec reef with a depth of 9m on the east side and 3-4 m on the west side, the shallow waters create the ideal surroundings for morays, turtles and a multitude of colourful reef fish.

 

DOC’S WALL

Like the sound of paying a visit to the Octopus’s garden? Then this is the dive site for you! A long stretch of wall, that lets you experience a new high in exploring under the sea. Depths that will awe you with large boulders and grottos, intertwined with narrow crevices and teaming with various kinds of sea life is what you can expect from Doc’s Wall. Octopuses, lobsters and Morays are a few species that you will encounter here.

 

GARDEN OF EDEN

This dive site offers a feast to the eyes, with a rich bounty of hard and soft corals like purple finger and Teddy bear coral. The species of fish and underwater life is rich and diverse, creating the ideal dive site. Keep sharp eyes out for the porcupine puffers hiding in the rocks

 

ISLAND D6

This is one of the smaller islands that face North west- south east.
It is part of the central group, which has an escarpment which is unlike the others as it points into the gulf in a NW- SE direction.

 

JAAP’S BEND

This dive site is an adventure on its own. Beginning on the east side of the island, we make an inverted “U”, the route is picturesque with rock formations, studded with coral and a variety of fish species that inhabits the rocks.
Once you have completed the “U”, you have the option of continuing south to a shallow coral garden, filled with rays, and a multitude of brilliantly coloured reef fish, or make a turn and head northwest .
Here a wall provided the ideal site for Morays and lobsters. Either way you look at it, this site offers you a choice of diving, shallow or near a wall… you
can’t lose!

 

ISLAND D5

These consist of the central group of islands. An interesting formation that resemble a pair of legs. They extend North one from each end of the main island.
The east leg is made up of a group of boulders, while the west leg is a small detached island.
The main island houses a pristine little beach, which is often visited by Turtles. Those interested in Snorkeling will enjoy a swim just off this beach as it offers a beautiful site with clumps of exquisite coral teaming with sea life.

 

CORAL CLIFFS

This interesting dive site starts on the east leg of the D5 Island. As you head north, the shallow water allows you to view the beauty of the scattered coral below. The surround area is a beautiful seascape with rock formations and coral gardens.

The main depth here is between 12-14 m, the escarpment creates the ideal environment to enjoy the moray eels gaping at us through the rocks, and crayfish hide, while reef fish search the boulders for a tasty tidbit.
This dive is ideal for Novices.

 

BLUE ROUTE

This dive site basically comprises of the area between the two legs of the D5 Island. It’s routed along the coral cliffs, but offers more to see and the rock formation create a better environment for the habitation sea life.

 

CORAL ISLAND

This dive site is great for novices, easy to navigate yet plenty to see!
The dive Begins on the east, of the legs of D5 Island. The cliff is a treat for the novice, morays, Cray, lobsters and more. Around the island is a shallow coral garden that allows you to relax and enjoy! Pristine waters, with schools of fish, gliding rays and even the elusive sea horse, now what more can you possibly ask for?
The dive ends at tow large boulders that stand tall, out of the water, marking an end to an ideal dive.

 

THREE SISTERS

This spot caters to all levels of divers; a rocky wall that drops down to 16m creates a dramatic backdrop to the picture perfect surroundings. This dive site has it all, Rock formations that blend in with soft pink coral gardens and flanked with a number of Caverns and swim-throughs, offers an abundance of sea life.

The only spot where one must watch out for is, at a large boulder that has a gap of 3m between the wall and itself and can give you a bit of a challenge! The dive is the ideal length for a one way drift dive, as it always has perfect current conditions.

 

ROUND THE BEND

This site is one of the most challenging dive sites in the Damaniyates, dropping down to 25m, and with currents coming in from the north around to the east.

The wall spreads west to east and has a bit of a scattered rock garden in the center. Red and purple soft coral form the perfect habitat for a multitude of fish and large moray eels, batfish, travellys and tuna.

If you are lucky, you might get a glimpse of the occasional whale shark too.

 

AQUARIUM

This is by far one of the most beautiful and rewarding dive sites, but is also one of the toughest.

It is roughly the size of half a football pitch and comprises of a wall that extends in a northwest to southeast direction and a sandy expanse. Its topography and location often leave it a t the mercy of strong currents and navigational errors.

The ridge measures approximately 5-15m at the top and extends to 20-25 m its base. This site is known for the best visibility, and offers the largest concentration of species, turtles, leopard sharks and rays.

 

FAHAL ISLAND (SPECIAL TRIPS AVAILABLE)

It also known, Shark Island is located just 4kms off Muscat’s popular tourist beach. It is a large island with plenty of sea life; it is a perfect diving location. It has wide bays that house many varieties of both hard and soft coral, and are teaming with sea life.

You can find sharks, rays and if you are lucky you might even get a glimpse of the gentle giant- The whale shark. If you have the appetite for something more adventurous, then Fahal Island also has a cave swim-through, a wreck at 30m and deep reefs down to 40m, where schools of barracuda can be found.

Pristine waters, with abundant marine life, black tip reef sharks, rays and turtles are a few inhabitants that you are likely to meet.

Fahal island also has an added bonus in the form of two offshore reefs, that contain unusual coral, and the occasional whale shark that sometimes inhabits this dive site.