Khasab

Why Khasab works

Khasab is the capital of Musandam, an Omani exclave separated from the rest of the country by the UAE and reachable either by a scenic mountain drive through Ras Al Khaimah or a short flight from Muscat. The peninsula's defining feature is its fjord-like khors — steep limestone mountains plunging directly into the Strait of Hormuz — earning it the nickname 'Norway of Arabia'. Traditional dhow cruises through Khor Ash Sham are the signature Musandam experience, gliding past fishing villages accessible only by boat, with regular dolphin pod sightings and stops for snorkelling over coral in unusually clear water. Khasab Castle, a Portuguese-built fort from the 17th century, houses a small museum on Musandam's seafaring and mountain-village heritage. Telegraph Island, a former British communications relay station now a ruin in the middle of the khor, is a popular snorkelling stop. Inland, the Khasab-to-Ras al-Khaimah mountain road climbs through dramatic switchbacks with views over the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world's most strategically watched shipping lanes. Khasab suits a two- or three-night dhow-and-mountain add-on, best combined with Ras Al Khaimah given the geographic proximity, offering scenery unlike anywhere else in the Gulf.

Trip Snapshot

Suitable For