Oman's Musandam Peninsula

What a hidden treasure! Cut off from the rest of Oman by the UAE, this mountainous, barren landscape is remote and inaccessible. A single ribbon of paved road traces its rocky cliffs right along the Persian Gulf with its beautiful blue-green waters crashing against a rocky coastline. It was late in the afternoon as we were arriving in Oman, the gray and tan rocks glowing in the afternoon sun that glittered off the water. A few cars cruised along the road, but the beach pullouts were mostly empty and we felt as if we had the whole peninsula to ourselves! We felt so free cruising along in our rental car, stopping wherever and whenever we pleased. And the best part of the peninsula isn't even explored by land....we had to get out in a boat to explore the rocky fjords that earned this area the title 'Norway of Arabia'. We cruised out through canals amongst the fjords in a traditional style boat or dhow. Lounging on the deck on pillows, we rocked wildly amongst the waves stirred by the constant wind. A chance to snorkel showed us a vibrant world that was a stark contrast to the barren rocky hillsides hovering just above the surface of the water. And the real treat was the playful dolphins that accompanied us several times on our return trip.

The car offered us another freedom. A chance to camp out under the stars in isolated canyons. We experienced a silence we have not known for a long time. The car horns and chaos of Indian cities was a world away in the still, silent nights we spent out on the Musandam Peninsula. They weren't the most comfortable night, as we weren't properly equipped for camping, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity to lay out under the stars in the cool night air....completely alone!