These nine, tiny, uninhabited islands lie about 17 kilometres off the Batinah coast and are the jewel in the crown for diving in the Gulf of Oman.
The diving around the Damaniyat Islands is spectacular with walls, drop-offs, submerged reefs, swim-throughs and caves. Coral reefs cover up to 70% of the dive sites with more than a hundred different species of soft and hard coral. Marine life is abundant with prolific numbers of colourful reef fish, stingrays, occasional turtles, leopard sharks and on rare occasions a whale shark.
The Daymaniyat Islands nature reserve offers a safe stop off point for migratory birds. Thye are home to sea eagles and the graceful osprey; the beaches and cliffs come alive in the summer months with nesting birds and turtles returning to lay their eggs on the white sand beaches.
With the vast variety of sea life and coral close to the surface, snorkelling is also a particularly rewarding experience here. They are best explored by liveaboard.
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