Al Mouj
An Underrated Diving Paradise
I had no idea Oman was such a great place for diving but dang!
Most of the reason I put the country on my radar in the first, was for whale shark season… which sadly did not work out (more on this below), I didn't expect to see so much marine life. Al Mouj, where I dived, is also overall a lovely place to base yourself for a few days and isn’t too far from the airport or other attractions.
So, let’s dive deeper! (no pun intended)
At a glanceBest for: Diving & marine life
Where I stayed: Mysk Al Mouj
Dive centre: Mola Mola Diving Center
Airport: ~10 mins by taxi
Diving: 5 days • multiple dives
Main area: Daymaniyat Islands
Getting around: Otaxi
Budget: €€
Whale shark season: July–September
What we spotted
In all honesty, I thought it wouldn’t be that interesting, and maybe there’d be a few cool big fish, perhaps some colourful corals here and there.
Never judge a book by its cover as they say! The Daymaniyat Islands are stunning, especially for swimming and diving, with turtles, rays, reef fish and different shark species among the things you can encounter.
Now, I was extremely excited because I got to see my two all-time favourite underwater animals: sweet pufferfish (how can you not love them?) and a gentle little leopard shark. I’d never seen any shark before so eeeek, jumping for joy honestly! And as well as those, we met some turtles and plenty of other beautiful marine life.
Whale Shark Season… Apparently not
Slightly annoying part but unfortunately, you cannot go somewhere fully expecting to see certain things, regardless of the season. As we found out on this occasion.
If I remember rightly, most of the reason I considered visiting Oman was for September’s whale shark season. July to late September is generally considered the right time around Muscat, and Mola Mola says they can be encountered around the Daymaniyat Islands during this period.
To my dismay, because of the heat, they had already moved on earlier than expected when I arrived. But while I was somewhat gutted, I discovered one of my new favourite countries, and at the same time, still had my first ever shark sighting. So all in all, no complaints.
Who I dived with and the costs
I booked my dive packages with Mola Mola Diving Center, based at Al Mouj Marina. The team were so professional and friendly, and they took us out to the different dive sites around the Daymaniyat Islands.
What’s nice as well is they also offer snorkelling if diving isn't your thing.
And I need to mention Simba here: the diving centre's unofficial mascot, who comes in the form of a fluffy and very happy cloud (aka a Samoyed). He would often be around while we were getting ready to head out and I think I was probably just as excited, if not more, to see him as some of the fish.
Costs will obviously depend on how many dives you do and what you need to rent, but to give you an idea, their current prices include:
Try Dive: 50 OMR (€113 approx.), including equipment.
3-trip diving package: 135 OMR (€306 approx.). 3 trips, with 2 dives per trip.
5-trip diving package: 215 OMR (€487 approx.). 5 trips and 10 dives.
All include a nice lunch, refreshments and national park fees.
Equipment rental: 12 OMR (€27 approx.) per day if you're booking a package where equipment isn't already included.
Prices checked August 2026; € conversions are approximate and will obviously move with the exchange rate.
Where I stayed
I decided on Mysk Al Mouj, for around €80-100 and it was quite nice.
It's right by the marina, so after a morning of diving it was lovely to come back, shower and have somewhere to relax. The hotel also has a rooftop pool and is right next to The Walk at Al Mouj, with plenty of restaurants, cafés and shops nearby.
I also had a couple of afternoons where I did absolutely nothing except chill at the hotel and pigged myself on Omani afternoon tea and a some kind of a flatbread boat thing. Whatever it was, it tasted fantastic.
When is best to go?
As you probably expect, there isn't really one perfect answer.
Mola Mola says diving is possible year-round. July–September is the main whale shark season (not in my case as you are aware), while visibility is generally better from around October through May. They currently describe April–May as particularly good for visibility, while September–October can give you a good combination of surface and sea temperatures.
What else is there to do in Al Mouj?
The area is actually much more lively than other parts of Muscat, more so in the evening. There are plenty of restaurants, cafés and the marina, so it's easy to have a chilled evening without going anywhere. A lot of locals are out too, in fact I do not recall seeing many tourists at all. That said, it’s very safe and every person I met was warm and hospitable.
Speaking of where to go in the evenings, nearby for a few euros-taxi ride, is The Village. It’s beautifully lit up and has a variety of places to eat, drink or shop in, and everything is open until late. Arguably the best part, is it’s air-conditioned outside! When I say Oman is insanely hot even in September, I’m talking 40s and over.
Want more from Oman?
It isn’t the easiest destination to plan ahead as it’s not talked about anywhere near enough (I stand on that point). If you’re thinking to visit or just a little more curious about the country, have a look at my full itinerary.
→ The most underrated country in the Middle East