# Muscat by the sea in 6 days

Six days and five nights at Kempinski Hotel Muscat in Al Mouj, with four outings included: snorkelling at the Daymaniyat Islands, dolphin watching by boat, a sunset kayak and a day at Wadi Shab. Scuba diving can be added for certified divers.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/ideas/oman-mer-mascate-6-jours/

## One base, the sea every day

No repacking on this trip: five nights in the same beach hotel, about twenty minutes from the airport, and one outing a day. It is designed for families, couples who love the water and travellers who want to end a mountain trip with a few days by the sea.

Muscat's sea is warm all season: around 30 °C in October, 28 °C in November, 24 to 26 °C from December to March and 27 °C in April. Average air highs stay between 25 and 35 °C from October to April.

## The outings

| Outing | Length | Recorded price per person | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snorkelling at the Daymaniyat Islands, from Seeb | 4.5 h | from around €73 | yes |
| Dolphin watching by speedboat | 2 h | €34 per adult, €18 for ages 1 to 7 | yes |
| Sunset kayak tour | 2 h | from around €22 | yes |
| Day trip to Wadi Shab from Muscat | 8 h | from around €84 | yes |
| Scuba diving at the Daymaniyat Islands | 4 h | from around €151 | optional |
| Oman Aquarium | | from around €33 | optional |

Prices were recorded on the Civitatis and Musement platforms, including taxes.

## The hotel: Kempinski Hotel Muscat

[Kempinski Hotel Muscat](/en/hotels/kempinski-hotel-muscat/) stands on the Al Mouj waterfront, about twenty minutes from the airport and about 30 minutes from Mutrah souk. It has 310 rooms and suites, more than 6 km of coastline with a beach, several pools including a cascade pool, a spa, a kids' club and even a bowling alley. Superior rooms measure 45 m², and Grand Deluxe rooms 49 m² with a private terrace. Rates start from around €410 a night for two with breakfast in March 2027, with any local taxes on top.

## Evenings at the hotel

Outing days finish early, and evenings are often spent at the hotel. The Kempinski has several restaurants: The Kitchen, Bukhara, Soi Soi, Café One, the Boulevard Tea House, and several bars and lounges, including the 1897 Cocktail Lounge. The 45 m² Deluxe Sea View Rooms have a balcony with a partial view of the Gulf of Oman. For families, the Family Rooms and the kids' club keep the pace relaxed between outings.

## Day by day

**Day 1. Arrival.** Settle in and take a first swim. Muscat is a few hours' flight from Europe's main cities, direct or with one stop. Oman is on UTC+4 all year round: 4 hours ahead of London in winter and 3 hours ahead in summer.

**Day 2. The Daymaniyat Islands.** The Daymaniyat Islands Nature Reserve is a coral archipelago off Seeb and Barka, in South Batinah Governorate. The snorkelling trip leaves from Seeb and lasts 4.5 hours. Certified divers may prefer the 4-hour scuba trip.

**Day 3. Dolphins.** The speedboat trip lasts 2 hours; the child rate applies from ages 1 to 7, and bookings need at least two tickets. The afternoon is free for the beach or the Oman Aquarium.

**Day 4. Wadi Shab.** The day trip leaves Muscat for 8 hours. Wadi Shab, about 175 km from the airport, starts with a short boat crossing, then a walk up the canyon to pools you swim through to a cave with a waterfall. There are no shops in the wadi: bring water, shoes that work in water and modest swimwear.

**Day 5. Old Muscat and kayaking.** In the morning, Mutrah souk and its Portuguese fort from the 1580s, or the National Museum, open Saturday to Thursday, 10 am to 5 pm local time. In the late afternoon, two hours of sunset kayaking.

**Day 6. Departure.** The airport is about twenty minutes away.

## Safety in and around the water

- **Wadis.** From October to March, flash floods can be deadly. Stay out of wadis when heavy rain is forecast and for at least a day afterwards; the Wadi Shab path is not secured.
- **Beaches.** Swimwear is for pools and tourist beaches only; elsewhere, cover shoulders and knees. Alcohol is banned in public, beaches included.
- **Drones and photos.** Drones need a licence; do not photograph military installations, soldiers or police officers.
- **Regional situation.** Since the Iranian strikes in the Gulf, foreign ministries have not all given the same advice; the [Oman travel situation](/en/guides/situation-oman/) guide has the details. Yours:

(Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/ideas/oman-mer-mascate-6-jours/)

The city is covered on the [Muscat](/en/oman/muscat/) page and the Daymaniyat Islands on the [Batinah](/en/oman/batinah/) page. The [Oman's wadis](/en/guides/wadis-oman/) guide covers Wadi Shab in more detail, and the [diving](/en/themes/diving/) and [family](/en/themes/family/) themes bring together more ideas.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need to be a diver?

Not for snorkelling, with mask and snorkel. The optional scuba trip is for divers; check the required level when booking.

### Is this trip suitable for young children?

Yes: the Kempinski has a kids' club, the dolphin trip has a rate from age 1, and the Oman Aquarium completes the list. Musement's Wadi Shab day with Bimmah Sinkhole has a child rate for ages 7 to 11.

### How warm is the sea in winter?

Between 24 and 26 °C from December to March, and around 30 °C in October.

### Can we add the desert or the turtles?

Yes: [Desert and turtles in 5 days](/en/ideas/oman-desert-tortues-5-jours/) works before or after, starting from Muscat.

### Why only one hotel?

To avoid moving around: every outing leaves from Muscat or Seeb, and the furthest, Wadi Shab, is a day trip.