Diving In Muscat - Oman...

[Erik Il Rosso]

I stayed at the Oman Diving Centre and I will never return there...

1) Logistic side of the diving center absolutely not professional...
2) They had one boat confiscated, they rented some boats not designed for diving and it was a PITA to jump from them and return on board...
3) Beach seems great in photos but it is not true. Bottom is made of putrid sand, water is green and small fishes were dying due to the lack of oxygen... They ended up on the beach and the sun did the rest, just imagine the smell...
4) The never took us to the Dymaniat Islands (Spell ???)...
5) No guide available unless you pay for it, briefing were like this :"Go that way !!!"...
6) Night dives were done with no lights on board of boats (1 video-cam flooded due to this)...
7) Maximum depth 30 metres but expect to spend most of the time between 10/18 metres...
8) Water green (January) viz form 5 mtrs to 20 metres, no currents at all...
9) Colours not as vivid ad those you can find in the Red Sea...
10) Lots of morays, some turtles and lots of small fishes... Barracuda are present but they are very small...

I did not like the place but this is just my opinion...

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

 

[MarkH]

I was there last summer and had a good time. I suppose every dive spot has it's ups and downs, but from what I saw I would definitely go back if I was in the area. index

 

[Erik Il Rosso]

I was there last summer and had a good time. I suppose every dive spot has it's ups and downs, but from what I saw I would definitely go back if I was in the area. index

You are right "I Would Go Back If I Was In The Area"...

I travelled from Italy to Oman just to dive and I was not happy at all...

There are better places for diving than Oman and they even cost less (see Red Sea and Maldives)...

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

 

[MarkH]

You are right "I Would Go Back If I Was In The Area"...

I travelled from Italy to Oman just to dive and I was not happy at all...

There are better places for diving than Oman and they even cost less (see Red Sea and Maldives)...

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

I agree with you there. I liked Oman because I didn't know what to expect. For me, my ideal diving spot is somewhere where I have no idea what it is like. Like you said though, there are lots of places with better visibility, more marine life, etc.

 

[dujubber]

Eric,

I recon you have gone and got your hopes up so high for a diving holiday to Oman that any level of professionalism would have dissappointed you.
Boats being confiscated in this neck of the desert is not unheard of. The coast guard change their rules on a weekly basis without informing anyone. The fact that they managed to arrange another boat, even if it was not up to your standards, is proof the logistical side of their business is not totally flacid.
Sure you were diving there for the first time, so request a guide for an orientation. You are a certified diver and therefore responsible for yourself. ODC probably do not offer guides on every dive because they get alot of repeat customers who are experienced and know the sites. Alot of divers these days have forgotten how to put their kit together or do a buddy check because of this 'guide' phenomenon.
You can not winge about not been taken to the Daymaniyat Islands. Surely you would book in advance and request to dive there, not just assume you will be taken there.

Maybe I am making too many assumption but I think you just ecpected more and so did not enjoy yourself. Getting your hopes up is a dangerous thing.

 

[Erik Il Rosso]

Eric,

I recon you have gone and got your hopes up so high for a diving holiday to Oman that any level of professionalism would have dissappointed you.
Boats being confiscated in this neck of the desert is not unheard of. The coast guard change their rules on a weekly basis without informing anyone. The fact that they managed to arrange another boat, even if it was not up to your standards, is proof the logistical side of their business is not totally flacid.
Sure you were diving there for the first time, so request a guide for an orientation. You are a certified diver and therefore responsible for yourself. ODC probably do not offer guides on every dive because they get alot of repeat customers who are experienced and know the sites. Alot of divers these days have forgotten how to put their kit together or do a buddy check because of this 'guide' phenomenon.
You can not winge about not been taken to the Daymaniyat Islands. Surely you would book in advance and request to dive there, not just assume you will be taken there.

Maybe I am making too many assumption but I think you just ecpected more and so did not enjoy yourself. Getting your hopes up is a dangerous thing.

Just for clarification, I do not intend to start a flame war...

My hopes were not so high, I checked the Internet a lot before leaving and I perfectly knew what I would have found, I was not expecting too much...

Ragarding the confiscated boat maybe you are not well informed...
When we asked why the boat was confiscated they replied that somebody (I do not know if it is true or not) forgot to pay insurance for it, no rules changing as you can see...

Talking about logistic side it is true that they managed to arrange another boat but they forgot to say :"You are a paying customer, we are sorry if you have to use a boat not designed for diving"...

Logistic again, ever noticed the floating pontoon and the low tide ???
Whenever we returned from diving the tide was low we had to carry ALL our heavy gear along the floating pontoon (see pictures on their Internet site)...
Nobody from the staff ever offered a hand or a simple trolley to move gear along it and you know that one of the basic rules of diving is :"No efforts after diving"...

Regarding the dive guide I have to say that wherever I have been diving (Walea, Red Sea, Maldives etc etc) weights+tanks+briefing+guide were included in the price I paid, this is the first place where if you wanted a dive guide you had to pay an extra...

I really wish I did not had to say such things but they are all true, I am sorry...

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

 

[Nimon]

Erik,

you have been unlucky, we had something called the red tide here in Oman for the past three months. It was terrible, dead fish on the beach, zero visibility and the local authorities recommended to stay out of the water.

I guess they could have told you before you came out. Situation has improved a lot since than. I have gotten my PADI at the Oman dive center and had nothing to complain.

Went there last weekend, management changed and they had some new “larger” boats fully diving compatible – even equipped with a toilet. I was more concerned of getting back to the harbor safe as the wind had picked up and the waves were getting pretty high.

 

[Red Dragon]

Erik,

you have been unlucky, we had something called the red tide here in Oman for the past three months. It was terrible, dead fish on the beach, zero visibility and the local authorities recommended to stay out of the water.

I guess they could have told you before you came out. Situation has improved a lot since than. I have gotten my PADI at the Oman dive center and had nothing to complain.

Went there last weekend, management changed and they had some new ÅÍarger boats fully diving compatible even equipped with a toilet. I was more concerned of getting back to the harbor safe as the wind had picked up and the waves were getting pretty high.

really you dive with "ODC", they are really bad along with "global scuba"...

I dived with em once and didnt like they way they run things, hmmm I might go and try em out again,,,
good to see another fellow diver in Oman,,,

 

[tjbrh]

After having read some of the negative comments here, can someone recommend a good dive shop in Muscat to go diving with?

Thanks much.

Tony

 

[Nimon]

Tony,
there are a couple of options for you to go diving in Muscat, one is the Oman Dive Center (24 824 240) - just changed their management, they seem nice and professional and offer almost daily trips to the surounding islands), the Shangry La, next door to the Oman dive center, operates a dive center as well and covers the same locations. In the marina, there is an operator called Blue Zone (24 737 293), not sure what they offer you will have to give them a call. Then, there is the Dimaniyat Dive Shop (95 777 727) in Shatti, the are Omani brothers who might take you out. Last but not least you have the BSCA Muscat, they go out every Friday and offer new members a trial visit. Neil Bedwin would be your contact (99 355 671). That is as for as my knowledge goes.

The other alternative for great diving in the region is Al Sawadi (close to Barka), these guys take you out to the Diminiyat Islands. If you are living in Muscat and you are looking to dive regularly, check with the guys from BSAC, they for sure can give you the insight scoop.

Good luck!