Monday 06 / January / 2025
The German-managed Extra Divers chose to set up shop at the boutique Sifawy Boutique Hotel, parking their three boats in its pristine marina, because of the property’s proximity to the little explored Ras Abu Daoud reefs — around which the team has discovered numerous wrecks — and the lesser-visited Fahal Islands, while still being close enough to the famous Daymaniyat Islands for day trips.
In these fertile waters, stingrays, leopard sharks, eels, and all manner of fish can be found, and curious dolphins often follow the dive boats. Sounds great, right? When it comes to exploring Oman’s sea life, there is only one question, “Snorkelling or Diving?”
Snorkelling is the simplest and most inexpensive option. Requiring no training or experience aside from the ability to swim, snorkelling involves using a fin to help gently propel you through the water, a mask for clear viewing, and a mouthpiece attached to a tube through which you can breathe without taking your head out of the water. It is best to use what’s called a dry snorkel, which has a safety valve that closes when you go underwater (helpful if you go too deep or a wave splashes over you), thus preventing a mouth full of sea water. When water does end up in your pipe, you will learn to clear the tube by exhaling.
The tube itself is usually only about 30 centimetres long, so snorkelling primarily allows you to enjoy uninterrupted views of the sea life below you from just under the surface of the water, though many snorkellers dive deeper to get a closer look at things before returning to the surface to clear their tube and continue snorkelling. Oman is especially well-suited for snorkelling, as the waters are crystal clear and much of the sea life swims close to the surface.
Scuba diving is a very different experience, allowing divers to explore deeper waters thanks to an air supply tank that is worn on the back. With diving, you can really get into the wrecks and see the creatures hiding in the darker depths. It does, however, require quite a bit of equipment and some proper training to get started. To get out into the ocean on a dive, you first need to be either PADI or SSI certified for Open Water Dives, which mean you have been taught (usually on dry land, then a pool, then the ocean) how to use scuba equipment safely. Once certified, you can dive down to 18-metres with a dive buddy of equal or higher certification (it is never safe to dive alone) anywhere in the world, and the certification never expires, though if you haven’t gone on a dive in a few years, it is good to have a refresher course.
The Open Water Certification is the first in a series of advancing dive classes and real scuba enthusiasts can go on to certify for deeper dives or night dives, as rescue divers, and eventually, as dive masters. The frequent diver typically will buy their own gear, but in the beginning, nearly every dive outfit has equipment available for rent.
In Sifah, Extra Divers offer introductory dive classes, dive trips, and certification courses and you can get open water certified in four days. Equipment rentals, for everything from the wet-suit to underwater cameras, are available as well. If you aren’t ready to try diving, and you just want to get out there and see some fish, Extra Divers also offer full-day and half-day snorkelling trips, leaving no excuse not to take a peek at the incredible oceanic world lying just under the surface.
EXTRA DIVERS SIFAH
Sifawy Boutique Hotel, Sifah
+968 9725 9099
extradivers-worldwide.com/en
Snorkelling Rates
Full-day, morning and afternoon snorkel (equipment included): OMR23 Adults/ OMR20 Kids
Afternoon single snorkel trip (equipment included): OMR17 Adults/ OMR15 Kids)
Additional OMR10 surcharge for day trips to the beautiful
Daymaniyat Islands
Scuba Beginner Rates
(includes equipment and permits)
Bubblemaker (8-10 years old): 30 minutes: OMR30
Discover Scuba: OMR45 Single Dive or OMR70 Two Dives
Scuba Diver (2 Days): OMR95
Open Water Diver (4 Days): OMR 175
SSI Book: OMR13
SSI Certification Fee: OMR25
Advanced Courses do not include equipment or permits, but rentals are available. See the Extra Divers Sifah website for more details.
