Travel Oman: Kumzar sits perched in solitary splendour

Kumzar is easily Oman’s northernmost settlement, located on an isolated piece of land in the northern Governorate of Musandam. Although it is located just 26km from the regional capital of Khasab, Kumzar’s location means it is only normally accessible by boat, and visiting it requires an invitation from a local.
“Nestled in an isolated bay close to the Strait of Hormuz, this village is only accessible by boat. Locals speak their own language known as Kumzari but, given its remote location, the village is surprisingly modern,” said Oman’s Ministry of Tourism.
“One of the most inaccessible settlements in Oman, the famously remote town of Kumzar sits perched in solitary splendour at the northernmost edge of Musandam, hemmed in by sheer mountains and accessible only by boat,” added the ministry. “It’s still well worth making the trip out here for the magnificent coastal scenery en route, as well as for the tantalizing glimpse of Oman’s most reclusive town at the end of it. Many of Musandam’s best diving spots are also located in the waters around Kumzar for more details.”
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“The town overlooks the Straits of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, a fact reflected in the unique language spoken by its inhabitants, Kumzari,” the ministry went on to say. “The village is said to be around seven hundred years old, its inhabitants including a hotchpotch of ethnic groups ranging from Yemeni to Zanzibari – the colourful theory that sailors shipwrecked off the nearby coast were also integrated into the population is backed up by the remarkable number of European and Hindi loan words found in Kumzari.”
“The town’s population currently stands at around five thousand, with its own school, hospital, power station and desalination plant. The inhabitants live largely by fishing for nine months of the year, netting barracuda, tuna, kingfish and hammour,” explained Oman’s Ministry of Tourism. “The village of Kumzar is accessible only by boat and requires an invitation from a local. Alternatively, boat trips to Telegraph Island or Khawr Najd make for an unforgettable one or two-day excursion.”