Holidaying at Al Sawadi

Dubbed the 'seashell' beach, Al Sawadi is a panoramic sandy stretch with its beaches peppered with all kinds of seashells. Beach lovers will love taking a long stroll on these shores to enjoy the fresh sea breeze and picturesque views of the sea and the nearby islands, as well as go about shell spotting. Seashells are in abundance here, and come in all shapes, sizes and colours.

From the Al Sawadi beach, one can also take a boat ride to the nearby Al Sawadi islands.

The waters off Al Sawadi are perfect for a range of thrilling aquatic sports

 

Not far from the public beach is a fishing village where a visitor can strike a deal with the local fishermen to take one to the islands, which are bordered by tiny beaches, for a picnic. Another alternative, however, is to check out Al Sawadi Forum Resort's diving centre, Ocean Extreme.

Being the only establishment in the area, it offers a wide variety of water sports such as jetskiing, waterskiing, banana boat rides and turtle watching as well as snorkelling trips.

The Al Sawadi Islands, however, are specially known to be ideal for snorkelling and as an introduction to diving. It boasts of a variety of marine life and coral colonies, which are rated among the best in the world.

With some initial assistance from Ocean Extreme's instructors, amateur divers and snorkellers can sample the underwater treasure that these waters hold.Furthermore, just 40 minutes from Al Sawadi Islands are the Daymaniat Islands, which are also excellent locations for snorkelling.

 

To enjoy the underwater pleasures of both the Al Sawadi and Daymaniat Islands, it is advisable to stay overnight at the resort and set out by boat early the following morning for the Daymaniat Islands. Guides, who double as lifeguards, will accompany you to the islands. But besides catering to divers and snorkellers, the resort also offers opportunities for other recreational pursuits to those who are not very keen in exploring the seas. "I go diving for several hours with my friend, while my wife and daughter relax by the resort's swimming pool along with others in our group," says a Swedish diver.

View of the islands in the distance from the Al Sawadi Forum Resort

 

It is encouraging, therefore, that diving and snorkelling enthusiasts can be left to pursue their "passion" for the sea, while the non-diving family members may stay behind, enjoying the other facilities of the resort.Another option for non-divers is to go to the nearby islands for a picnic.

There is a tiny beach on one of the islands, where one can enjoy basking in the sun. It must be reiterated, however, that cleanliness in the beach should be observed. This is the reason why the government has left rubbish bins in the area so that visitors can take the initiative of throwing their own garbage in the bin.

 

Boats take off for the Daymaniat Islands from Al Sawadi's floating jetty

Built on the summit of one of the islands is a watchtower. Access to this watchtower is by means of a steep and long flight of stairs. There are shelters on this island erected by the municipality for the benefit of picnickers. Al Sawadi Forum Resort co-sponsored the recent pleasure tour for the disabled which was originally conceived by the Omani Association for the Disabled (OAD) and Al-Ghadeer Tours to promote establishments with disabled-friendly accessibility features.

 

Al Sawadi is one of the few establishments in the country, which has ramps, restrooms for handicapped and other facilities that enable the disabled to easily move around.

A notable feature is the cemented path across the shore, leading towards the floating jetty where the disabled can go right up to the edge of the sea.Other than advocacy of the rights of the disabled, it also supports the cleanliness and marine life preservation campaign of the government.

The resort strictly enforces the government's guidelines on swimming, snorkelling and diving in protected waters.Further, the resort also plans to introduce a 'beach cleaning day' as part of its public service efforts.

Twice every month, teams from the resort will scour these islands for rubbish and litter left behind by picnickers. "These islands are too beautiful to be spoiled," remarked a staffer of Ocean Extreme. "We want to contribute in maintaining its splendour."

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