Tourism flourishes in Sultanate of Oman

The Wilayat of Masirah in the Governorate of South A'Sharqiya has received much bounties of the blessed Renaissance in all fields. It is considered as an important tourist destination attracting visitors from inside the Sultanate and abroad.

Masirah Island has recently flourished as a tourist destination. It has been frequented by a large number of tourists who come to enjoy the weather and beautiful beaches of the island, most notably surfing, because the waves there are of the highest in the Middle East, according to Oman News Agency (ONA).

Hotels in the Wilayat experience intense turnout of visitors, especially on vacation days. The most important of these hotels are "Masirah Hotel," "Masirah Resort," "Dana Gulf" and "Serabis Hotel" in addition to a new hotel is now ready for operation and located in the centre of the city.

There are also many important islands in the Wilayat of Masirah, perhaps the largest island is (Marsis). It has a abundant number of birds, and the most famous bird is locally called "Taraa". There are other islands, such as 'Shaanzi', 'Kalban', 'Sur Masirah', which is frequented by foreigners who practice surfing and hold para-gliding competitions.

The tourists are attracted mostly by the turtles scattered along the beaches of Masirah and that comes out in the lunar days. The most famous turtle is 'Al Rimani', which lays out some of its eggs on the sands of soft beach and then returns to the sea, traveling long distances in the depths of the oceans and seas, reaching various distant countries around the world.

One of the famous tourist landmark in the island is "Marsis Old Fort", a witness to the history of the Wilaya since old times. The fort is located in the village of 'Marsis', and it is one of the most important forts in the island.

An important monuments in the island is (Islamic cemetery) which is located in the village of "Safaij", where the German mission, previously visited the region, discovered a number of antiquities ,reported in a book about discoveries in the Arabian Sea, island of Masirah and Al Halaniyat Islands" published in English.

The book is the result of surveys, archeological and ethnological studies (that compare and analyze the characteristics of different peoples and the relationship between them) of the island of Masirah and Al Halaniyat Islands carried out by the archaeo-mining expert Gerd Weisgerber of the German Mining Museum (Bochum) and Ali bin Bakhit al-Shanfari former Director of Antiquities at the Ministry of Heritage and Culture through surveys and archaeological excavations in these islands and documentation of existing social life.

Of the most famous folk arts in Masirah are 'Al Masobal', played by fishermen carrying nets on board of the ship, and 'Al Maqayidh' , which takes place at weddings and in national events, ONA reported.