Sur and Ras al Jinz

Sur is Oman's traditional dhow-building port on the Ash Sharqiyah South coast, about 320 km from Muscat, and Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve lies a further 50 km along the coast near Ras al Hadd. The drive along Route 17 takes about three hours to Sur and roughly 3h45 to Ras al Jinz, which makes this the longest of the common Muscat excursions and a demanding single-day trip. A hire car allows stops at Bimmah Sinkhole or Wadi Shab on the way, while the Mwasalat intercity bus from the Azaiba terminal reaches Sur in about three hours at roughly OMR 3-4.5 (USD 8-12) once or twice daily. Many travellers choose an overnight tour with turtle viewing at OMR 90-140 (USD 234-364) per person instead. In Sur, visitors can watch craftsmen at the dhow yard, walk the old-town waterfront and Corniche, and visit the Al Ayjah lighthouse, with a maritime museum adding context on the town's seafaring history. The dhow yard and lighthouse are free or low-cost. Ras al Jinz is the area's major draw: guided night tours observe green turtles coming ashore to nest and, in season, hatchlings heading to the sea. Entry is by timed night tour only, costing about OMR 5-8 (USD 13-21) per adult, and should be booked in advance on rasaljinz-turtlereserve.com. A realistic one-day arc is to leave Muscat around 5 am, break at the coast for Bimmah or Tiwi, reach Sur by late morning, tour the dhow yard and lighthouse, have lunch on the waterfront, then continue to Ras al Jinz for the evening tour and return late at night, or stay overnight nearby. Turtle nesting peaks from June to September, although turtles can be seen year-round at lower numbers, and sightseeing in Sur is most pleasant from October to April. Photography and flashlights are restricted during the night tours to avoid disturbing the animals, and warm layers can be useful on the beach after dark.