Musandam day trip guide
Musandam is the governorate of Oman where steep mountains meet the sea, and our day trips from Dubai reach it by two routes. Dibba, on the east coast, is the shorter day: our tour spends about 2.5 hours on the road each way. Khasab, in the north, is a longer day that reaches Khor Sham and Telegraph Island. Both cross into Oman, so this guide starts with what the border asks of you, from Oman's and the UAE's own rules, then sets out what each day holds.
| If you | Go with |
|---|---|
| Want the shorter day | DibbaAbout 2.5 hours on the road each way and an 11-hour day, with a 5–6 hour dhow cruise. |
| Want Khor Sham and Telegraph Island | KhasabThe dhow sails into Khor Sham and stops at Telegraph Island, named after the telegraph station set up there in 1864. |
| Want to swim and snorkel | EitherBoth cruises anchor for swimming and snorkelling, with snorkel kits and life jackets provided. |
| Hope to see dolphins | EitherBoth our tours say dolphins are commonly seen from the boat. |
| Hold a single-entry UAE visa | Neither of our toursDubai's GDRFA grants that visa for a single visit, and neither of our Musandam tours takes holders of one. |
| Are a GCC citizen | EitherYou need no visa for Oman, and you do not pay the UAE's exit fee. |
| Hold a UK, US or EU passport | EitherThese are on Oman's first visa-free list: up to 14 days, with a passport valid for at least 6 months and the conditions below. |
| Hold an Indian passport | EitherIndia is on Oman's second list: visa-free entry needs residence in, or a valid visa for, the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, a Schengen country or Japan, or GCC residence in a profession that qualifies. Otherwise, check your visa options on the Royal Oman Police eVisa site. |
Musandam is a governorate of Oman, so both trips cross an international border, and both need your original passport: our tours accept neither a copy nor an Emirates ID.
Oman's foreign ministry lets citizens of more than 100 countries in without a visa for up to 14 days, in two lists. The first includes the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and every EU country. The second, which includes India, Egypt and Jordan, applies only to people who live in, or hold a valid visa for, the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, a Schengen country or Japan, or who live in a GCC country in a profession that qualifies. GCC citizens need no visa at all.
The exemption also asks for a passport valid for at least 6 months, a return ticket, a confirmed hotel booking, health insurance and enough money for your stay. If your nationality is on neither list, you need a visa: the Royal Oman Police eVisa site has a wizard that shows which visas you can apply for, including as a GCC resident.
On the UAE side, the federal identity and ports authority (ICP) collects an exit fee from residents and visitors who leave by land or sea; UAE and GCC citizens are exempt. Our Khasab tour's price does not include it, or any Oman visa.
Check your UAE visa as well. Dubai's GDRFA grants its single-entry tourist visa for a single visit, and neither of our tours takes holders of a single-entry UAE visa.
Our Dibba tour drives up the east coast to Dibba, on the border between Fujairah and Oman. Royal Oman Police opened a land border crossing at Dibba in February 2025. Send us your passport details well before the day, so the border formalities can be arranged.
Our Khasab tour heads north instead, crosses at Tibat and follows the coast road beneath the Hajar mountains to Khasab, with border assistance included. Allow time for the border in both directions.
From Khasab, the dhow sails into Khor Sham past sheer rock walls and stops at Telegraph Island, a small island in the inlet, named after the telegraph station set up there in 1864. Oman's tourism ministry says humpback dolphins can be spotted in the inlet, which it spells Khawr Shum, along with birds such as the Socotra cormorant.
Dibba sits on the Sea of Oman, beneath mountains it shares with the UAE. Our Dibba cruise heads into the fjords, anchors in a sheltered bay for swimming and snorkelling, and serves a buffet lunch on deck.
Dolphins are commonly seen on both cruises. Both provide snorkel kits and life jackets, and the Khasab tour provides towels too.
Our Dibba tour starts at 07:00 and lasts about 11 hours, with about 2.5 hours on the road each way. Our Khasab tour starts at 06:00 and lasts about 12 hours.
Both leave from two fixed points, City Centre Deira and Sharaf DG metro stations, not from hotels, and the coach cannot wait. Do not book a flight for the same evening.
Your original passport, swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. There is shade on board, but the sun on the water is strong; if you get seasick, take something before you board.
From
AED 190
From
AED 550
It depends on your passport. Oman lets citizens of more than 100 countries in without a visa for up to 14 days, on conditions, and GCC citizens need none; everyone else applies through the Royal Oman Police eVisa site.
Dibba is the shorter day: about 11 hours, with a 5–6 hour cruise. Khasab takes about 12 hours and reaches Khor Sham and Telegraph Island.
India is on Oman's second visa-free list, so you can enter without a visa for up to 14 days only if you live in, or hold a valid visa for, the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, a Schengen country or Japan, or live in a GCC country in a profession that qualifies. Otherwise, apply through the Royal Oman Police eVisa site.
Not on our tours. Dubai's GDRFA grants the single-entry tourist visa for a single visit, and neither of our Musandam tours takes holders of one.
Yes. The UAE collects an exit fee from residents and visitors who leave by land or sea, and UAE and GCC citizens are exempt. Our Khasab tour's price does not include it.
Not on our tours: both need your original passport, not a copy and not an Emirates ID.
Yes. Royal Oman Police opened the Dibba land border crossing between Oman and the UAE in February 2025.
A small island in Khor Sham, in Wilayat Khasab, named after the telegraph station set up there in 1864. Our Khasab cruise stops there.
Border rules and visa lists checked on Oman's and the UAE's official sites on 23 September 2026. They change, so check them again before you travel. Sources: Oman Foreign Ministry: entry visas · Royal Oman Police eVisa: eligibility · Oman News Agency: Dibba crossing opens · UAE ICP: exit fees at land and sea ports · GDRFA Dubai: single-entry tourist visa · Experience Oman: Musandam · Experience Oman: Musandam brochure (PDF) · Oman News Agency: Telegraph Island
