Salalah in winter - the ultimate beach-guide

If there was no other reason but the beaches to visit Dhofar in the winter - it still would be just enough! During khareef, the monsoon season the beaches are closed due to strong waves and current - but during the winter they are absolutely heaven! They look stunning, the weather is perfect, just below 30 degrees (Celsius) and the variety is endless. No matter what is your preference from white sandy beaches to more rugged rocky ones - you will find something you like. And we hardly ever had to share our beach with anyone! The whole coastline is stunning, and you can just drive or walk to the beach almost anywhere and granted you will find a nice spot. Here are the ones we visited and enjoyed - the order of appearance does indicate the order of preference 😀:

01. Fazayah beach  for camping, swimming and chilling. Best with 4WD.

02. Hafa beach  for strolling and people watching, locals love to come on Friday. 

03. Eftalquot beach for off-road driving, unbeatable vistas and abandoned ship. 4WD is a must!

04. Mirbat beach for snorkeling

05. Taqah beach for fantastic views of prefect white beach and blue waters, easy access

06. Hasik beach for camping and sunrise, easy access

07. Dhalkut beach for the fallen helicopter , easy access

08. Hidden beach for the views

09. Mugshayl beach for the iconic photos, easy access

10. Rakhyut beach - easy access

1. Fazayah beach - a scenic and rather long drive leads to the beach which is a series of beaches actually. Absolutely stunning, the area where the road enters the beach seems like a good one for hiking - we did not have time to explore though. We camped here two nights - you can find your own little bay if you venture away from the main road. Our favorite camping sport was this here. There are camel farmers (and naturally camels) but they are all friendly - we had a farmer bringing camel milk every evening and morning! It does taste different, little salty and very fatty, it was an experience to try on its own. And do not forget to look out for the walking shells! 

Best for: camping, swimming, chilling, camel milk

2. Hafa beach - the absolute favorite. It is stunning and beyond - we have dedicated a whole post to it! White sand, slender and leaning coconut trees, perfect blue water. You can discover the old Hafa waterfront, the partially demolished buildings are really special with tons of character. It is a public beach, so if you want to take a dip, cover up!

Best for: strolling and people watching, locals love to come on Friday. And for stunning photos!

3. Eftalquot beach - fantastic view of the coastline. Like literally breathtaking. It requires 4WD to reach the viewpoint and the abandoned ship. The ship is at 16.8971,53.9054 and it is not an easy drive - check google map satellite view to see the tracks.

Best for: off-road driving and abandoned ship

4. Mirbat beach - Caribbean inspired beaches as far as you can see, perfect for snorkeling. If you have time check out the abandoned merchant houses close to the fort and the fort itself. 

Best for: snorkeling 

5. Taqah beach  is best for fantastic views of prefect white beach and blue waters. Easy access.

6. Hasik beach for camping and and enjoying the perfect sunrise. The sun rises exactly opposite the beach! The part we were on is just next to the road, which was great since we arrived late but of course not the best if you are after some privacy. But there are plenty more good spots around Hasik!

Bonus: the Natef waterfall is very close and it has water all year around!

7.  Dhalkut beach - the coastal road south of Salalah is really worth for the drive, even during the winter, when the hillsides are not as green. Dhalkut is the last bigger village before the Yemeni boarder. If you are here, do not miss to check out the baobab tree either!

8. Hidden beach - this was a accidental find. I was looking at the map, saw the little camera sign and we were driving basically next to it so we decided to stop. You can see the beach from the viewpoint next to the road (there is a parking lot and a bit of walking needed) or you can drive to the beach in the wadi - guess for this you need a 4WD.

09. Mugshayl beach -  this is the most famous beach and was one of our least favorite. It is not a natural beach as basically the whole area decked out with viewing platforms and gazebos. The blowholes are mainly "working" in the winter - we were there at low water so we did not see it but since the area was wet I assume that at high water you still can experience this phenomime. It is next to the road with big parking, everything is paved, easy access. There is a nice sandy natural beach next to the main area. 

10. Rakhyut beach - we originally wanted to camp here and I am happy we did not. The beach is just too close to the village. It is a nice view as you descend towards the village but probably it is not worth to come just for this. We did the off-road bit when leaving that was interesting through farmlands.