Before summer sun makes camping out a sweaty affair, pull out the gear and head to Oman’s most stunning beach – Fins
It is strikingly white, curiously pebbly, incredibly blue and jaw-droppingly amazing.
As the sun rises on the horizon and pauses to douse the skyline with crepuscular rays, you can do nothing but stand and stare at this glorious vision. The sea, the shore, the birds…all in harmony with the sun conducting a nature orchestra to the tunes of the cool morning breeze and the caws from seagulls and flamingos swooping in for the chorus.
If you are seeking to commune with nature, there are several beautiful destinations in Oman that assure you one; but if you are looking for an animated conversation, Fins is the place to be. Despite the throng of campers occupying some of the prime spots around the beach on weekends, it has little crannies that open up magnificent vistas of the beach and the surrounding fishing village. For a nature lover, this is as close to paradise as one could get in the vicinity of Muscat. It is a sojourn that dictates an ode to the nature.
Located on the Amerat – Sur road, the drive from Muscat to Fins can seem long and tiresome if you are not familiar with this road; but the distance and the weariness will be forgotten the minute you hit this beautiful stretch of beach. The gravel road will lead you on to beautiful camping spots that stretch along the long shore line. If you are early, you could find the best of the camping spots with the sea, the shore and the escarpment on one end providing the intimacy you would be seeking with the beach.
Whether you want to throw a fishing line in, swim in its calm waters, set up a barbeque or simply soak in the ambience, Fins will not disappoint. It has that faraway feel about it that takes away the humdrum of everyday life to replace it with a quietude that comes from an otherworldly connection with nature. Excepting the other campers in the beach, there are no spells from the regular life to change the status quo set by the beach. There is serenity, despite the bursts of revelry from other campers in the vicinity. It has a sublime feel of relaxation; even the waves lapping against the shoreline are in quiet unison with all that they survey.
An early morning walk along the shore will throw up series of visually gratifying scenes. Flamingos surveying the shore for bits of food, seagulls flocking to check out if there is strength in numbers, stray birds of unknown species trying to draw attention with loud chirps, amateurs trying their hands at fishing and a whole lot of beautifully shaped pebbles. From flat circular ones to smooth big pebbles, the shoreline is an ocean of white and stained pebbles that give you a bent neck stance. You will be, invariably, drawn to its weather beaten shapes and textures, wanting to comb the beach to find the most striking ones. And you will find. Tons of them. In fact, every pebble you pick will make you wonder if nature has woven its magic wand to create such beauties. Pieces of washed up corals and shells discarded by the sea add to the lure of
the beach.
It is best to plan Fins Beach for the weekend to make the most of it. The distance of close to 150kms requires you to start early if you want to catch the sunset and get a vantage spot in the popular beach. If not, you will have to pitch your tent in any available space and then wait for the sunrise early next morning.
Go on; give your work-weary self a break with a camping trip at this magical beach.
How To Get There:
- Set your odometer to zero at the Shell Petrol Pump adjacent to Hatat House and take the road to Amerat (it is a straight drive until you reach close to the Quriyat-Sur road).
- At about 8kms from the Shell station you will reach the Amerat Roundabout – drive straight. Keep driving straight as you pass the next roundabout and the roundabout after that. Your odometer will by now read close to 15kms.
- When it touches 15.8kms you will come to another roundabout where you take left and get on the Quriyat-Sur road. The straight road continues until your meter reads 82.9kms and you will see the Quriyat turn. Drive straight. At 99kms you will see the tollgate. Drive straight. Next comes the Sink Hole turn and you continue in the same straight road.
- It is at 136.5kms that you will come to the Fins turn, here, turn right and follow the road that goes down. Shortly you will see a board reading Fins 1km – take that road.
- Less than 2kms later the road will lead to a T-junction where you need to take the right. You will immediately get on to the graded road. Keep driving for about 3kms when you will see a cautionary board on the right.
- Take the left just before the board and follow the road to find your camping spot for the weekend.
