It’s morning. I get woken up by the wondrous sound of the waves hitting rocks violently at the Fazayah Beach and on purpose I delay opening my eyes, letting the feeling of anticipation build up a little more. What I am about to see in a moment, is going to be one of the most beautiful sceneries I have ever seen in my life.
THE SKY ABOVE SALALAH IS STREWN WITH STARS
“The sky above Salalah is strewn with stars. Misty mountains, sinking in the clouds. Thick fog suspended in the air. Am I in another world?”
(Salalah, September 2021)
The above note I wrote in my diary last night before crashing to sleep, being so exhausted after driving for two days. Usually, when I set off for a trip I avoid researching the places because I do not want to deprive myself of this moment of surprise when I first arrive there. And that was a case with Fazayah Beach as well — I have seen a few photos of it on Google Maps, but in fact, what I saw in reality completely took my breath away.
The landscape that I woke up to entirely stunned me. I stood there asking myself if this all is just a dream?
WHAT IS “KHAREEF” SEASON?
Khareef is tameless sea. Khareef is mysterious fog flitting the mountains. Khareef is refreshening.
(Salalah, September 2021)
Before I further unfold the story of the day, I must mention khareef (خَرِيْف) that translates as „autumn” in Arabic. It is used to describe the monsoon season in southern Oman. From late June to early September, rigid mountain peaks and barren valleys of Dhofar turn into lush forests and many waterfalls and springs gush out from the mountains. While during peak summer months the rest of Oman batters extremely high temperatures, tourists flock to Salalah because it is the coolest place in the region.
STORMY WAVES OF FAZAYAH BEACH
All I did that day was fully absorb the beauty of nature. Breathing, walking barefoot, and saturating my eyes with the soothing landscape of Fazayah Beach. The fog was rising up and down again. The sea seemed so untamed and violent. I let my feet wander on the wet sand of the pristine beach. The waves were sweeping the sand from beneath my feet as if they were trying to drag me inside.
I was warned about swimming by a lovely Jibbali family (I wrote about this encounter here: Day 5: Jebel Samhan — Where Arabian Leopard Wanders) in the sea in khareef season, or should I say, I was advised not to swim at all. People just do not approach the sea in July, August, and September because this is when the waves are the roughest.
There was an evident humidity lingering in the air. The temperate was somewhere between 25-27 degrees. The sun was barely visible through the thick milky clouds. And then it started to drizzle. The drizzle at times was turning into heavy rain and the wet weather accompanied me until almost the end of my trip.
WHERE TO CAMP AT FAZAYAH BEACH?
Fazayah Beach (16.839064, 53.720313) is five kilometers long white-sand pristine beach with crystal clear water, splendid rock formations, and a dramatic mountain range in the background.
Following the dirt roads driving further to the west, you will find plenty of utterly isolated camping spots. The first beach was covered with green vegetation and there was a sign forbidding to drive over it. I camped at this spot: 16.834830, 53.716196.
HOW TO GET TO FAZAYAH BEACH?
Would you agree with me if I said the most beautiful places are almost always remote?
Getting to Fazayah Beach requires an off-road car. Although I have seen sedan cars there as well, it is a mystery for me, how they got there because the road is off-road, dirt and muddy path. To reach there, you need to take the turn from the main road here: 16.852201, 53.717449.
The route down features the most spectacular landscape overlooking the shore and sapphire water of the Arabian Sea. You can decide to stop somewhere on the way and camp there — there are also many suitable places to set up a campsite.
Later in the day, I noticed that my car’s headlights stopped working, probably due to humidity and bad isolation. I struggled for some time to fix them and after succeeded I packed my stuff and I head for another adventure. This time, not alone!
If you would like to continue reading about my trip to Salalah, check the next article: Day 4: Masood Hidden Beach.
REMEMBER!
- Do not leave any garbage behind, including food. Even organic waste can take months to biodegrade and meanwhile it will attract animals. It may make them stop eating their natural food and rely on what humans leave behind and make them sick.
- Have always a bag ready to collect trash left behind by other inconsiderate people – in the end, you are saving nature.
- Hike or camp over gravel and rocks. In some areas, the vegetation can take years to grow back.
- Leave natural and historical items where you find them.
- Minimize cooking over a campfire, use the stove instead – it is less impact on the wilderness.
UAE OFF-ROADER GUIDE
If you are looking for more off-road trails to discover around the United Arab Emirates, I can recommend this ultimate guide that is packed with many routes, giving very detailed information and answering all questions you could have about off-roading in the UAE.
You can get it from Amazon.
FIELD GUIDE TO EMIRATES
To learn more about UAE’s natural & archaeological treasures, check Amazon.
