Day 4: Masood Hidden Beach » MissionsOffroad

While overlanding through Salalah, once again I had a chance to experience the legendary hospitality of Omani people. I was invited to a camping and off-roading trip to a secret place by a talented Omani photographer and his friend. Masood Hidden Beach in Salalah where we camped, reminded me very much of Thailand. White-sand beach and lush green jungle covering the shore beautifully surrounded by turquoise waters of the sea could not make me stop thinking that I was somewhere in one of the tropical countries of Asia.

This breathtaking landscape is, sadly, only temporary. I wrote about this extraordinary phenomenon that occurs in Oman during the autumn season in my previous article: Day 3: Pristine Paradise – Fazayah Beach.

THROUGH OLD RIVER BED

The night before I camped at Fazayah Beach. Thankfully, the distance between Fazayah Beach and Masood Hidden Beach in Salalah turned out to be really short. I met the guys at the meeting point, on the side of the road at the beginning of the off-road track (16.863856, 53.719956) and from there we headed deeper into the mountains, crossing the valley through the dry river bed.

The views were stunning – marble white stones naturally paved off-road track surrounded by green mountains heights. Geologists would find themselves here in heaven having such a big variety of different rock formations.

We were almost reaching Masood Hidden Beach in Salalah (16.871224, 53.752972) when we faced an obstacle. On the last, relatively moderate incline (16.872962, 53.751383), a piece of the road had been destroyed and the stones had collapsed together with the mud, making the road almost impassable. I was definitely against proceeding further, and I was happy to camp at that point, between the mountains, but the guys insisted on going further.

And so Khalil went first in his Jeep and then when I approached the damaged part of the road I felt like it would be better to let Khalil drive my car through this tricky stretch. What I saw further, literally took my breath away.

SOAKING WET BUT HAPPY

When we got to Masood Hidden Beach in Salalah, it was almost evening and the foggy and rainy weather created a special aura and atmosphere. On the left side, there was a small bay, separated by a strip of land – you can notice it on Google Satelite view (16.872291, 53.753860). Khalil said that the water in this lake is much less salty because it flows out from underground and flows down from the mountains when it rains. Not that I did not believe him, but I went myself to taste it and he was right!

The night was… adventurous, to say the least. The downpour did not stop. We were not prepared for such circumstances – we did not have an awning or umbrella, so we decided to build a crude tent, using a waterproof carpet as a roof that we placed between two Jeeps. After some time the roof started to leak but it was still so much fun! I have never camped in such extreme conditions.

Soaking wet, we were sitting under the sky full of stars, drinking coffee and sharing food. Khalil cooked Umm Ali – a traditional Arabic dessert, which was super delicious.

I guess I was pretty tired because laying down in the bed space that I prepared in my Jeep, I quickly drifted away in my sleep.

MAJESTIC MASOOD HIDDEN BEACH

In the morning I woke up facing the stormy sea. For a short period of time, the rain had stopped so we could eat breakfast in peace, sipping on karak. There are things in this world that make you forget about everything for a moment and one of them is karak… fresh, hot karak cooked over the camp stove.

I went away from the camp for a few minutes to breathe and absorb the sacred energy of this majestic scenery. I was overwhelmed by the smell of fresh grass and the beautiful nature theater featuring sun rays shimmering through the mountain dew droplets and a full range of colors of tiny flowers in bloom.

MY FIRST TRIP TO SHAAT

In the late morning, we packed and drove away from Masood Hidden Beach in Salalah. The boys decided to accompany me to Shaat, which is a place in the mountains close to the Yemeni border, overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean from a height of more than a thousand meters.
It turned out that you must be really lucky to arrive here on a day in khareef season when it does not rain and when the clouds stay above Shaat.

During my first visit, the weather was extremely rainy, humid, and cold. The second time I visited Shaat the situation was a little bit better. Read about my second trip here: Day 9: Shaat Village Suspended in the Clouds & Mughsail Beach.
After returning from Shaat, I bid farewell to Khalil and his friend and we separated our paths. I headed towards my next camping destination – Jebel Samhan.

If you would like to continue reading about my trip to Salalah, check the next article: Day 5: Jebel Samhan — Where Arabian Leopard Wanders

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.