Every month a new trip will be uploaded to this blog: enjoy!
Turtle Beach near Sur, Oman, is a spectacular destination, and one you cannot experience in many places on this planet. It’s truly out of a National Geographic special but, at the same time, I respectfully request that you understand just how precious this location is and how to behave in respect to these fragile animals.
For the less adventurous, there is the official turtle reserve at Ras Al Jinz, developed as a tourist resort, where access to the turtles is carefully restricted, because these shy and vulnerable animals are endangered.
Theo Sheen (10) helps a dehydrated turtle back to the Indian Ocean. This turtle had collapsed from the exhaustion of laying eggs overnight, and with the sun now baking hot she was unable to return to the fresh and safe waters of the sea. She would have died had we not intervened showering her with cool water. Normally, the rules for humans are not to interfere and certainly not to touch the turtles.
Download the KML file for your GPS by clicking here.
Once downloaded, you can import the file into your GPS device and take it on the road, or double-click that file and it will open automatically in Google Earth if you have that installed (all adventurers should! Google Earth).
And here is an interactive map of the route.
View Turtle Beach December 2011 in a larger map
Turtle Beach, Oman
Turtle Beach, Oman - see the turtle nests dug out on the above-tide sand.
Turtle Beach is good for more than just turtles!
Land Rover LR4 took us there and back in complete safety and comfort. Only a "real" 4x4 could descend the steep trail to the beach.
An Omani shepherd looks on curiously.
Camping with friends at an unspoilt remote location is a fabulous experience, if well-planned. Read the article to get some tips how to make it a fun time for everyone.
Packing for a long camping trip is a science and an art - the Land Rover LR4 thankfully takes care of the science part!
Starry starry night - lying on sleeping bags on the beach to see the turtles just before dawn.
On the return from laying her eggs, a young turtle got stuck in between rocks. As the tide rose mercilessly, she was going to drown.
Campers worked together to free the stuck turtle, and happily she swam off. Hopefully to return to lay eggs for many more years to come.
On the way there, we stopped at the abandoned mud village at Wadi Tanuf, just outside Nizwa.
At the Nizwa Fort, Omani men inspect a rifle for sale.
Please read the original article: Turtle Beach in Oman, near Sur – a long drive, but an unforgettable adventure. Published by The National, Dec 23, 2011.
Or view the pdf file of the original article here, as published.
Please make sure you read the Disclaimer and plan your trips with due care.
It is very far but absolutely worth it once you get there! Went there over Eid and it has been the best trip we’ve ever done in the region – thank you Paulo for sharing this amazing destination with us all. The beach was clean, the turtles keep coming, thank you all for keeping this place as nature intended.
Excellent trip, thanks!
Was the Lr4 really that good off-road? Seems a bit soft for that kind of track.
Yes, it was – very impressed. The terrain response gives excellent traction on loose shale and stones, and the incline was done with minimum fuss. As far as these kinds of stony tracks, LR4 is excellent.
I like the helpful info you provide in your articles. I
Amazing blog mate
whatever you do, never ever point a weapon at anyone, specially urself. advice to the omani dude
I enjoy the effort you have put in this, thank you for all the great articles .
Very nice beach! Please keep it clean!
Oman beaches are the best!!!
We will go there for Eid, thanks for sharing this.
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Womderful blog – I’ve seen turtles like that in central America and don’t know they came as far as Oman. I’ve lived in Muscat for the past five years and never knew!
Wantto go there!!!!!!
This is a great drive, except they have now built too many hotels. Please let the nature live!
Please don’t go on this trip and disturb the turtles.
Great itinerary! Thansk!
Thanks for posting this trip! We visited the very same beach a few years ago and it was one of the highlights of our stay in Oman.
Thank you for every other wonderful information.
Love it!
Like ….
That’s a good trip.
Simply a smiling visitor here to share the love 🙂 btw great style.
Are these turtles good to eat?
Only if you can swallow them whole.
I worry about people following your trip and stepping on the turtles.
I do too, Anjel – I hope that people who take the time and effort to drive 1,000 km to get there will either be the kind of people who understand how special and fragile these turtles are, or who will come away with an appreciation of how special and fragile these turtles are.
Great photos! Are you a professional photographer? What equipment do you use?
Thanks! Yes, I am 🙂 and I use a Nikon D7000.
This trip procured by you is very helpful for good planning.
Thanks for sharing this trip. I was planning for an Oman trip for this coming Eid, and I think turtle beach fits the bill very nicely! Thanks!
Awesome website man, looks very nice. I’ve been looking for something like this to get me out and about on weekends. This’ll do it!
very nice, mate, cheers!
Wow, awesome place!
Will be going this winter – thanks!
I want to try turtle soup
Regards for helping out, great info.
How far exactly is this beach?
See the map in the article above – click on it to zoom in or out.
I really like the sound of this trip! Cheers for sharing it mate!
Great trip suggestion!
Please everybody make sure you leave the beach clean!
If you like, you can stay at the Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve – it’s saved in the GPS route.
I will do this trip with my friends this winter! Where to stay to see the turtles?
Marina asked when is the best time of year to go to Turtle Beach:
“July is the peak laying season for the greens when over 100 turtles come ashore each night. September to November, however, is the best time to witness both laying and hatching at Ras al-Jinz. At least one turtle arrives on the beach every night of the year. Full-moon nights make it easier to walk and to witness the spectacle but turtles prefer dark nights so as not to attract the unwanted attentions of predators which often dig up the eggs as soon as they are laid.”
Read more: [url]http://www.lonelyplanet.com/oman/sharqiya-region/ras-al-jinz#ixzz1tJcHoODZ[/url]