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.