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Dive Review of Global Scuba/Shangri-La Al Waha in
Oman

 
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Global Scuba/Shangri-La Al Waha: "Daymanyiat Islands diving Oman - very nice!", Jul, 2017,

by Graham McGregor, Kilmacolm, GB (Top Contributor Top Contributor 39 reports with 22 Helpful votes). Report 9654.

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Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations N/A Food N/A
Service and Attitude 3 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 3 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments My son and I stayed at the Shangri-La Al Waha and mainly dived with their on-site dive operation, Extra Divers Qantab. See separate report on these dives.

Since Extra Divers were not offering trips to the Daymanyiat Islands during our stay, we booked two days diving with Global Scuba. They are located near the airport about a 30 minute taxi ride from the Shangri-La. Global Scuba appear to be the only operator in Oman who go to the Daymanyiat Islands every day. The Daymanyiats are the best area for diving near Muscat, about a 45 minute (and somewhat bumpy!) boat ride each way. They are a series of small islands and underwater pinnacles that come to within 5 to 10 metres of the surface. Global Scuba were a bit less organised than Extra Divers (who we dived with at the Shangri-La. They do not offer Nitrox but do have two larger (15 litre) tanks if you want those. Their boat was spacious enough for the 6 to 9 divers we had on our diving days but would be pretty cramped if any more divers were there. The boat was reasonably basic with limited sun protection. The flat hull made the rides, particularly back from the sites after lunch when the sea got more choppy, a bit bouncy!
On all our dives there was one guide for the entire group. Given that the group had mixed diving experience I thought they should have split us by ability. It meant that divers finished their dives at various points during the dive and went to the surface without the guide! The guiding was pretty basic with little or no pointing out of critters or features. We dived "Aquarium", a submerged pinnacle on both days (we asked to dive there again on the second day). This was a good site although the viz varied from 7 to 20 metres and the thermoclines were noticeable, albeit we were fine in 3mm wetsuits. Apparently 3 whalesharks had been seen a couple of days before we arrived but, inevitably, we didn't see any! However, lots of reef fish. Abundant morays including free swimming morays; eagle rays; lobsters; turtles; cuttlefish and stingrays. On our final dive on day two we saw a large leopard shark, a first for me and a real highlight of the trip.
Despite having booked our second day's diving after the first day when we arrived at the shop on day two, the boat had left. They said they had not noted our dive in their schedule! Luckily they were able to contact the boat which was half way to the dive site. It turned round and came back for us. If you are diving with Global Scuba make sure you have everything confirmed by email. They are nice people but not the best organised!

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Galapagos; Palau; Sipadan; Truk; Malapascua; Komodo; Ticao Island; Maldives; Red Sea; Caribbean; Cuba; Hawaii; Florida; Cozumel; Spain, Seychelles, Mauritius, Oman
Closest Airport Muscat Getting There Straightforward from UK, with direct flights from London or easy connections at Middle East hubs

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas choppy, surge
Water Temp 27-31°C / 81-88°F Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 7-20 M / 23-66 Ft

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions 30m is the limit although we didn't go below 25m.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? no

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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