Central coast

Ras al Hadd lies close to the easternmost point of Oman. Here there is a long, white sand beach, which is home to a colony of birds. Due to algae the seawater here has a greenish colour. The nearby Ras al Hadd fort was built between 1560 and 1570 and is open to visitors. About 25km to the northwest lies the fishermen village of Al Ayjah, which is located opposite to Sur along the Omani coast, about 160 km southwest of Muscat. It consists of a set of picturesque whitewashed houses around a beach. There is a lighthouse at the end of the outer promontory and a watchtower on the other headland delimiting the beach. The Al Hamooda Fort in Ayjah has been restaurated about 10 years ago. The coast to the north of Sur consists of a number of beaches interrupted by rocky headlands.