As Sifah Beach

As Sifah lies at the end of the coast road running southeast from Muscat past Yiti and Bandar Khayran, a broad beach of pale sand backed by bare rock hills with a village at one end and a resort at the other. It is the nearest stretch of open sand to the capital that feels away from it, and Omani families and Muscat residents camp along it at weekends, particularly in the cooler months. The water is generally calm and swimmable, and turtles come ashore on parts of the coast. The drive out over the headlands from Yiti is scenic in itself. Facilities are minimal outside the resort.

What you actually see

• The beach - the long stretch of pale sand below the hills.
• The coast road - the drive out over the headlands from Yiti.
• Weekend camps - the tents and gatherings along the sand.
• The village - the fishing settlement at the northern end.

When to go

October to April; summer is very hot and humid on this coast. Weekdays are quiet and weekends busy with campers. Early morning is best for swimming and quiet.

Honest expectations

There are no lifeguards and currents run at some points. Litter from weekend camping is a serious and persistent problem. Facilities outside the resort are nonexistent. Modest swimwear is expected on public beaches.

Nearby

Bandar Khayran lies northwest; Quriyat is southeast.