Wadi Dayqah Dam

The Wadi Dayqah dam was completed in 2012 to store water and control flooding on a wadi that had periodically destroyed villages downstream, and at around seventy-five metres it is the largest dam in Oman. The lake behind it fills a gorge in the eastern Hajar, and the setting is the attraction: bare rock walls with a green-blue reservoir between them. A landscaped park below the wall has lawns, picnic areas and a cafe, and it is a popular weekend destination from Muscat. Kayaks and boats operate on the water when levels allow. Above the dam the old village of Devil's Gap and the upper wadi can be walked with care.

What you actually see

• The dam wall - the structure across the gorge.
• The reservoir - the lake filling the valley behind it.
• The park below - the lawns, picnic ground and cafe.
• Boating - kayaks and boats on the water when levels permit.

When to go

October to April; summer is very hot. Weekdays are quiet; Fridays and holidays fill the park. Water levels vary greatly and boating is not always operating.

Honest expectations

The park is the accessible part; the reservoir shore itself is largely off limits. Swimming in the reservoir is prohibited. Weekend crowds and litter are significant. Boating depends on water level and is often suspended.

Nearby

Quriyat lies northeast; Wadi Al Arbeieen is north.