BAR AL HIKMAN, Novembre 23/24, 2022
At 18.00 we park our car at a petrol station in Mahut, and get into Salim’s pick up. He is the owner of the Whales Head Camp at Bar Al Hikman. It’s already dark, and I don’t know how he can orient himself (he says by just looking at the stars, but it’s also true that it’s his home and he must have been driving here a trillion times). He drive for at least 45 minutes in absolute nothingness, just sand and starry skies. We arrive at the camp: the tents similar to those already seen in the Sharqiya region, but we stay in the main building, all made of wood, and perched above the beach. The two of us are in a wooden room with 4 beds, there is a common small sink and bathroom available. We eat dinner on the veranda, on the carpets. After dinner, I spend at least 2/3 hours contemplating the starry sky, and trying to photograph the Milky Way, finally visible. We are on a strip of sand completely surrounded by water.
OVERNIGHT STAY
Whales Head Camp, 50 OMR for two people, including transport to/from Mahut. 35 OMR each for the meals
November 24, 2022
We set the alarm clock at sunrise, it’s a bit cold, but fleeces are enough. The camp is on the route of millions of migratory birds, which are expected to arrive in the next few weeks, so we are a little early. However, we see some flamingos in the distance, and then thousands of other white birds, perhaps seagulls.
It’s a wonderful sight, complete silence, only the cries of birds, and the sea is as flat as a table. For 40 OMR Salim could take us with his boat to snorkel on a nearby island, but we already feel like we are in paradise. Kayaks are available free of charge, I use them for about twenty minutes, but honestly I prefer walking. The sea is very shallow, it feels like being on the east coast of Zanzibar, while the lagoon is deeper, and walking in the water causes a curious “quicksand” effect. The view from the terrace on the top floor, from where I photographed the stars last night, offers breathtaking views.
We have lunch again on the veranda, and reluctantly have to leave at around 14.00.
How to get to this paradise? On road no. 32, with Al Khaluf as destination, exit the town of Mahut and shortly after the petrol station there is a sign for “Al Wusta Wetlands”. That’s where you have to turn, but it’s difficult to orient yourself, there’s only desert. The most reliable map is on iOverlander, Google Maps is not updated. The driving is very demanding, it involves traveling along tracks of very soft sand, often wet, which causes a “suction” effect.
We discovered Bar Al Hikman by pure chance. I was looking for information on how to reach the white dunes of Al Khaluf, I asked for enquiries to a guide I found on Facebook, Almaskri Tour Guide, who suggested to add also a night at the camp. There are three alternatives: if you rent a 2WD small car, like us, you can be picked up at a pre-established point, if you have a “serious” 4WD but are afraid of getting stuck you can always find on Facebook/Instagram etc. local guides who can drive it, obviously paying for the service. If you are a very good and experienced driver on sandy terrain then lucky you, you can get there on your own!
A guide contacted on Facebook told me about a 4WD rental at a cost of 35 OMR per day, which he would then have driven himself, through a “friendly” car rental agency. However, I prefered not to choose this option.