At the far end of the bay, the sea surges into the rocks below the cliffs, and a jet of white water shoots high into the air. Then another, and another.

The beach

Mughsail Beach is a long bay of white sand about 40 kilometres west of Salalah, backed by mountains. It is a favourite picnic spot for people from Salalah and for visitors alike.

The blowholes

At the western end of the beach, the cliffs of Al Marneef rise from the sea. Blowholes in the rock shoot sea water high into the air, especially when the sea is rough during the monsoon season. The height of the jets changes with the season, and in the khareef they can reach up to 28 metres.

Marneef cave

The Marneef cave overlooks the sea beside the blowholes. A walking route starts on the beach, passes through the cave and ends at the blowholes on the far side, and benches beside the cave let you sit and look out over the beach and the fountains of spray.

Beyond the beach

Past the beach, the road climbs in zigzags up the mountains towards Yemen, with frankincense trees growing in the dry valleys. Al Fizayah, a white-sand beach about five kilometres long, is about half an hour's drive further on.

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  Blowholes Up to 28 metres in the khareef.
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  Marneef cave Benches with sea views.
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  Swimming Be careful of currents, especially in the monsoon.
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  Tomb of Prophet Ayub About 33 km away.
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  Salalah About 35–40 km away.

Visiting

Entry is free. November to March is the season for the beach, while the khareef is the time to see the blowholes at their strongest. Keep well back from the blowholes and the cliff edge.