Garden of Eden (Daymaniyat)
Daymaniyat Islands Nature Reserve (permit needed, closed to visitors May–Oct). Described as lying west of Qesmah Island: a steep wall and boulders with soft corals leading up to a plateau of table and cauliflower corals. Snappers, groupers, batfish, angelfish, stingrays and leopard sharks are reported. Depths are not published in the sources used.
Facts
- Region: Muscat & Daymaniyat Islands – Oman
- Area: Daymaniyat Islands Nature Reserve
- Level: intermediate
- Current: low
- Type: wall, reef, plateau
- Coordinates: 23.856, 58.067 (approximate)
- Highlights: soft coral, table coral, cauliflower coral, snapper, grouper, batfish, angelfish, stingray, leopard shark
- Permit: Daymaniyat Islands Nature Reserve (Royal Decree 23/1996): an Environment Authority entry permit is required. Official one-day fees for foreigners: OMR 3 visit, OMR 6 visit + diving, OMR 10 visit + diving + overnight stay (Omani rates are lower; multi-month passes exist, e.g. OMR 150/year for visit + diving). Landing and camping are prohibited from May to October (turtle and seabird breeding season), so dive trips in practice run in the open season; confirm with the operator. Dive operators normally buy the permit for guests: Euro-Divers' 2022 price list charged a nature-reserve permit plus fuel surcharge of OMR 13.4 per trip on top of the dive price, so check current prices. Fees have changed several times; always confirm with the Environment Authority.
- Issuer / contact: Environment Authority (Oman)
- Phone: 1991
- Website: https://www.ea.gov.om/en/authority-services/service-catalogue/service-catalogue/paid-entry-permit-to-dimaniyat-islands-nature-reserve/
- Call Center 1991 and WhatsApp 24404696 as listed on the Authority's service page; the gov.om service page lists 30238399 / 30238401 without labels. No e-mail address is published for this service. Permits are applied for online via the Authority's e-services and are normally arranged by the dive operator.
- Unverified: The exact position of this dive site within the Daymaniyat island group is not published in the sources used; the marker is placed in the island group only and is approximate.
- Tips: Named as a highlight by Divernet; the only description with a location is on the Dive the World page.