Tuesday 25 / March / 2025
Barka: The number of visitors to Damaniyat Islands Nature Reserve amounted to 96,625 in 2024 compared to 71, 263 visitors in 2023.
Salim Said Al Maskari, Director of Environment Department in South Al Batinah Governorate said that the total area of Damaniyat Islands Nature Reserve is 203 sq. kilometres including the sea surrounding area.
The Environment Authority has allocated Al Jabal Al Kabir Island and Lajoun Island for the night stay and camping from the beginning of November to end of April, he said adding that during the remaining period of 2025, the Environment Authority will activate the Visitors Centre of the reserve by fixing interactive screens for awareness dissemination purposes and for making the reserve attractive to researchers in the various fields of environment and marine sciences.
He said that Damaniyat Islands accommodate the under-water military museum, which was opened in 2024 and aimed to improve biodiversity in the reserve and to boost environment tourism by establishment of a unique and innovative tourist-attraction area for tourists and divers, which is the first of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman.
The under-water military museum is expected to contribute to attraction of many sea creatures of different size.
It is worth mentioning that the Environment Authority issues permits for visiting Damaniyat Islands Nature Reserve through the portal of the Environment Authority.
