Lured by a natural waterpark

Fixing their headscarves tightly on their heads, Ruqaya and Fatima both took full breaths before getting into the water. At nine in the morning in February, the water of Bandar al Khairan is as good ice water temperature causing them to shiver a little. But the cold water does little to curtail their excitement. They had been in Oman for almost a week and the couple were trying to squeeze in as much activity as they can to the remaining days of their “away time” before going back to their home country of Bahrain. Both women are into sports. While maintaining a good balance between life and work, they said there were little outdoor activities they can do in Bahrain. “If you are a foodie, you would definitely enjoy Bahrain. Shopping, too. You’d have plenty of opportunities to enjoy indoor activities. But if you are the kind who loves being in the outdoors, there are not much of activities you can do there,” Ruqaya shared. “Since our arrival in Oman until today, we enjoyed each and every destination we went to. We’ve done wadi adventures and explore different beaches and did several hikes, we are thoroughly satisfied with the whole experience,” she added. Having done several hiking trips, Ruqaya and Fatima decided to try something different close to Muscat. With their flight scheduled on the evening of the next day, they thought Bandar al Khairan was the perfect location. The duo noted that they found the announcement made by Oman Outdoor Adventure on social media where Ahmed al Jaabri, the leader of the group, said the camping adventure will include water activities as well. Partnering with A Tourism, a sea tourism company owned by Abdullah and Ammar, both residents of Yiti, Al Jaabri had designed a fun day where participants can ride inflatables as it is being towed by a fast-moving boat. An alternative to the usually pricey yachts and jetski activities, the inflatable adventures allow a different enjoyment. While snorkelling and diving remain to be top activities in Bandar al Khairan, Ammar has noted that people requesting for the kind of services they offer is also starting to rise. “For about four days this week, I’d been in the waters of Bandar al Khairan. We have multiple guests asking for different activities and this night camp with water adventures was a partnership with Ahmed that a lot of people are starting to consider as good family activity,” he said. With safety as their top priority, Ammar said that they have to pick the right spot and dates since, during the weekend, the waters of Khairan can get crowded with lots of boats docking in the area. “You’d usually find about dozens of yachts with divers and swimmers on them. Al Khairan has been the go-to destination for these activities. Because of its close proximity to Muscat, its popularity continues to rise,” shared Al Jaabri. “Two of our participants are from the Netherland. Tom and Loki spent a few days in Oman and had been to some beaches in Sur but decided to come. We were happy to show them this area and the fun things they can do here,” he added. With lifevest on and hands tightly clasping the safety handles of the inflatables, it was a different exhilarating experience as the boat gained speed. “All I can say is that it’s too much fun. With the water splashing on your face, we really enjoy the activity,” Fatima said. Ammar said that he and his partner Abdullah are always looking for ways to improve their services and include different activities for people to enjoy. “We just started a few months back but we wanted people to see Bandar al Khairan as a great natural waterpark where the activities you can do is unlimited,” he said. “Hopefully, more people will be interested with these kinds of adventures. We also depend on the number of visitors coming,” he shared. “A lot of people come to Al Khairan for trekking and camping. It’s a nice addition that there are these fun and safe water activities that people can do,” Al Jaabri said. For Ruqaya and Fatima, they shared that they definitely enjoyed the last two days of their stay in Oman. “Inshallah, we will come back soon. No need to go far to enjoy great beaches and fun activities. Oman is doing very good in those departments,” Ruqaya shared.