TRAVEL | Bandar Khayran, Oman

Bandar Khayran, Oman

This weekend, we decided to leave the city and stay overnight at the beach. I had no idea where we were going. All I knew was that it was going to be a 45-hour drive. I said yes, why not. It was night and the path was unknown to me. After passing Qantab, I was clueless as to where we were heading.

The road was zigzagging. The mountains carved and paved roads were constructed to allow faster transportation. Though the drive was smooth, I felt a bit dizzy with all the left and right turns. I was even imagining a grim collision in this dark highway but good thing it didn't happen. 

Upon arrival, we were met by some young locals. They were friendly, but I was advised not to be too "friendly" in this country. I thought otherwise but decided not to argue about it (maybe I'll write another entry on Filipino behaviour towards foreigners).

We had to walk the dark, steep road to reach the camping ground. It was exciting and dangerous at the same time. You cannot see anything on the way and just beside you is a cliff. One wrong footstep and you'll be waking up in a hospital, if you ever get to wake up.

Guided by our flashlights, we safely threaded the path and arrived at the camping ground. It was still dark but when you point your light in the water, you'll find so many fish. This awed me a lot since I have not seen such a sight, despite the fact that I am from an archipelagic country surrounded by water. 

We put up our tents and started throwing the fish rods. It was so amazing. In a matter of minutes, we already caught two, three fish. It was such a great experience. I always find fishing an enjoyable activity.

While the others are fishing, some of us started grilling the food and after some time, we ate the fresh fish and meat that we brought.

We were alone in the camping area. And how I wished there were some other people, but after a while some raucous Indians came with their quad bikes and it was oh so irritating. I still can't understand why and how these crazy Indians would bike at 3am. They don't make any sense at all. We just ignored them till they left at 5am.

In the middle of all these, I started wondering how nice this camping is with friends. I'm sure that I will want to do this again with all of my friends in and out of the Philippines.

At 5am, the sun started showing some light upon us. Everybody now was in dreamland. I was the only one awake. I set up my DSLR and started shooting, hoping to get some decent photos this time.

I feel that my DSLR is having some problems because lately, my photos aren't that good anymore. I always end up with out of focus/blurred shots. At first I thought it was just because of the lighting problem or my shaky hands. But I feel that there is something more serious.

Anyhow, when the sun finally showed itself, the whole place was revealed before my eyes- the sandy shore, the rocky hills, the enclaves and so much more. It was very beautiful and something that I have not seen before. Truly, Oman is a beautiful place and I hope that the people take care of this. I hope that it doesn't end up like the Philippines.

My country used to be beautiful, but due to human exploitation most of the beautiful places we have- beaches, rivers, forests are now gone. Something that the future generations will not be able to see anymore.

I am really humbled by this opportunity to experience nature's beauty. After all, not everyone gets the chance to see the majestic wonders of nature. And I really thank God for simple blessings like these. As they say, the best things in life are free.

On a side note, I should always remind myself to take care when treading the sea waters. Last time I got injured by sea urchins and this time, I had some gash from sharp stones. I still can't walk properly up to now. I'm afraid the wound will open and squirt blood all over... hahaha.

Bandar Khayran (Arabic: بندر الخيران‎) is a coastal town in northeastern Oman. It is located at around 23°30′5″N 58°43′57″E. For more info on Bandar Khayran, you may visit the following site: Oman Tourism