How to Get to the Daymaniyat Islands from Muscat and Dubai (2026)

Short answer: the Daymaniyat Islands can only be reached by boat, and there is no public ferry. Almost everyone goes on a boat trip from a marina in Muscat. Ours leave from Seeb Marina, about 15 to 25 minutes’ drive from Muscat airport, and the boat ride to the islands takes 25 to 30 minutes. In Muscat, get to the marina by taxi app, hire car or our hotel transport (extra fee). From Dubai, fly or drive to Muscat and stay at least one night: a same-day return isn’t realistic.

Where do boats to the Daymaniyat Islands leave from?

The islands are a protected nature reserve with no hotels, shops or jetty for a ferry, so the only way to visit is on a boat trip. Trips leave from several marinas in Muscat. The closer the marina is to the islands, the shorter the ride:

Our dolphin tour is the one trip that leaves from Marina Bandar Al Rowdha; it stays near the Muscat coast and doesn’t go to the islands.

How to get to Seeb Marina

Seeb Marina is in Al Seeb, on the coast west of the airport. These are typical driving times; allow more on weekday mornings between 6 and 9, when the main roads into Muscat are busy.

By taxi

Uber doesn’t operate in Oman, and Careem stopped its rides here in 2020, so ignore older guides that recommend them. Use a local taxi app instead: OTaxi (booked through the Yango app) or Oman Taxi. At the airport, take a taxi from the official desk in the arrivals hall. Street taxis should use their meter; if the driver offers a fixed price, agree it before you set off. For the return trip, book your taxi in the app when you are back at the marina.

By hire car

A hire car is the easiest way to explore Muscat. The big rental companies have desks at the airport, open around the clock. Oman drives on the right, motorways have many speed cameras, and children under 4 need a car seat. There is free public parking at Seeb Marina, and campers can leave their car there overnight.

With our hotel transport

We can arrange transport from your hotel for an extra fee. Ask on WhatsApp when you book: the price depends on where you are staying. Public buses aren’t practical for a morning boat trip.

Finding the meeting point at Seeb Marina

• Where: Seeb Marina, Plus Code M5QH+CF Seeb. Open it in Google Maps.
• When: 15 minutes before departure. On the half-day trip that means 08:15 for the morning boat or 13:15 for the afternoon boat.
• Who to look for: once your booking is confirmed, we send the exact meeting point and the captain’s phone number on WhatsApp. The crew wait for you at the marina, or you can call the captain.
• What to wear: modest clothes at the marina (shoulders and knees covered); you change into swimwear on board.

After a short safety briefing, the boat sets off. The ride takes 25 to 30 minutes on a speedboat with shade and a toilet. When the wind picks up it can be bumpy: our first-timer’s guide has tips if you get seasick. Dolphins are sometimes seen on the way.

How to get to the Daymaniyat Islands from Dubai

Many visitors come from Dubai. The islands are only reached through Muscat, so the question is really how to get from Dubai to Muscat:

Can you do it as a day trip from Dubai?

Not really. The morning boat leaves Seeb Marina at 08:30, and driving there and back from Dubai means 10 or more hours on the road on top of a 4-hour trip. Plan at least one night in Muscat. If the islands are your main reason to come, stay near Seeb, Al Mouj or the airport, where the marina is 15 to 25 minutes away. With two nights you can add the full-day island trip or a night of island camping (November to April).

Can you go to the islands on your own?

Only with your own registered boat and the reserve permits, which anyone can buy online from the Environment Authority. Paddling out by kayak isn’t realistic: the islands are about 20 km from Seeb across open sea. For most visitors a boat trip is the simple option, with the permits, snorkeling equipment and life jackets included. Our guide to the nature reserve and its rules explains the permits and what is allowed.

When can you visit?

Boat trips run all year, weather permitting. The island beaches are open from November to April and close from May to October for turtle and bird nesting; in those months you snorkel from the boat but don’t land. November to January is the busiest time, especially around Eid and New Year, so book a few days ahead. See the best time to visit for the weather and sea in each month, and how to book for the booking steps.

Frequently asked questions

Plan your trip

Tell us your date, how many people are coming and where you are staying, and we’ll help with the rest. Message us on WhatsApp.