The Six Senses Zighy Bay on the Musandam Peninsula, named after the small fishing town right next to it, just off the UAE boarder at Dibba, has always been on my list of must see places. This April I was lucky enough to spend a few days at the resort.
Some parts of Zighy Bay and Musandam feel stuck in the past, sometimes willingly, sometimes less so.
Rumour has it there are more goats than humans in Musandam. Can neither confirm nor deny that.
The north easterly view of the Zighy Bay
The same mountain contains an old village, the remnants of its graveyard are still visible.
I joined a group of people on a hike up the mountain - rock climbing is the more appropriate description.
The southern view revealed this beautiful empty beach, appearantly owned by a local private person.
It's amazing how some of the trees can grow on this soil, with almost no water.
The ruins of these kind of houses are common in the Hajar mountains - some are still occupied, usually in a slightly more modern form though.
The scenery is amazing around every corner. In the past, many of the locals used to live in the mountains on the bay to be able to spot pirates from far away.
A view of the bay with the Six Senses in the background, and the houses that were built for the local fishermen alongside the resort, replacing some of the previous stone houses.
One of the restaurants of the hotel is located right on the cliff next to the road crossing the mountain.
This path runs to the top of the mountain, for a private dining spot and a great view.
We took a drive into the Hajar mountains, with their narrow cliffs and gravel roads.
The colour of the stones reveals the riverbed, filled with water when it rains - which isn't often.
The path leading upwards was built by an old local, who still lives on top of the mountains, carrying water and food with a donkey. The small hut is a storage area he built.
And the award for the most minimalistic mosque goes to...
The few signs of life in the mountains. We did spot two small foxes as well.
A new power line is being built in the north from Khasab to Dibba, to serve most of the Musandam peninsula.
I am not convinced whether these are genuine - we've been told they're a few hundred years old.
One of he houses still in use in a small village on top of this mountain - most likely for storage.
Fierce wars were fought decades ago in this area. The remnants are still visible.
Signs of life are sparse.
The view and rock shapes and patterns are amazing, this is up at about 1200m, half way to Khasab from Zighy Bay. The photo doesn't do the size of this canyon justice.
Goat territory!
.. and trying to find answers.
The beautiful Zighy Bay beach front villas.
One of the many activities at Zighy Bay - aside from arriving by boat or over the mountain, you can also paraglide to your check in. I was already checked in, but didn't want to miss the opportunity.
It was my first time, and it was defintely a great experience - unexpectedly we caught a lot of thermal winds, which meant at some point we were higher than when we took off.
Not sure where they were heading, but they did so in an orderly fashion.
While the flight was calm, my pilot decided the descent should be a bit more action packed, with fast circles and a few moments of weightlessness.
A view of the resort taken from the air. It's a stunning location.
If you don't like paragliding, this motorised option also exists.
The views of the mountains from the sea are stunning.