Oman a sunny winter paradise for Laser World Championship visitors
by Oman Sail 8 Oct 2013 21:24 BST
14 November 2013 - 3 January 2014
Sailing off Muscat. Oman © Oman Sail
Laser World Championships 2013 competitors and accompanying visitors to Oman can look forward to a sunny winter paradise with luxurious desert, ocean and mountain outdoor excursions and cities where treasured maritime and ancient cultural heritage is complemented by state-of-the-art sophistication.
It is the first time the sailing world championship is held in Oman and with separate events for the Laser Standard, Laser Masters and Laser Radial Youth classes, Oman will extend the warmest of welcomes to over 450 of the world's best competitors from 50 nations over a seven week period from 14 November through to 3 January 2014.
A further 1,000 visitors, including race officials, coaches, international media and family members, mainly from Italy, France, Germany and the UK, are expected to accompany the teams when the world's most popular adult and youth racing class kicks off in Oman.
"We are delighted at the amount of inbound tourism that the Laser World Championships will generate and enormously encouraged by the number of sailors, friends and families who will extend their stay to enjoy a holiday here," said Salma Al Hashmi - Oman Sail Director of Marketing and Communications who together with Oman's Ministry of Sports Affairs are pulling out all stops to ensure a memorable visit.
"Oman is an open-minded forward looking Middle-Eastern country and we welcome these discerning tourists who will be enjoying the many awe inspiring luxury adventure holidays at sea or on land that showcase our unsurpassable natural beauty and heritage.
Situated on the south-east coast of the Arabian Peninsula, the Sultanate of Oman with its population of just over 3 million and capital city, Muscat, were declared 'must-see' destinations by National Geographic and Lonely Planet in 2012. Muscat was also named Arabia's 2012 Tourism Capital for its unique blend of tradition and modernity. It is considered one of the most developed and stable countries in the Arab world under the rule of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
Located on the Tropic of Cancer and defined by three seas - the Arabian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea, Oman is a country of vastly contrasting exquisite panoramas from arid desert and secret oases to 3 000 kilometres of dramatic coastline set off by the awe-inspiring Jebel Akhdar mountain range.
Its azure tropical waters are warm and clear, the winds light and steady and the sun shines all year round to offer some of the most perfect conditions in the world for yacht charter and scuba diving.
Some of the best dive sites in Oman, include the Unesco recognised Damaniyat Islands Marine Nature Reserve, just an hour's boat ride from Mussanah Sports City where the Laser World Championships will be held.
Here and elsewhere an abundance of live coral, a rich and astonishing variety of marine life, turtles, dolphins, whales, sharks and mesmerising annual migrations of fish can be seen from beautiful anchorages in secluded island bays, sandy beaches and mangrove inlets with stunning rocky outcrops.
Not be missed in Muscat is the magnificent Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, an exceptional example of Islamic architecture that houses an Islamic reference library of over 20,000 books; the famed Mutrah Souq which is one of the oldest and most magical markets in Oman dating back over two hundred years and the Royal Opera House where rich and diverse artistic and cultural productions from Oman and beyond inspire audiences and cultural vitality.
Must do day trips should include: a dhow or charter yacht trip to Bandar Khayran where a series of tidal creeks and high-sided sandstone fjords is home to sea eagles, herons, sea-rays and turtles and perfect for swimming and snorkelling and a swim in the dramatic Wadi Shaab rock gullie where seasonal floodwaters have carved the unique 40 metre wide crystal clear Hawiyat Najim sinkhole that links to the sea via an underwater tunnel.
The Jebel Akdhar and Nizwa Hoota Cave can be found at one of the oldest cities in Oman at the base of the Western Hajar Mountains. It is also one of the most important souqs in Oman bustling with vendors selling everything from meat, fish, fruits and vegetables to spices, dates, gold and silverware. A four wheel drive trip to the 2 980 plateau near the summit of the Jebel Akdharrises mountain is a famous viewpoint.
The Wahiba Sands offer the most beautiful desert camping areas in the Sultanate with a mesmerising "sea" of ever changing shapes, light and moods extending over an area of up to about 10 thousand square kilometres.
"We have so much to see and do that visitors will be hard pressed to enjoy all that Oman has to offer. It will be our pleasure to welcome them," said Al Hashmi.
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