Khuriya Muriya Islands, Island group in Dhofar Governorate, Oman.
The Khuriya Muriya Islands are an archipelago of five main granite islands spanning approximately 73 square kilometers in the Arabian Sea. They lie about 40 kilometers offshore from the Omani coast and can be reached from fishing ports on the mainland.
The islands passed from Sultan Said's control to British administration in 1854, remaining under Aden Settlement governance until their return to Oman in 1967. This long period shaped their political and economic development significantly.
Residents on Al-Hallaniyah Island maintain fishing traditions passed down through generations, still visible in daily life. They build boats from inflated animal skins and use handcraft methods that remain central to their way of living.
Getting to the islands requires coordination with local fishermen departing from mainland ports such as Hasik, Sadah, or Mirbat. Advance planning is essential since regular scheduled services are not available.
Among the diving sites scattered around these islands lies the wreck of the British vessel City of Winchester from World War I, visited by diving expeditions. At the same time, the islands serve as nesting grounds where sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand.
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