April 2016
About 133 kms and 1½ hours of driving from Muscat, we reached the Bimmah sinkhole. It’s an easy drive on flawlessly paved highway. The sinkhole is located in Hawiyat Najm Park just a couple of kms off the highway. You do not require a 4 wheel to reach here. The park has a car parking area and toilet facilities. The park (if can be said so) is free to visit.
There is an information board detailing both the mythological and scientific explanations for the existence of this sinkhole for you to read and form an opinion on how it was created.
Depending on which day you choose to visit, it can be very crowded or near empty. Better not on a Friday, as it’s day off for Omanis. We came early on a working day and there were only a handful of visitors. Concrete stairway leads down to the a small ‘beach’ area, so even if you don’t plan to swim do walk down for the great views.
The sinkhole has clear, blueish/greenish water in the pool. The water is cool and is a great way to refresh yourself on a hot day. Being 500 meters off the beach, the water is salty. The pool can get quite deep towards the middle. At the ‘beach’ are tiny little fishes off the water edges that will nibble on the dead skin of your toes and legs.
From this junction off the highway, the sinkhole is a couple of kms away on your left.
From the gated entrance of Hawiyat Najm Park, you walk a little bit towards the sinkhole.
A section of the park facing Gulf of Oman.
The walled ground level of the sinkhole.
The Bimmah sinkhole as seen from ground level.
Swimming in the cool but salty water.
Some facts about the sinkhole.
You descend to the sinkhole by concrete steps.
The full length of the concrete steps to the sinkhole. Not really physically challenging for the ordinary person.
Sinkhole level of the pool.
Another section of the pool.
Getting ready to dip into the pool.
Visitors enjoying a swim in the pool.
Swimming to the cliff edge of the pool.
The colors of the water in the pool. Clear, blueish/greenish.
