Island 9

Island 9 sits at the eastern end of the Daymaniyat chain and offers some of the most rewarding ray encounters in Oman. The reef here descends in broad sandy terraces where Jenkins rays and cowtail rays rest in clusters, partially buried in the fine sand, and guitarfish cruise the rubble zone in the early morning. The coral itself is dense and healthy with wide fields of staghorn Acropora and massive Porites heads that shelter a colorful community of wrasse, anthias, and the occasional resident leopard shark tucked into a sandy hollow. The gentle topography and reliable populations of rays make Island 9 an outstanding addition to any Daymaniyat liveaboard itinerary.