The limestone Bimmah Sinkhole with its dazzling turquoise water.
Bimmah Sinkhole – or Hawaiyat Najm (as it’s known locally) – has a legend. Omanis believe that a falling meteorite caused the sinkhole to form, hence it’s name Hawaiyat Najm, which translates to “falling star”.The less romantic version confirmed by geologists is that the limestone collapsed due to erosion from the water beneath. It’s also connected to the Arabian Sea, which is just 600 meters beyond the sinkhole, by an underwater tunnel. The natural depression is from 50 meters to 70 meters wide (164 feet to 229 feet wide), since it’s not a perfect circle and 20 meters (65 feet) deep. It’s filled with a mixture of fresh and sea water, giving the water the beautiful turquoise color.
