Discover the Sultanate of Oman
Muscat, the capital city
Cross the threshold of the beautiful city of Muscat where
you can feel Oman’s strong cultural heritage. The city is
packed with roundabouts and sculptures that depict Oman’s
culture. Visit the Grand Mosque, an exquisite architectural
landmark that was built and crafted for six years, covering
an area of 40,000 square meters. The serene, breathtaking
sight of the mosque is illuminated during the night.
Muttrah souq is the best place in Muscat where you can buy
Omani souvenirs such as gold, silver, frankincense, and
Khanjars (Omani daggers). Shopping at the souq will
seriously test your bargaining skills but we are sure that
it will be a lot of fun.
Visit the most luxurious hotels in the city and the world,
the Barr Al Jissah, consisting of three hotels, which opened
in late 2005 managed by the Shangri La Group, and the Al
Bustan Palace, managed by the Intercontinental Group that
was opened last 1985.
A number of beaches form the coastline of Muscat such as the
Qurum Beach and Aviation Beach in Al Azaiba. Enjoy the
seaside feel of these wonderful sea shores, where you will
find some excellent sites for picnics and barbeques.
Muscat gives you a taste of Omani heritage when you visit
the harbours at night. See the illuminated ships in the sea.
A number of forts and museums can also be visited in the
city of Muscat. These historical sites give you a glimpse of
Oman’s rich culture and heritage of a by gone era.
Muscat is abundant in different kinds of restaurants that
cater to different tastes and cuisines. Experiment and
sample authentic Omani fare by dining on Arabic specialties
and cap it off with an aromatic “shisha” (flavored water
pipe).
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Nakhl, Rustaq
Visit Nakhl and Rustaq’s forts and springs and explore
ancient forts and watchtowers. Learn more about the famous
spring that maintains a temperature of 40 degrees in Nakhl,
the Wadi Hammam. A promising new adventure.
Drive along the coast on your way to Al Nakhl where you can
see an old spring at the core of Al Thowara. Be inspired by
Al Nakhl’s thick flora. A special picnic grove was built in
the area for visitors to enjoy the beautiful springs and
slopes.
Discover Rustaq’s Al Hazm Castle where you can take a
glimpse of Omani military history. Explore the castles two
remarkable wooden gates artistically crafted hundreds of
years ago. In addition you will see the castles hidden
dungeons and passageways. The upper part of Al Hazm exhibits
a remarkable armoury of guns, daggers and swords.
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Nizwa and Jabrin Fort
Make a stop at Oman’s old capital city – Nizwa. Explore the
fort souq. The Nizwa fort was constructed by Imam Sultan bin
Saif bin Malik Al Ya’Arubi circa 1660 AD. You will be
stunned and amazed by the superb views of oases whilst atop
the 25 meter high canon tower of the fort. Across the fort
is the famous souq in Nizwa where they sell the famous
Bedouin silver jewelries and beautifully crafted clay items.
The Jabrin Fort is a sophisticated work of art that was
constructed around 1670 AD during the reign of Ya’Aruba
dynasty. The Jabrin Fort exhibits an atmosphere of supremacy
and strength.
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Al-Sharqiya Sands and Wadi Bani Khalid
If you are looking for fun, excitement and adventure, dune
bashing in sand buggies and off-road SUV’s is a wild,
not-to-be-missed activity. Camels are also found in this
part of Oman and are still used for crossing the sands.
Spend the afternoon in the sand dunes and experience the
changing hues of the sky during sunset. At night, get
acquainted with the Bedouins and take pleasure in a local
barbeque in the desert camp under the stars! Experience the
changing sand patterns in Al-Sharqiya. Be amazed by the
magnificent landscape of sand dunes. Camping in the red and
white Al-Sharqiya dunes is a once in a lifetime experience.
The view of Wadi Bani Khalid is truly overwhelming. The
clear and clean water of the Wadi entices you to take a dip
or swim around the palm trees. Tour the small villages
around Wani Bani Khalid and enjoy the unique rustic scenery.
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Nomadic Experience
If you are the type that seeks adventure, then this
experience is definitely for you. Live in the camping site
of the Al-Sharqiya Sands. Experience the night barbeque and
henna hand painting with the village locals. Overnight in an
authentic, genuine hand made Bedouin tent, decorated with
Arabic carpets. A first class camping experience, under the
inky skies and star filled desert night.
The Quriyat Canyon lies between Suwqah and Al Suwayh in the
Wilayat of Quriyat. This is a perfect trekking experience.
The canyon, a combination of high cliffs and deep narrow
valleys is very steep, but well worth the beautiful scenery
that awaits you. It is vital to have a local guide when
visiting this area, who will be both entertaining and able
to highlight and expose the best the area and ‘wadis’ have
to offer.
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Wadi Shab
Wadi Shab is a good place to fish and to see Oman’s old
villages and houses. Nature lovers will love to walk along
the banana plantations, rock paths and through the date
palms. The invigorating freshness of the clean flowing water
from the mountain springs of the beautiful Wadi Shab, is a
sight to behold.
Sur
Sur is known to be the home of Sinbad, the legendary mariner
of the Arabian Nights. A great opportunity to appreciate the
old, traditional, wooden boats.
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Turtle Beach
Visit the beach of Ras Al Hadd where you can see giant
turtles nesting. In addition, what could give any ‘turtle
fanatic’ more pleasure than watching the baby turtles go to
the open sea avoiding their prey? At dawn you also have the
opportunity in viewing the tiny turtles making their way
back to the turtle reserve. |
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Jabal Shams
Take a trip on an off-road vehicle to Jabal Shams (Sun
Mountain), the highest mountain in Oman towering 3000 meters
in height. It is the highest peak in the 700 km Hajar
mountain range. You will be equally impressed by Oman’s 2000
year old canyon view. Magnificent rock carvings and old
small villages are really sights to behold, not to mention
the flocks of sheep and donkeys which can be seen and
photographed living in their natural habitat.
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Jabal Akhdar
Visit Jabal Akhdar, one of the coldest spots in Oman. Your
off road vehicle will give you this opportunity as well as
exploring the green mountains. Be amazed by the number of
ruggedly carved mountains and glorious sunset from the top
of the mountain.
Khareef, the green land
Salalah is truly one of Oman’s treasures with beautiful
landscapes and fine weather. Travel through the winding
‘wadis’ and through deep green forests along the rocky
slopes. Visit the greenest of mountains at the lip of the
Indian Ocean.
The Khareef festival of Salalah around July/August is a
marvellous experience where festivities are made special,
including various entertainment and surprises abound. The
fine weather of the South also adds to the popularity of
this part of Oman.
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Dhofar, zero gravity point
Dhofar is one of the most interesting places in Oman as it
defies any person’s notion of gravity. A part of the road
from Taqha to Mirbat is bereft of gravity.
Masirah Island
See the beautiful beaches of Masirah Island with various
types of shells. Be further amazed by loggerhead turtles
that reside within the area.
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| Nature |
Diving and Snorkelling
Discover a whole new world underwater. Oman’s marine life is
considered highly amongst novice and experienced divers
alike. You will be stunned by the hundreds of different
varieties of fish, coral reefs and other sea creatures.
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Trekking
The beautiful mountains of Oman are more than ideal for
trekking and hiking. The best times to go backpacking in
Oman are during the cooler months, around October to April.
Witness breathtaking views from a bird’s eye perspective.
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Camel Racing
While horse racing is prominent in most countries, Oman has
its own unique and different version in the form of Camel
Racing. Racing is popular in all regions especially the
Batinah region and Barkha. Races are held at tracks
generally in holidays and National Day celebrations,
especially during the months of September to March. More and
more people, particularly the Bedouins, take part in the
races for the huge sums of money at stake. The winning camel
owners take home cars, a lot of prize money and immense bids
from professional camel buyers.
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Bull Fighting
Bull fighting is also famous in Oman where two Brahmin bulls
of the same size fight head to head. The first bull to run
away or get knocked down loses. Bull fighting is held in
arenas in Barka, Al Sawadi, Seeb and Sohar. |
