Oman
This spectacular wadi is a major artery through the mountains and often flows year-round with spring water. It looks particularly gorgeous when mountain…
Must-see attractions in Oman
Oman
These government-protected rocky islands, around an hour’s boat ride off the Batinah coast, are rich in marine life and make an exciting destination for…
Oman
The old part of Ibra is a honeycomb of crumbling mud-built houses of two or three storeys. There's a paved walkway of several kilometres through some of…
Oman
Like most other souqs in the country, this market place, arranged around a central courtyard, is at its most active early on a Thursday morning. What…
Hajar Mountains
Beside the village of Al Ayn, and arranged along a low, russet-coloured ridge, this string of tombs make a dramatic silhouette against Jebel Misht that…
Oman
With its string of emerald pools and thick plantations, Wadi Tiwi almost rivals its neighbour, Wadi Shab, in beauty, especially in spring when the…
Jebel Shams
Affording one of the most lovely vistas in the Hajar Mountains, the abandoned village of Ghul dusts the shoulder of a cliff at the foot of Wadi Ghul, the…
Hajar Mountains
Slithering through the heart of the Hajar Mountains, this narrow slot canyon doesn't give up its secrets easily: in fact, it is hard to get a sense of its…
Dhofar
The Sarfait road, which links Salalah with the Yemeni border via Mughsail, is one of Oman's many impressive engineering projects. Zigzagging nearly 1000m…
Oman
Beyond the date plantations that surround Nakhal Fort, this hot spring emerges from the wadi walls and is directed into a falaj (immigration channel) for…
Hajar Mountains
This enormous castle on the edge of Ibri has been sensitively restored to give a flavour of the original without rebuilding all its parts. The castle,…
Oman
Built in the 13th century, Sohar’s distinctive square-towered fort allegedly boasts a 10km tunnel intended as an escape route during a siege. Easier to…
Oman
Most people visiting Wadi Bani Khalid head for the springs that collect in a series of deep pools in the narrow end of the wadi. The pools have been…
Jebel Harim
This pass, high up on Jebel Harim, connects the east coast of Musandam with the west coast, across the neck of the peninsula. Rawdah Bowl lies at the…
Hajar Mountains
Tucked into a limestone pleat in the mountains, Bilad Sayt is a beautiful traditional Hajar Mountain village. Trimmed with neat allotments of corn and…
Jebel Akhdar
The rim of the cliff here, with its celebrated panoramic view of the farmed terraces below, has a royal connection. Diana, Princess of Wales, enjoyed this…
Hajar Mountains
With its serrated teeth, Jebel Misht (meaning 'Comb Mountain') is well named. This striking lump of rock is one of Oman's so-called ‘exotics’ – a…
Oman
You have to pity the donkeys of the past who, until the 1980s, had to trudge up the punishingly steep track, laden with supplies, to reach the village of…
Northern Coast
Occupying a breezy spot on the edge of the Jebel Seifa complex, independent of the neighbouring hotel, this stylish beach club boasts a palm-shaded…
Al Hamra
Bathed by the golden light of sunset, with the limestone 'dip slope' of Jebel Shams as backdrop and a thick plantation of date palms in the foreground,…
Masirah Island
With no sights to speak of, you may be wondering why anyone comes to Masirah, but stand on the headland at Ras Abu Ar Rasas and the reason becomes…
Hajar Mountains
This imposing building has been restored and has brought the old quarter of Ibri back to life. There is not too much to see inside, but the views from the…
Hajar Mountains
For the best view of Misfat, turn right by the campground before entering the village. The ancient stone buildings, half buried in a thick date plantation…
Oman
There is an excellent museum at the visitors centre, with a video in English and German shown in the cinema and an audio guide. The displays and relics…
Muscat
Just outside Al Bustan Palace Hotel, opposite the imposing parliament buildings, a small roundabout is home to Sohar, a boat named after the hometown of…
Muscat
Apart from offering a full range of boating amenities, Marina Bandar Al Rowdha is a popular launching point for a range of water sports, including fishing…
Muscat
This delightful little museum, which encompasses both a modern art gallery and an old furnished house, encapsulates something of the excitement of the new…
Muscat
Despite the name, this excellent museum is far more than just a display of military hardware. The collection is housed in Bayt Al Falaj, built in 1845 as…
Muscat
Guarding the entrance to the harbour to the east, Al Jalali Fort was built during the Portuguese occupation in the 1580s on Arab foundations. The fort is…
Dhofar
Ubar is an archaeological site of potentially great importance. Lost to history for more than 1000 years, the rediscovery of the remains of this once…
Muscat
A road runs along the edge of Qurm Nature Reserve towards the Crowne Plaza Muscat hotel, giving access to a long, sandy beach – a popular place for…
Al Wusta
In the middle of a spectacular desert escarpment, this reserve is home to a small herd of reintroduced oryx. It offers a rare chance to see this…
Muscat
Housed in a renovated 1930s residence, this museum traces the history – and prehistory – of Muscat through imaginative, interactive displays and exhibits…
Muscat
Built by the Portuguese in the 1580s, this fort dominates the eastern end of Mutrah harbour. Used for military purposes, it has at long last reopened to…
Northern Coast
One place to get a feel for local Omani culture is on the main one-way road that runs in an ellipse through the heart of Seeb. Wadi Bahayis St is flanked…
Oman
Ibra has a lively souq that is at its most active on a Wednesday morning. Arranged around a double courtyard, the greengrocery takes pride of place in the…
Northern Coast
Yiti boasts a beautiful, sandy beach surrounded by craggy mountain scenery that makes an attractive spot for a swim or picnic. The beach is at the end of…
Northern Coast
For a taste of a typical Omani wadi within an afternoon’s drive of Muscat, look no further than Wadi Mayh. With towering limestone cliffs forming a canyon…
Oman
Famed for its geological interest, this dramatic wadi has only recently become readily accessible to visitors with the construction of a paved road along…
Dhofar
Separated from the rest of the Salalah Plain by the vertical cliffs of Mughsail, and accessed via the Sarfait Rd, Fizayah Beach is one of the most…
