Muscat
Many people come to Mutrah Corniche just to visit the souq, which retains the chaotic interest of a traditional Arab market albeit housed under modern…
Must-see attractions in Oman
Hajar Mountains
Rising without competition from the surrounding plain, Jabreen Castle is an impressive sight. Even if you have had a surfeit of fortifications, it's worth…
Muscat
Quietly imposing from the outside, this glorious piece of modern Islamic architecture was a gift to the nation from Sultan Qaboos to mark his 30th year of…
Oman
Built on the foundations of a pre-Islamic structure, the towers and entrance of this fort were constructed during the reign of Imam Said Bin Sultan in…
Salalah
Well-labelled and atmospherically lit at night, the ancient ruins of Al Baleed belong to the 12th-century trading port of Zafar. Frankincense was shipped…
Dhofar
The upper plateau of Jebel Samhan suddenly ends in a vertiginous drop more than 1000 meters to the coastal plain below. Barely a ledge interrupts the…
Jebel Shams
The term 'Grand Canyon of Arabia' is wholly deserved for this quintessential feature of Oman's spectacular mountain scenery. A short path leads to the…
Oman
Two cannons mark the interior courtyard of this enormous fort – the entrance alone signals its former importance. Built on top of pre-Islamic foundations,…
Musandam
This beautiful inlet is interesting for its stone fishing villages, accessible only by boat, and for Telegraph Island, which dots the middle of the bay…
Hajar Mountains
Embellished with stalactites and stalagmites, this is the only cave in Oman developed for tourism and it's something of a gem. Sensitively lit, this…
Muscat
If you stand by the harbour wall on Mirani St, the building to the right with the delightful mushroom pillars in blue and gold is the Sultan’s Palace. On…
Muscat
Mutrah stretches along an attractive corniche of latticed buildings and mosques; it looks spectacular at sunset when the light casts shadows across the…
Hajar Mountains
After many years of restoration, Bahla Fort, one of the largest in Oman, makes a grand sight looming over the sprawling modern settlement of Bahla. Built…
Muscat
In a beautifully restored house, this much-loved privately owned museum exhibits Omani heritage in thematic displays of traditional handicrafts, furniture…
Muscat
Housed in an imposing new building in the heart of Old Muscat, the National Museum makes a fitting consort for the Sultan's Palace opposite. The emphasis…
Dhofar
A popular picnic site during the khareef and a great place to enjoy the jebel in any season, Wadi Darbat is a grassy plateau in the hills marked by Oman's…
Oman
The 90 or so meticulously crafted stone towers scattered across the Selma Plateau are tombs dating back to the Umm An Nar culture of 2000 to 2700 BC…
Khasab
With its command of the bay sadly diminished since Lulu Hypermarket was built on reclaimed land opposite, Khasab Fort nonetheless cuts quite a dash with…
Oman
Home to an extraordinary museum, this private castle houses the personal collection of Sheikh Khalfan Al Hashmi. His great grandfather owned the 250-year…
Al Hamra
This quirky museum is more open house than historical display. Three ladies accompany guests around their traditional house in the aged and crumbling…
Oman
This aged and revered mosque is difficult but rewarding to find. The low-lying prayer hall is unique due to its profusion of 52 domes. Non-Muslims aren't…
Oman
Justly famed for its natural beauty, this wadi just north of the town of Al Kamil makes a rewarding (and well-signposted) diversion off the Muscat–Sur…
Dhofar
Looking across one of Dhofar's prettiest bays at peacefully grazing camels and flocks of flamingos, it’s hard to imagine that 2000 years ago Khor Rori was…
Northern Coast
Beyond Mutrah, the headland close to Muscat shatters into a series of khors (inlets) and bandars (natural harbours), the most extensive of which is Bandar…
Dhofar
The sands of the Empty Quarter begin to curl around the road on the approach to Al Hashman, then very quickly coddle into small mounds and ergs (wind…
Dhofar
Oman’s most spectacular bay ends in a set of sheer cliffs that reaches towards the Yemeni border. Immediately below the start of these cliffs the rock…
Northern Coast
Looming over the village of Mazara and holding back a permanent body of water, the enormous Wadi Dayqah dam is the largest in Oman. A road winds up to the…
Northern Coast
This 2km corniche, to the west of Seeb, has a landscaped area for walking, enjoying sea views, sniffing drying sardines and watching the fishermen mending…
Oman
Tucked into the unlit and crumbling old quarter of Rustaq, behind the fort, this unique museum is the personal project of the owner, Zakia Al Lamki. Left…
Oman
This quirky little museum on the edge of the sands preserves the history of the Hijri Tribe, written in Arabic on goat skins. A collection of spears and…
Oman
This fortified residence has hosted royalty on two occasions in its 300-year history. Now the sensitively restored, mud-brick house has been converted…
Al Wusta
Scattered across the plain between Hwy 32 and the port, the wind-eroded rocks of Duqm are a striking feature that are well deserving of a visit. The soft…
Northern Coast
Between the main road and the sea, this traditional souq is housed under some makeshift awnings in a sandy-coloured complex of buildings just off the…
Dhofar
The most striking of all the springs scattered across the Salalah Plain, Ayn Razat flows copiously from the hillside at all times of year and rolls across…
Nizwa
Built over 12 years in the 17th century by Sultan Bin Saif Al Yaruba, the first imam of the Yaruba dynasty, Nizwa Fort is famed for its distinctive 40m…
Musandam
Located 24.5km southeast of Khasab, Khor Al Najd is the only khor (inlet) accessible by vehicle (preferably 4WD). You can camp on the rim of this wild bay…
Nizwa
The site of one of the oldest souqs in the country, this extensive marketplace is dedicated mostly to fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, all of which…
Dhofar
This remarkable rock formation affords the opportunity of seeing a living stalactite in the making without having to clamber through a cave to do so…
Oman
Aptly named in Arabic as the ‘Gorge Between Cliffs’, Wadi Shab is one of the most lovely destinations in Oman, despite Hwy 17 slung across the entrance…
Hajar Mountains
Marking the highest point along the paved road, this spectacular viewpoint overlooks the full reach of the Hajar mountain range. With little hint of the…
