Dating back 1500 years, Oman's falaj system represents early engineering at its most ingenious. Here in Tanuf the channels are particularly remarkable for being cut into a vertical cliff face, running along in double-decker fashion and disappearing through tunnels. The water once fed the old mud-brick town that now lies in photogenic ruins at the wadi entrance.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
16.89 MILES
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…
20.06 MILES
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…
23.4 MILES
Two cannons mark the interior courtyard of this enormous fort – the entrance alone signals its former importance. Built on top of pre-Islamic foundations,…
7.69 MILES
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…
12.29 MILES
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…
12.73 MILES
This quirky museum is more open house than historical display. Three ladies accompany guests around their traditional house in the aged and crumbling…
23.48 MILES
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…
9.21 MILES
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…
Nearby Hajar Mountains attractions
0.16 MILES
This tiny hamlet was bombed in 1954 during a military campaign to suppress the imamate rebellion against the sultan. Abandoned old Tanuf now lies in…
7.64 MILES
At 7990m in length, Falaj Daris is one of the biggest irrigation channels in Oman and one of six such channels in Oman collectively honoured as a Unesco…
7.69 MILES
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…
4. Sharfat Al Alamayn Viewpoint
8.49 MILES
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…
8.62 MILES
Wadi Bani Habib refers less to the wadi of walnuts and pomegranates that are still grown here, and more to the ruined village that lies wrapped around the…
9.21 MILES
Nizwa was once a major centre for Islamic scholarship, and two aged mosques, among the oldest in the world, have survived since the early 7th century…
9.21 MILES
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…
9.33 MILES
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…