Destination at a glance: Oman

Nov 9, 2010 10:21:50 PM

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The sultanate of Oman could be the Arabian Peninsula’s most rewarding destination. More accessible than Saudi Arabia, safer than Yemen and more traditional than the Gulf emirates, Oman nonetheless has plenty to rival these countries’ attractions and more.

A stirring history that combines the great sweep of Bedouin tradition with some extraordinary forts and other traditional architecture. And Mutrah Souq in Muscat is a fantasy of an Arabian bazaar come-to-life, with glittering gold and clouds of incense. But it’s Oman’s diverse natural beauty that is the main drawcard. Here you’ll find wildly beautiful beaches, the jagged ramparts of mountain ranges and the perfectly sculpted sands of the fabled Empty Quarter.

BEST TIME TO VISIT
November to mid-March, to avoid the monsoon

TOP THINGS TO SEE
• Muscat, the lovely port city with a beautiful bay, atmospheric souq and Portuguese forts
• Yitti’s gloriously unspoiled beach with craggy mountains
• Masirah’s palm-strewn oases, postcard-perfect beaches and flamingos
• Nizwa, the beguiling inland town with a 17th-century fort and expansive souq
• Mughsail’s jaw-dropping bay with sheer cliffs and frankincense trees close to Yemen

TOP THINGS TO DO
• Walk in wonder though Wadi Shab, the verdant gorge that feels like paradise
• Explore the copper-coloured dunes of the Wahiba Sands by camel or 4WD
• Drive over the Hajar Mountains from Al-Hamra to Wadi Bani Awf, Oman’s most spectacular road
• Ponder the mysteries of Ubar, Arabia’s fabled ‘Atlantis of the Sands’
• Get off the beaten track on the Musandam Peninsula, a dramatic Omani outpost guarding the gates of the Gulf

GETTING UNDER THE SKIN
Read Sultan in Oman by renowned travel writer Jan Morris; or Atlantis of the Sands by Ranulph Fiennes
Listen to Symphonic Impressions of Oman performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, which captures the mood, scenery and traditions of Oman
Watch 7 Days Sultanate of Oman – Oman’s cinematic history is nonexistent but at least you can take a tour around the country
Eat harees – steamed wheat, boiled meat, lime chilli, onions and garnished with maowaal (dried shark); shuwa (marinated meat cooked in an earth oven)
Drink camel’s milk

IN A WORD
Tasharrafna (Nice to meet you)

TRADEMARKS
A former hermit sultanate that has become one of the most open Arabian Peninsula states; frankincense; ancient forts; Bedouin and the sands of the Empty Quarter

RANDOM FACT
The coastal oasis of Sohar will forever be remembered from the Arabian Nights as the starting point for Sinbad’s epic journeys.