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
Muscat
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is responsible for much of the rapid growth of infrastructure throughout the country, as outlined in the interesting…
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…
Muscat
This elegant building, completed in 2013, is home to the two houses of the Majlis Ash Shura, Oman's parliament. It is not open to the public, but it does…
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…
Muscat
Beyond Mutrah Fort, the Corniche leads to the leafy Al Riyam Park, with fine views of the harbour from the giant ornamental incense burner. There is a…
Muscat
With galleries detailing relations between the two countries, this museum provides an interesting snapshot of mostly 19th-century colonial life in Muscat…
Muscat
Straddling the road between the Corniche and the old walled city, this museum, with the original gates used until the 1970s to keep land-bound marauders…
Muscat
The restored Portuguese watchtower on a promontory out to sea, halfway along Mutrah Corniche, affords a view of the ocean and the grand sweep of Mutrah's…
Muscat
Children love this small museum (in a well-signposted domed building near Qurm Park) as it has been designed to be specifically intuitive and tactile with…
Muscat
Kalbuh Bay Park juts into a sea that's boiling with sardines. Located at the end of the Corniche, it makes a good pausing place on a hike between Mutrah…
Muscat
This modern clock tower, opposite Muscat's Chamber of Commerce, has become one of the landmarks of Ruwi. It presides over a pleasant park that attracts…
Oman
If you want to beat the crowds at Wadi Bani Khalid, then Moqal Cave in the upper reaches of the wadi is a curiosity to head towards. There's not much to…
Muscat
Set inside the attractively landscaped Qurm Park, this funfair (with Ferris wheel and an ever-growing number of rides) is a local favourite. Restaurants,…
Muscat
Protecting a rare stretch of mangrove, this reserve is closed to visitors. That said, it's possible to sit in adjacent coffee shops and do some…
Oman
The ruined tomb of Bibi Miriam is about all that remains of the 2nd-century settlement of Qalhat, one of the most ancient sites in Oman. There’s not much…
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…
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…
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…
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
The blue-green, brackish water at the bottom of this peculiar 40m-by-20m limestone hole invites a swim and a snorkel. The intrepid can inch round 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…
Oman
The exciting route through Wadi Sahten begins near Rustaq and winds through a narrow corridor that is often flowing with water. A paved road opens out…
Hajar Mountains
All over Oman, terracotta pots with simple ribbed motifs decorate the entrances to smart villas and hotels. The potteries where these beloved vessels are…
Oman
This fertile wadi, accessible only by 4WD, offers one of the easiest off-road experiences of the region and an intimate view of life under the date palms…
Masirah Island
Jebel Humr (274m) is the highest point of Masirah’s hilly backbone and a climb up this flat-topped mountain is recommended for the wonderful view of the…
Nizwa
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…
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
These hot springs attract visitors who believe the water issuing from under the ground at Al Kasfah has therapeutic properties. As a result, the…
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…
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…
Hajar Mountains
Just east of Al Ayn, there's a small roundabout (beyond which lies Wadi Damm); a right turn here leads up a winding paved road to a broad fertile plateau…
