Muscat
Spicing up a piece of bland furniture with a display of traditional silver jewellery, the owner of the Asmaa brand realised that the table would be more…
Must-see shopping in Oman
Amouage Vistors Centre & Factory
Muscat
Tours of this home-grown, internationally renowned perfumier can be arranged at the company's factory near the Burj Al Sahwa Roundabout. The copper…
Oman
Barka is renowned for its halwa, Oman's traditional sweet, which is made in industrial quantities at an attractive-looking factory (with spangled pillars)…
Muscat
Amouage sells the most expensive (and exquisite) perfume in the world, produced from frankincense, musk and other exotic ingredients in premises. You’ll…
Hajar Mountains
Active beehives form the centrepiece of this open-sided shop. As the worker bees collect their precious cargo, their keepers demonstrate the magic…
Muscat
With a range of classy shops selling the best examples of Omani-produced items, this luxury shopping arcade includes silver khanjars (traditional curved…
Nizwa
One of a number of shops in the craft section of the souq, this shop occupies a refurbished old building next to the fort. It has a fine range of…
Sur
With its traditional perfume shops, gold souq and Arab clothing stores, the Ladies' Souq is a fascinating part of town to wander around. There are many…
Muscat
Selling prized Omani silver, this shop's exclusive contemporary jewellery and gift items are handcrafted in a workshop in Muscat.
Oman
Only half the workshops in this modern arcade are open, but there’s a few mat-weaving establishments (shop nine) and an apothecary (shop 10), where you…
Salalah
Head for this souq to rub shoulders with the jovial Dhofari people who have been assembling in this spot, albeit under different awnings, for centuries…
Salalah
There's a charm to this 1970s-style parade of shops, with their windows glittering with rows of 22-carat gold bangles, wedding necklaces and headdresses…
Salalah
This attractive mall encompasses a hotel (handy for visiting the Salalah Tourism Festival), recommended restaurants, a branch of Carrefour supermarket …
Oman
Bedouin women, still wearing their traditional peaked-mask costume, sell handicrafts from a small goat-hair tent by the side of the road here. Items begin…
Nizwa
With a traditional diet that relied heavily on dates, Omanis have a particularly sweet tooth. A favourite confection is halwa, a thick, gelatinous sweet…
Oman
Neighbouring the fort, Sohar's revamped heritage souq boasts a covered walkway with a fine wooden ceiling and an arcade with shops that sport wooden doors…
Nizwa
At the farthest reach of Nizwa's enormous souq complex, the Date Market showcases the region's many date varieties. Famous khalas dates are available, but…
Nizwa
As with almost all gold souqs in the region, there are absolutely no fixed prices in the string of jewellery shops that line Main St (between the fort and…
Jebel Shams
Entrepreneurial carpet sellers have set up open-air shop at the bottom of Jebel Shams, capitalising on the fact that most people stop at Wadi Ghul to take…
Muscat
For guaranteed 'Made in Oman' crafts, try the Omani Heritage Gallery, a nonprofit organisation set up to encourage cottage industries through the sale of…
Khasab
This shop inside Lulu Hypermarket is one of only a couple in Musandam to sell souvenirs and crafts of any kind. Camel sticks, traditional axes and Omani…
Sur
The elaborate bottles alone are temptation enough to enter this shop, and being daubed in exotic musk and ambergris is one of Arabia’s great experiences…
Muscat
For a regional gift with a difference, the chocolate dates from Bateel are world class, presented in high-quality packaging.
Muscat
Arguably Muscat's most popular mall, the Avenues comes with 150 shops, cinema, and large food court open until 1am at weekends. There's a children's…
Oman
For a pair of handcrafted leather sandals, look no further than the cobbler opposite the souq. Sitting cross-legged and still producing shoes with a knife…
Oman
This enormous souq is flooded with vegetable and grain sellers for half the day and virtually abandoned for the rest. One or two shops stay the course,…
Oman
This landmark Omani mall – no city in Oman is worth its salt without one – was built by Emirati investor Majid Al Futaime. The brand-new complex with…
Merchants of Pottery & Handicrafts
Khasab
The title of the shop, located in front of Lulu Hypermarket, pretty much tells it how it is. Axes and camel sticks are available here, together with…
Muscat
A surprisingly comprehensive little traditional souq located inside the Sabco Centre sells crafts (mostly from India and Iran), pashmina shawls and Omani…
Nizwa
This smart new mall is located in the growing suburbs of Nizwa and, with its cafes and food court, ice rink, bowling alley and children's play zone (Fun…
Oman
Nakhal's souq occupies a new building near the fort. Largely intended for the town's residents and still yet to be fully operational, it sells a few…
Sur
This attractive new mall has brought a touch of modernity to shopping in Sur. There's a Carrefour (open 9am to midnight daily) selling a more…
Hajar Mountains
Opened in 2018, this huge mall only houses a huge Lulu hypermarket. Although nothing else is currently open in the complex, the hypermarket makes a useful…
Hajar Mountains
Handy for camp beds, rucksacks, lamps, pots, pans and everything one might need for night time DIY barbecuing, this tiny store has the look of an army…
Salalah
Selling Oman's most popular sweet, Barka Sweets is one of a number of halwa shops on the southern end of Al Husn Souq. A small pot of this traditional…
Oman
Camping equipment and food supplies are available from this supermarket. Don't expect too much from the name 'hypermarket', however: it's a small shop…
Northern Coast
In the town centre, this tiny shop has a small selection of silver souvenirs and camel sticks. It also has some pieces of old Bedouin jewellery that are…
Oman
This shop in Sayh Al Hayl, en route to the pools in Wadi Bani Khalid, sells some handmade pots and palm-woven goods – the closest thing to a souvenir in…
Oman
Run by Bedouin owners, this tiny shop sells two-person tents and other basic camping supplies, including blankets, torches and firewood. It's opposite a…
Al Wusta
This supermarket stocks the basics required for camping in the desert or supplies for the journey ahead. It keeps long hours.
