Ras Al Hadd Fort

Built between 1560 and 1570, this is one of many hundreds of similar picturesque forts dotted around Oman. Although the fort is empty inside, it's easy to picture the isolation of its inhabitants, marooned on this flat coastal plain before the small settlement grew up around it. It's located near a large lagoon, which is a haven for wildlife. At night, foxes pursue hedgehogs and disgruntled herons flap by, chased off their perches by rivals.