This tiny hamlet clinging to the edge of the cliff, below Diana's Viewpoint, is typical of the villages on the Saiq plateau. Growing an assortment of vegetables and fruit in terraced allotments, it is kept fertile by water conducted along ancient irrigation channels known as aflaj. It's not possible to drive into the village, but there's a wonderful walking path that edges around the Jebel Akhdar crescent to the village of Ash Shuraiqa.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.77 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…
24.36 MILES
Built on the foundations of a pre-Islamic structure, the towers and entrance of this fort were constructed during the reign of Imam Said Bin Sultan in…
26.71 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,…
20.15 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…
24.5 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…
24.76 MILES
This quirky museum is more open house than historical display. Three ladies accompany guests around their traditional house in the aged and crumbling…
26.59 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…
27.88 MILES
This fortified residence has hosted royalty on two occasions in its 300-year history. Now the sensitively restored, mud-brick house has been converted…
Nearby Jebel Akhdar attractions
0.15 MILES
The rim of the cliff here, with its celebrated panoramic view of the farmed terraces below, has a royal connection. Diana, Princess of Wales, enjoyed this…
0.64 MILES
Growing an abundance of pink Damask roses that bloom in spring (late March, early April), this village is linked to neighbouring villages by the…
1.78 MILES
Not to be confused with the main town of Saiq, this small village has a rose-water distillery, making it an interesting place to visit during production…
4.15 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…
6.04 MILES
Marking the end point of national Walking Route 25, this small pavilion has yet another spectacular vista across the Al Ghubra Basin a thousand metres…
6.46 MILES
You have to pity the donkeys of the past who, until the 1980s, had to trudge up the punishingly steep track, laden with supplies, to reach the village of…
10.23 MILES
Renovated but as yet closed to visitors, the attractive 17th-century fort is much photographed as it is perfectly framed against the massif of Jebel…
10.25 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…