Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a new yet
architecturally classic building completed in 2001, and is one of
the largest mosques in the world with a capacity for 20,000
worshippers. The interior is grand and the prayer hall is home to a
hand-woven Persian carpet weighing over 21 tons on the prayer
floor, while an exquisite 46-foot (14m) chandelier hangs from the
ceiling.
This is a religious site rather than a tourist
destination so visitors need to be respectful of the rules,
although English-speaking guides are available to help navigate the
visit. Muslims can visit any time of the day, but tourists of other
faiths, while very welcome, should only come during visiting hours.
Visitors are asked to dress modestly and women are required to
cover their hair.
Address: Sultan Qaboos St, Muscat
Opening time: Open 8am-11am Saturday to Thursday.
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat
Richard Bartz
Old Muttrah Souk
Old Muttrah Souk is the most popular traditional bazaar in
Muscat. The market is a small maze of narrow alleyways formed by
adjoining stalls. Tourists can bargain with stall clerks over the
prices of gold and silver jewellery, antiques, and other
traditional goods. The market has a less forceful air than others,
so visitors are free to wander at their leisure without overt
pressure from touts. Although the Old Muttrah Souk is popular with
tourists, locals shop here as well, giving authenticity to the
market and mixing ornamental souvenirs in between household
products and food.
Address: Hellat Scoral Lawatiya, Muscat
Opening time: Open 9am-1pm and 4pm-9pm Saturday through Thursday;
open 9am-1pm on Fridays.
Old Muttrah Souk in Muscat
Shawn Stephens
Bait al Baranda
Even for those without an interest in Muscat's history, the Bait
Al Baranda Museum presents a fascinating if long (750 million
years) story of the region. The interactive exhibitions take
visitors through tectonic plate shifts to recent folk art with an
adherence to detail and historical fact. Instead of simply housing
artefacts, the Bait Al Baranda's dynamic exhibits often require
audience participation. The museum is situated in a remodelled
historic building which also periodically features local
contemporary art exhibits.
Address: Al Minaa Street, Muttrah
Opening time: Open daily (except Fridays) 9am-1pm, and
4pm-6pm.
Bait Al Baranda
Ji-Elle
Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts
The Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts were built during the
Portuguese colonial rule of Oman during the 16th Century and now
are beautiful windows into that era. Situated on either side of a
palace, they give a fortified appearance to Muscat's harbour. The
forts are examples of traditional architecture, with Al Jalali
bedecked with traditional doors, rugs, and pottery.
Both Al Jalali and Al Mirani have ancient war memorabilia such
as armour and weapons on display. Their strategic position on a
mountain overlooking the harbour gives tourists commanding views of
the city and Arabian Sea below. Opening times can be fickle but
many undeterred tourists enjoy the scenery from outside their
walls.
Address: Qasr Al Alam Street
Opening time: Various
Fort Jalali dominating Muscat
Harbour.
Brian Harrington Spier
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace is the working office for Sultan
Qaboos. Built in 1972, it is flanked on each side by the ancient Al
Jalali and Al Mirani Forts, making an impressive and well-fortified
greeting to ships entering Muscat's harbour. Tourists are not
allowed inside the classically-styled building for obvious security
reasons, but it remains a popular area to walk around and to
photograph.
Address: Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace Old Town
Opening time: Closed to public but always open to view from the
outside
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace
Ji-Elle
Muttrah Fish Market
An attraction that offers visitors a wonderful taste of local
produce is a trip to the Muttrah fish market. Every day, the market
turns out a vast selection of ocean-fresh fish, squid, and crab to
choose from. Visit the neighbouring vegetable market for any other
fresh produce required to put together a delicious feast.
Address: Muttrah (Old Muscat)
Opening time: Daily 6:30-9am
Fish Market
dlisbona
Beaches in Oman
With a coastline stretching 1,060 miles (1,700km)
along the Arabian Sea, it is unsurprising that Oman boasts a
stunning array of sunny, swimmer-friendly beaches. As the Omani
government seeks to promote tourism throughout the country, its
beaches have become focal-points for this exercise, with more and
more fun beach activities such as diving, kite-surfing, and
jet-skiing being offered on its shores.
There has also been a huge spike in the development
of luxury beach resorts up and down the Omani coastline, offering
visitors an air-conditioned retreat from the blazing sun and sand.
Some of Oman's best beaches include Qurum Beach, which is located
in Muscat below the Crowne Plaza Hotel. It's a beach which is
perfectly set up for family vacationers, featuring picnic areas and
shady palm trees.
Qantab Beach, located a short drive from central
Muscat, has an established local fishing trade, and tourists are
strongly encouraged to take a trip out with one of the local
fishermen to explore some of the area's sheltered coves and
sea-caves. Finally, Marjan Beach features small coral reefs ideally
suited to novice divers and snorkelers. It also boasts a lively
nightlife, with several restaurants and hotels often frequented by
expatriate workers in Oman.
Tourists don't need to worry unduly about the
dress-code for Omani beaches: western swimwear is perfectly
acceptable while you're on the beach. Just make sure to cover up
appropriately when you're on your way to and from your hotel or
beach resort.
White sandy Beaches of Oman
Martyna Zambrzycka Millspaugh
Despite being on the coast, the weather in Muscat can be
unbearably hot. The best time to visit the arid climate is between
December and March, when the more temperate winter season provides
less extreme temperatures with average highs of around 77°F (25°C).
February is the coolest month. The rest of the year temperatures
can be well over 104°F (40°C). Sudden rain can cause flash floods,
although precipitation is unusual.
Traditional Omani cuisine is based around spiced and marinated
fish, lamb, and chicken dishes served with rice, including soups
and curries. Typical dishes include mashuai (spit-roasted kingfish
with lemon rice), maqbous (spicy saffron-tinged meat and rice), and
muqalab (tripe spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, garlic and
nutmeg).
Visitors should note that many restaurants are closed during the
day in the Ramadan period and plan accordingly by buying food ahead
of time or making reservations at hotel restaurants that cater to
tourists.
Muscat International Airport
Location: The airport is located 20 miles (32km) west of Muscat
city centre.
Time: GMT +4.
Getting to the city:
Public buses run by the Oman National Transport Company stop on
Sultan Qaboos Highway outside of the airport complex.
Car Rental:
Car rental facilities are available in the airport.
Airport Taxis:
Taxis from Muscat International Airport can be found outside the
arrivals hall. They have a convenient fare chart for major hotels.
Taxis are also available for transport to other cities inside
Oman.
Fascilities:
The airport is currently being enlarged. There is a currency
exchange bureau, food courts in the arrivals and departures
sections, a large, well-stocked duty-free shop in both arrivals and
departures, and a book shop. There are public telephones, a prayer
room and left luggage facilities.
Parking
Short and long-term parking facilities are available in front of
the terminal building for a fee.
Buses are the cheapest way to get around in Muscat.
Modern buses travel major roads with specific bus stops. For more
out of the way destinations, Baiza buses are common and zigzag
through the back roads effectively, although the buses themselves
are sometimes a bit dilapidated.
Taxis are widely available and an easy way to get to
and from the airport. Insist that the driver uses their meter
unless there isn't one, in which case agree on a price before
getting into the car. Taxis are expensive but convenient when you
can't find a bus or don't want to wait in the sun. There is no
subway or railway in Muscat and some travellers decide to rent a
car and drive themselves around, which is the best option for
flexible travel.
There is no shortage of things to see and do in Oman's bustling
capital. Visitors can wander the maze-like souqs of Mutrah and
wonder at the massive and beautiful palaces, forts, and mosques
that serve as reminders of the city's culture and history.
Along with the architectural wonders, visitors can learn about
Muscat at a number of museums in the city, including the National
Museum, the Children's Museum, the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum,
the Omani French Museum, and the interactive Bait al Baranda
Museum.
Muscat offers a number of active pursuits as well, and the
numerous tour companies in the city facilitate activities like
scuba diving, rock climbing, camel racing, horseback riding, turtle
and dolphin watching, trekking, and night safaris.
To enjoy the natural beauty of Muscat, travellers can take a
walk in any of the city's parks, ranging from small neighbourhood
spaces to the enormous Qurum National Park, which boasts beautiful
rose gardens and manmade waterfalls, a lake, and an amusement park.
Another spectacular natural site is Wadi Shab, located about 62
miles (100km) southeast of the city and home to vivid emerald green
pools with dramatic caves and cliff faces.
Bahla
Bahla is an ancient city in the northern part of Oman, not far
from Muscat. It was founded at an oasis for caravans and travellers
to stop at and rest on their desert journeys, and was the capital
of Oman between the 12th and 17th Centuries.
The famous Bahla Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back
to 1,000 BC, and remains the city's most popular attraction. Bahla
has a rich tradition of pottery, and you can still see potters
working at their kilns and haggling over their wares.
Bahla Fort
Francisco Anzola
Al Hajar Mountains
The Al Hajar Mountains stretch from Muscat, through
northern Oman and into the United Arab Emirates. While they
initially appear inhospitable and arid, they are becoming an
increasingly popular destination for adventure travel. The
picturesque range offers dramatic vistas of canyons, gorges, and
plateaus, while the rich colours of the igneous rock formations
make for unforgettable sights.
Highway 15 winds up the mountains to the old city of
Nizwa, home to an impressive 17th-century fort and an early-morning
goat market. Nizwa makes an excellent base to explore the mountains
from, including traditional villages and mudbrick towns, date
plantations, and historic forts. There are a number of trekking
routes ranging from three hours to multi-day hikes, and travellers
can visit the famous rose gardens of the Saiq Plateau.
Al Hajar Mountains
Mark Hills
Nizwa Fort
Oman's most-visited tourist attraction, the Nizwa
Fort stands as a monument to architectural ingenuity, and a
fascinating record of the fort-building practices of a bygone age.
The fort's underlying structure dates back to the 12th century,
though it was completed by Imam Sultan bin Saif al Yaarubi in 1668
as a defence against invaders looking to exploit the region of
Nizwa's valuable natural resources.
The historical interest of the Nizwa Fort is
significant, as it represents a major advancement in military
engineering in the early days of mortar-based warfare. The
centrepiece of the fort is a drum-like tower that reaches 98 feet
(30m) into the air and has a circumference of 118 feet (36m),
fitted with 24 openings for mortar fire.
Visitors to the Nizwa Fort are allowed to freely
explore the area, which consists of maze-like stairways and
corridors leading to high-ceilinged rooms and terraces which afford
great views of the city of Nizwa and its surrounding plains. A
highly recommended tourist sight in Oman, budget at least three
hours to take it all in.
Nizwa Fort
yeowatzup
Wahiba Sands
All travellers to Oman, whether young or old, are
strongly encouraged to make an excursion to the desert region known
as the Wahiba (or Sharqiya) Sands, a surprisingly biodiverse area
of 4,800 square miles (12,500 sq km) near the country's
northeastern coastline.
In addition to the area's abundant nature life, which
includes thousands of invertebrate species, birds, and 150 species
of native flora, the Wahiba Sands is also home to a Bedouin
population that is becoming increasingly marginalised as the modern
world exerts its influence over Oman.
Visitors are able to explore the Wahiba Sands by
themselves. However, a 4X4 vehicle is required to navigate the
dunes and summer's heat makes the months between April and October
a dangerous time to get lost. Since it's no fun getting stuck in
the sand, a far more popular option is to book a tour with one of
the ubiquitous tour organisations based in Muscat. Typical tour
packages include 4X4 transportation through the desert (although
camel rides are possible) and an overnight stay in a desert
camp.
Travellers who aren't looking to go off-road can also
experience the Wahiba Sands on the sealed road from Al-Ashkara to
Shana'a, which is still a unique and memorable desert
experience.
Wahiba Sands
Andries Oudshoorn
Salalah
The capital of the southern-most Omani province of
Dhofar, Salalah makes for a wonderful contrast to the hot, dry
desert conditions that predominate throughout the country's
interior. Salalah experiences a monsoon season, known as the
Khareef Season, between June and September. This sees the
surrounding countryside become lush and green, surprising visitors
with the sight of herds of cattle calmly grazing in verdant
fields.
Its relatively cool climate makes Salalah a great
family holiday destination in Oman and it is a great place to buy
Omani souvenirs for friends and family back home. Known as the
'perfume capital of Arabia', frankincense trees line the roads in
Salalah and it is unsurprising that most visitors to the region
leave with an assortment of perfumes safely packed away in their
luggage.
Notable sights in Salalah include the al-Hisn Souq, a
traditional market-place brimming with great things to buy, and the
Sultan Qaboos' Palace, a graceful building that commemorates the
birthplace of the current Omani leader. Salalah is also home to a
gorgeous coastline, offering wonderful bird watching opportunities.
Swimming and diving are also possible, but only in limited areas
due to dangerously strong ocean currents.
Salalah
A Vahanvaty
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat
Richard Bartz
Old Muttrah Souk in Muscat
Shawn Stephens
Bait Al Baranda
Ji-Elle
Fort Jalali dominating Muscat
Harbour.
Brian Harrington Spier
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace
Ji-Elle
Fish Market
dlisbona
White sandy Beaches of Oman
Martyna Zambrzycka Millspaugh
