Oman: The Jewel of the Middle East

Oman – Places To See And Things To Do

In September 2017, I traveled through Oman for 10 days. At first, I expected to only see desert but later discovered that this country has a much more diverse landscape. In this article, I want to show you some wonderful places you definitely have to visit during a trip to Oman. I felt like it was full of surprises. In one moment I was swimming in beautiful lagoons in the mountains and later I was sitting on a boat somewhere surrounding green vegetation. I also saw camels walking on the beach while enjoying the view of the beautiful sunsets.

Muscat

The capital of Oman has about 1.5 million inhabitants and is the largest city of the country. I actually see Muscat as a good base for further exploration of the country. It is a great place to unwind after a long flight. Just like many cities in the Middle East, there are several large shopping malls. If you like to shop, visit the Grand Mall.

Are you more into culture or a nice walk along the coast? Then take a taxi to the Corniche, the boulevard of Muscat in the old part. The entire boulevard has been renovated a few years ago and the result is really beautiful. In addition to the rocks you will find fountains and beautifully landscaped gardens. There are also towers that offer a great view over the entire boulevard.

Tired of walking? Then go for a drink on a terrace at the Mutrah Suq. This is one of the oldest Suqs in the world and has played an important role as a trading place for ships from Europe that go to India and China. They sell every kind of product. You can find accessories like watches and sunglasses. You can find a variety of clothing and handbags.  You can also go there to buy local snacks and souvenirs. While I was having a chat with the vendors in the Suq, I noticed how many migrants came from India, especially from Kerala.

Jebel Akhdar

Are you ready for some exploring? Book a tour or rent a car (for wheel drive needed) and drive to the mountains to Jebel Akhdar.

“Jebel Akhdar” literally means green mountains. But do not expect green vegetation here. The whole route towards here is already an adventure itself. I think I made more than 100 photos of these amazing landscapes along the way. The beautiful part about this area is that it is not very touristic yet. This allowed me to really enjoy the silence in some areas where I only heard the wind. The highest point in Oman (at 12,000 ft. above sea level) is located at Jebel Shams, the mountain of the sun.

Wadi Shab

Do you want to explore the area south of Muscat? Then take highway 17 to Sur and make a stop in Hawiyat Najm Park. Because the temperature in this part of Oman is above 30 degrees almost the entire year, you certainly will enjoy a dive in the sinkhole here. You can swim here for free.

Then drive south to Wadi Shab. Tip: Take the slow road along the coast to enjoy the great views. Before you know it you see camels walking along the road!

Ready for some more adventure? Then you are at the right place in Wadi Shab. There’s a boat that can take you to the other side of the river, where you can walk for hours. This valley has several turquoise pools, caves and places to swim. Take plenty of water with you because you can actually enjoy spending the entire day there. I think I took over 100 pictures in this location as well. I really enjoyed seeing the beauty of Mother Nature that surrounded me.

I ended this day with a wonderful sunset in Sur, a small town on the coast in the southeast of Oman. There is a relaxed feeling in this town because of it’s calm surroundings, completely opposite from the busy city of Muscat.

Salalah

Salalah is located in the southwest of Oman, about 1.5 hours flying from Muscat. In a country like Oman I would expect to see a large dry desert. However, the whole area around Salalah looks incredibly green. In the months of July and August you should not expect too see much sun here, then it rains almost every day. Locally, this period is better known as Khareef, a kind of Monsoon.

The town of Ayn Razat is located a two hour drive away from Salalah. The whole area has a wonderful landscape and is a popular tourist destination. The main water source of Salalah is located here.

However, you can take the most beautiful green pictures in the Wadi Darbat area. If you make a boat trip there, you feel as though you are not in the Middle East but rather in a different country.

I would have loved to visit the waterfalls of Ayn Khor. But due to the drought in September, I was already too late for this. For waterfalls, you really have to go to Oman during July or August. Fortunately, I was still on time to see the green vegetation from the boat.

If you are not very interested in landscapes with mountains and waterfalls I suggest you make a trip to Al Mughsail Beach. You can take a beautiful walk along the coast! The water here collides with a tremendous force against the coast and that sometimes has great effects. I have spent the entire morning here to enjoy the rest.

Where to stay in Salalah?

During my stay in Oman, I stayed at the Hilton Salalah Resort. This was probably one of my best Hilton Honors redemptions I made so far. For just 20.000 points, I booked a 5 night stay with free breakfast, because of my Diamond status. 1 night would cost me 5.000 points but elite members get the fifth night for free. The normal price of this hotel is around $ 150 per night so I got a good value for my points. However, the amount of points needed to stay at this hotel at this moment has increased from 5.000 to 20.000 points per night. Still, this is a good value.

General Travel Tips

• For Accommodations, always check Airbnb and Hotels Combined for the best price options
• For specific tours and to know what’s around, always check Get Your Guide and Viator.

Bottom line

I had a very pleasant time in Oman and I think I have seen quite a lot of this wonderful country during these 10 days. Oman might not be that touristic yet as Dubai, the country has a lot to offer. Of course this is only a small selection of all the beautiful things that Oman has to offer because there is so much more. I have not yet visited Nizwa, the former capital of Oman, not to mention the Musandam Fjords in the far north of the country. I see this as a good reason to come back soon. I was very impressed during my first visit to Oman.

Have you planned a trip to Oman or did you visit the country already? Where you also surprised by the green vegetation and the beautiful landscape? Let me know in the comments below!