Oman’s beautiful castles, ancient archaeological sites and the stunning Grand Mosque are complemented by its natural settings of beaches, wadis and deserts. Whether in Muscat or elsewhere, make your stay in any hotels Oman a comfortable one.
Castles
Al-Jalai fort, built by a Portuguese captain in the 16th century, occupies an eastern post on Muscat Harbour and overlooks Al-Alam Palace. It is twinned with Al-Mirani fort on a western post, both forts being used as defences during the Portuguese’s 60 year occupation of Oman, until their ousting by Omani forces in 1650.
Nakhal castle’s striking presence sits atop a rocky hill, and is believed to pre-date the Islamic era. Ar-Rustaq castle meanwhile, was added on to Persian ruins, and sits in an attractive valley of palms. Other Omani castles Sohar, Nizwa and Bahla are also worth visiting.
Archaeological sites
Excavation work has uncovered evidence of civilisations as old as several centuries BC. These discoveries dot the Omani landscape, with finds of jewellery, writings, statuettes and other artifacts attesting to the advanced nature of these societies. Samhuram and Qurum are two of many examples. Additionally, the 3000 year old bee-hive shaped stone Bat Tombs have been UNESCO listed.
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Mountains provide the backdrop to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, recently opened in 2001. The towering minarets that surround the main dome roofed structure dominate the skyline from the surrounding city. The main minaret stretches 91.5 metres into the atmosphere. After 6 years of construction, the mosque not only holds 20,000 worshippers, but also an Islamic studies centre, library, meeting and conference hall. Beautiful stone arches and arcades link the different sections of the mosque, and the paved courtyard covers a huge 24,400 square metres.
Beaches
Muscat is home to several popular beaches. Qurum beach offers picnic areas, shade under palm trees, and jet ski rental nearby. Marjan beach, also known as Turtle beach might give a lucky visitor a sighting of a feeding turtle. Coral and fish can otherwise be seen by snorkellers, close to the shore. Bandar Jissah also caters to snorkellers, and children, with a playground nearby. The rockpools here can be explored at low tide.
Located in the north of Oman, As-Sawadi island features beautiful white sand beaches, a range of watersports as well as diving, snorkelling and turtle watching.
The Dhofar coast features valuable inlets that provide sanctuary to 200 species of migratory birds and local fish species. The rich vegetation has also contributed to this area becoming a protected environmental region.
Wadis
Wadis, or valleys, that fill with water only after rainfall, are a feature of the Omani landscape. Wadi Darbat, in the Dhofar region is a popular example, with its waterfalls, green vegetation and caves making it a popular scenic spot. It is also vitally important in providing subterranean water supply to Dhofar.
Deserts
The Middle East is synonymous with deserts, and Oman is no exception. “The Empty Quarter” is the largest desert in the world, spanning not only Oman, but also Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen. This huge region covering 1000km by 500km contains the world’s richest oil bearing area, but to this day remains unexplored in parts.
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