Travel post: Muscat-eers for Easter

That's one big sandcastle!

That’s one big sandcastle!

It’s a trip that would be rude not to do from Dubai. Oman is right on our doorstep – you don’t even have to fly there. Except we did, thinking we’d save time (39-minute flight! It took far longer to board and taxi).

The first thing you notice on arrival is there’s none of the bling found in Dubai. Nor is it as organised. Passengers are herded to the long and winding queue for visas, and maybe because it was Friday, things moved slowly.

This could also be because, in Oman, people don’t rush like they do in Dubai. The pace of life is altogether more sedate – even the driving, which is (slightly) less aggressive, probably because there’s far less traffic on the roads.

We picked up our hire car and discovered that most parts of the city are easy to reach. Not far from the airport, you sail past the magnificent, sandstone Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque – big enough to house up to 20,000 worshippers and famous for the enormous 8.5-tonne chandelier hanging inside.

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The grand mosque also contains the world’s second-largest hand-woven carpet

Near our hotel, we came across another splendid building – the first opera house in the Gulf. Its opening in 2011 put the capital firmly on the map. Oman’s ruler Sultan Qaboos is passionate about classical music and his desire to develop this art form in the sultanate culminated in a classic Islamic-style Royal Opera House, made from Omani desert rose stone and stucco wall coverings, and surrounded by landscaped gardens.

Topped with minarets, Muttrah stretches along an attractive corniche

Topped with minarets, Muttrah stretches along an attractive corniche


Muscat itself is actually three smaller towns that have grown together over time: Muscat, the ‘walled city’ and site of the royal palaces; Muttrah, originally a fishing village; and Ruwi, the commercial and diplomatic centre. On our first evening, we drove into Muttrah as the sun set and the evening prayers got underway. At the old port, we saw the Sultan’s rather impressive super-yacht docked at sea, and admired the rows of traditional white homes with intricately carved balconies, stained glass art and elegant eaves.

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Tempting scents waft through the souk


Opposite the port is the ancient – and unmissable – Muttrah souk, where there are bargains to be had, especially sumptuous pashminas, gold jewellery, frankincense, spices and perfumes. “This is just like the Madinat – but real,” I found myself saying to DH, as hawkers touted their wares and I gazed at the stalls set up beneath gorgeous Islamic architecture.

The next day, we’d booked a speedboat trip to spot dolphins (and the occasional whale). This spectacle offers the opportunity to not only see some of the leaping pods of dolphins that live in the Gulf of Oman, but also to view the rugged coastline from the sea. For our boys, witnessing lively, grey bottlenose dolphins in flight was the highlight of our visit, while in my books, meandering along the coast taking in the craggy scenery was equally unforgettable.

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Oman boasts more than 2,000 kilometres of coastline

No trip to Oman is complete without visiting a wadi – a (dried-up) riverbed and lush, green oasis of palm trees, grasses and flowering shrubs – so to round our day off we drove out to a wadi not far from Muscat, where we found at least a dozen car owners washing their vehicles with the trickle of clear, cool water.

I thoroughly recommend Oman for an authentic getaway. With its mountain ranges, dramatic landscapes, warm hospitality and old-world appeal, it’s a refreshing reminder of a bygone age and one of the best places in the Gulf to experience traditional Arabia.

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The fort-dotted, mountainous interior

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Paddling in the wadi

Travel post: The sultanate of Oman

We’ve reached that glorious time of the year when travel around the GCC is a blissful mix of perfect temperatures and vibrant culture. Oman, with its mountain ranges, wadis and dramatic landscapes, is hard to beat. Right on the UAE’s doorstep, the sultanate is still infused with the spirit of deepest Arabia and welcomes tourists with a warm and genuine hospitality.

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Grand scenery: Oman’s Empty Quarter lives up to its name

Gold, frankincense and mirth in old Arabia

Once a sleepy backwater of the Arab world, Oman has been transformed over recent decades by the modernising zeal of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said.

When he rose to power in a palace coup in 1970, there were only 10 kilometres of paved roads, and the sultanate was suffering from rising poverty and illiteracy rates. Today, the picturesque country boasts an extensive network of highways, up-to-date facilities and a rapidly expanding service sector.

Yet, despite the modernisation drive, Oman still offers a refreshing reminder of a bygone age. A wonderfully exotic winter-sun destination, it is one of the best places in the Gulf to experience traditional Arabia, complemented by a natural beauty and a variety of climate and geography unrivalled in the region.

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Sandstone: The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque can host up to 20,000 worshipers

City tour
The capital Muscat is in fact three smaller towns that have grown together over time: Muscat, often referred to as the ‘walled city’ and the site of the royal palaces; Muttrah, originally a fishing village; and Ruwi, the commercial and diplomatic centre.

Swarovski crystal: The enormous chandelier in the grand mosque weighs 8.5 tonnes

Swarovski crystal: The enormous chandelier in the grand mosque weighs 8.5 tonnes

Don’t leave the capital without seeing the Royal Opera House Muscat (the first opera house in the Gulf, built from Omani desert rose stone and stucco wall coverings, and surrounded by landscaped gardens); the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque; the Portuguese forts in the Old Town; and the Bait Al Zubair Museum, containing a wealth of information and exhibits on the country’s culture, tradition and heritage.

Shopping in Muscat’s ancient Muttrah souk is an unmissable experience, with bargains to be had, especially sumptuous pashminas and gold jewellery. While in Muttrah, step into the fish market and stroll along the corniche, taking in the beautiful merchant houses.

Exploring the sultanate
While a city tour is fascinating in itself, and a dolphin-spotting cruise off Muscat’s coast is sure to delight the family, you’ll also want to venture further afield.

Varied: From the fort-dotted mountains of the interior to the beaches of the east coast and the monsoon-kissed greenery of Salalah, the sultanate offers an exhilarating mix of splendid scenery and cultural discovery

Varied: From the fort-dotted mountains of the interior to the pristine beaches of the east coast, the sultanate offers an exhilarating mix of untouched beauty and adventure

Head inland to Nizwa, the old capital, which is surrounded by mountains on every side, or for a classic desert encounter with towering dunes, make your way to the magnificent Wahiba Sands.

Jebel Akhdar, Oman’s Green Mountain, encompasses the great Saiq Plateau, at 2000m above sea level, along with a labyrinth of spectacular wadis and terraces. You’ll need a 4WD to explore this area, which isn’t green like the name suggests, but enjoys cooler mountain air (temperatures during December to March can drop to -5°C) and increased rainfall (including hailstones). Look out for prize pomegranates, apricots and other fruit.

Zighy Bay: Feel like you're in Thailand, without the flight

Zighy Bay: Like you’re in Thailand, without the flight

The far north of Oman, the Musandam Peninsula, is a mountainous exclave separated from the rest of the sultanate. Within easy driving reach of the UAE, the scenic strip of land treats visitors to a combination of hideaway resorts and rugged coastline. You could opt to pamper yourself at Zighy Bay (www.sixsenses.com) or go trekking and diving from the Golden Tulip Resort in Khasab (www.goldentulipkhasab.com).

Between June and October, Oman’s southernmost province of Dhofar is lightly touched by the monsoon winds that drench India each year. Life here is more traditional, and the coastline bordering the regional capital, Salalah, was once the site of the Frankincense Trail, considered in ancient times to be southern Arabia’s most important commercial route.

Monsoon-kissed: A Frankincense forest during the summer khareef rains

Monsoon-kissed: A Frankincense forest during the summer khareef rains

The beachside Hilton Salalah Resort is set in a wonderful location, or try the Salalah Marriott Resort at Mirbat. You can travel inland to see the trees from which the ancient perfume is harvested, and make sure you don’t miss the markets, or the 3,000-year-old lost city of Ubar, at one time the frankincense export capital of the world.

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