Oman, an Arabic fairytale

In November 2024 I start a new adventure in the Middle East, my second already after my trip to Jordan in 2023. It is a grouptrip and we are with 8 women + our female guide Nele. We fly to Abu Dhabi and later on a connected flight to Muscat, the capital of the sultanate Oman.

Because of my windowseat I can enjoy the Alps, the Nile, the Sahara, the Red Sea and so much more. Approaching Muscat in a sea of uncountless flickering lights gives us a warm welcome. We check in at the Centara Hotel and for tomorrow a citytour is on our schedule.

We dive into daily life on the traditional market of Muttrah. First stop is the fish store where sellers are busy with their catch of the day in a vivid atmosphere. After that we take a look at the fruit- and vegetables department. There it's a festival of colors from all exotic fruits. Than it's lunchtime and in the afternoon we take a boattrip on a traditional dhow (wooden boat) in the Gulf of Oman to get a glimpse of Muscat and we see the Al Alam palace, the residence of sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said. In the National Museum that we visit after we can admire the wide artcollection. Of course a walk through Muttrah souq cannot be missed. The many typical shops and stalls bulge with oriental treasures.

Next morning we leave Muscat and continue to Nizwa. Halfway we stop for a walk named the 3-villages walk in the Jebel Akhdar mountain range. It is a very nice walk and we pass the traditional villages of Al Aqur, Al Qyn and Ash Shirayjah; time stopped running here... As we follow the path along the falaj (traditional irrigation system and Unesco World Heritage) we meet some locals from time to time. After lunch, prepared by the women of our drivers, we visit the Oman Across Ages Museum with some breathtaking architecture. It is an impressive building and inside we learn about the history and the beginning of the land of Oman. Also when you are not into musea, this museum is a real must see !!

Just before sunset we reach Nizwa where we check in at the Antique Inn. No time to waste and in a hurry we go to Nizwa Fort that is mesmerizing colored by setting sun now. The fort dates back to 1668 and is a labyrinth of towers, narrow corridors, much much stairs and heavy wooden doors. All that is meant to keep the enemy out of the city in times Oman was a strategic crossing on the trade routes between east and west. After a refreshing night and before breakfast we go out to watch how city wakes up. We take a look in the souq and somewhere on a patio few men are sharing latest news. Coffee pots and bowls with pomegranates cannot miss at this scenery. Life as it is...

Than it's time to leave Nizwa and we go on route to Jabreen Castle, built in 1670 for Iman Bil Arab Bin Sultan. We admire the lavishly decorated rooms. Later on we visit a pottery and we can see this local handcraft is still conserved in the traditional way. After the picknick lunch we drive further to Bahla Fort that is built between 12th and 15th century. This well preserved fort, still a nice architectural full part, is on Unesco World Heritage list since 1987 just for that reason.

From Bahla, situated at the foot of the Al Hajar mountains, very soon the most breathtaking views appear. We make a photostop at a high plateau and we get overwhelmed by the wide panorama views and the silence. Than we continue still a short drive to Sama Heights Resort, our stay for tonight. 

Fresh and cheerful we start next morning the Balcony Walk; a beautiful hike near Jebel Shams, the highest peak (around 3000m) of Oman. After the tough journey with stunning views on what is called The Grand Canyon of the Middle East our convoy is continuing in the direction of Misfat, our next stay. Before reaching Misfat we take another photostop to capture the ruins of the photogenic old village and oasis of Al Nakhr. We also make a small drive into the wadi to get some nice vieuws. And than it goes straight to the mountainside village of Misfat where we check in at Hissen Al Misfah. Now check in is quit an adventure there; our luggage is hoisted up with a pulley. We have to climb a narrow gorge with irregular stairs, an exhausted path to reach hotel reception but we made it :-))

Misfat is a beautiful village situated in a lush green oasis. All this beauty appears next morning when we make a walk following the path close to the falaj and surrounded by datepalms and banana trees. For our 3 drivers today an off-road adventure starts as they are gonna show us the Snake Canyon. Plan is to drive in it to Wadi Bani Auf and further to the remote village of Bilad Sayt. Again we are overwhelmed by the stunning mountainlandscapes and behind every curve of the road other wow's sounds in the car. By seeing the wonderful turquoise waters of the wadi's I get throw backs to my Jordan trip.

In Bilad Sayt we walk through the oasis and we meet children coming back from school. The family of one of our drivers has invited us for lunch today and after that they are enthousiast to show us their vegetable garden. In the afternoon we return to Misfat for the night. Next morning we leave Misfat and we head for Al Hamra, 400 years old and some of the oldest villages in Oman. In the preserved houses the traditional way of building with mud and straw is still visible.

We also visit the Bait al Sifah museum where we learn about daily life and traditions 400 years ago. And then the desert is waiting and a long trip till Wahiba Sands. Just in time to watch the sunset we reach the red sand dunes. A magnificent show of light and shadow is going on. When sun has dissappeared behind the dunes we drive in a few minutes to Sama Al Wasil Desert Lodge for our night in the desert. The day after we are invited at the neighbours of the lodge; a bedouin family is telling us a lot about their traditions and life in the past and these days. 

We leave the dunes behind and return back to civilisation. First stop is the coastal town of Sur. We stroll around through the souq and visit a shipping wharf to learn about the building of the dhows in accordance with the ancient traditions. From Sur we drive to Ras Al Jinz and the turtle beaches where we hope to encounter some of the animals. We check in at the Sama Ras Al Jinz Ecolodge and after dinner we can have a guided visit at the turtle beach. In groups of 25 people, in complete silence and in the dark we are allowed to enter the area where a female is spotted. We can see her digging the hole and laying her eggs. After that exhausting ritual the turtles rerurn to sea, leaving trails in the sand. Next morning we walk around on the deserted beaches and we can witness on some places the trails the turtles left last night.

Today we take care of our picknick and we first go to the supermarket to buy some food. Than our drivers look for a nice beach not far from the start of the Wadi Al Shab hike. That hike is described as one of the most beautiful and popular hikes in Oman so after lunchtime we start. The first part of the path brings us through a small oasis but than the views of the canyon with huge rocky walls and on the groundlevel the turqouise river is just spectacular. We have no eyes enough to enjoy all this stunning nature.

After the hike it is time to return to Muscat where all started. We arrive again at the Centara Hotel for our last night and we enjoy our dinner at the rooftop. On the last day we bring a visit at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the biggest mosque in Oman. This huge building has 5 minarets, symbol for the 5 pillars of the Islam. The interior is grand and full of splendor, on the exterior the many white marble is shining bright in the sun and hurting our eyes :-)

In the prayersroom for the men a huge chandelier with 1600 ledlights dominates the dome and creates a fairylike atmosphere. We are overwhelmed by the many details; the oriental carpets, the mosaics, the stained glass windows and so much more.

After all the splendor of this Grand Mosque Nele likes to show us a totally different mosque just outside Muscat in a new, modern suburb. We drive to the Bab Al Salam Mosque opened in 2023 and by Time Magazine declared one of the World's Great Places in 2024. The minimalistic mosque is a complete contrast with the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It is the result of a contempory architecture, sleek and minimalist, soft pink tones dominate the exterior. The interior is full of nice details without being exuberant. Without doubt a must see when in Muscat !

The Grand Hyatt is decor for our last lunch in style. We enjoy a lot the exquise dishes that are served. In the afternoon we can go for a shoppingtour in the mall of the Royal Opera House. After that we join a live show on the occasion of National Day. Together with many Omani's all dressed up, we watch a military parade. We, the tourists, just dressed casually because right after the show it goes directly to the airport where the journey back home will start. An oriental fairytale is coming to an end but we return home with so many nice memories. Oman is a great country, still authentic and I hope it will be kept for long like this...