Oman, formally known as the Sultanate of Oman, is a country of approximately 4.59 million people located in Western Asia, more precisely in the southeast of the Arabian peninsula. It's coast overlooks the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and the nation’s bordering countries are Yemen, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. The port capital is Muscat, which was founded impressively long ago, in the 1st century CE. Arabic is the official language, and Islam stands as the most prominently practiced religion. Muscat’s wonders include large deserts, the Port of Salalah, mosques, Palm palace, Cave of Parliament, Jabal Lakhdar, wadis (stream valleys), dhows (traditional Arabian sailing vessels), and camels.
Let’s start off with The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, which is one of the most outstanding mosques in Oman. Captivating visitors with its modern architecture, this astounding building is located in the capital city, Muscat. Its square shape surrounds the central dome, the entirety of the construction takes up 416,000 square meters and has a maximum height of 50 metres. It is made of 300,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone and took six years to complete. The inside is embellished with complex mosaic patterns, handcrafted designs and detailed carvings.
A big part of Oman is desertified, to be precise, 82% of it! They are one of its biggest attractions, and an opportunity for people to learn about the Omani Bedouin tribe’s culture, nomads who inhabit this biome. Tourists can head to the golden Wahiba Sands for camping, dune bashing, sandboarding, desert trekking, and even take part in a camel safari! Other sandy territories include Bawshar Sands, The Empty Quarter (Rub’al Khali) and Ramlat Tawq, and Wadi Bani Khalid is a stunning desert oasis with emerald coloured pools you can cool on!
The Royal Opera House Muscat is an organization and a cultural and musical arts centre in the Sultanate of Oman. It is based in Muscat and receives a great influx of global visitors, engaging them with performances and events such as operas and conventions, and it's palace-looking exterior and interior “built with local material such as the Omani Desert Rose rock” (Google Reviews, 2021).
Jebel Akhdar (The Green Mountain) lies at the centre of the Al Hajar Mountain range, in Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate of Oman. It is mostly made of limestone and is among the highest points in Oman and eastern Arabia. At this altitude there is more rainfall that gives life to shrubs and trees in the area. In 2011, the Sultan declared the site a natural reserve in order to conserve it. Particular features include the numerous wadis and terraced orchards where people cultivate pomegranates, apricots, and roses.
Oman’s most attended national monument, the Nizwa Fort, is an adobe castle which was constructed in the 1650s by the second Ya’rubi; Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya'rubi, but its base structure dates back to the 1200s. It was the “administrative seat of authority” (Wikipedia, 2020) and now highlights the town's meaning through tumultuous periods in Oman's history. The fort has cannons in the entrance and inside a labyrinth of rooms, tall halls, narrow staircases, and terraces.
Salalah is in the Dhofar region and has activities to offer such as going to Wadi Darbat, where adventurous people can either hike on foot or take a boat trip while taking in the crude beauty of Omani nature, including camels, waterfalls and the green fertile landscape due to the monsoon season. Moreover, tourists can head to the Gold Souq market if interested in observing the blitzy and expensive gold necklaces and jewels they have to offer. For beach-lovers, Mughsail Beach could be the place for you. Even though it is distant from the city center it is a perfect chance to unwind and take a relaxing walk with your feet feeling the sand.
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