Oman – Forts, Wadis and Desert Safaris

Tucked away in the south eastern corner of the Arabian peninsula, squeezed between its bigger and bolder neighbours of the UAE and Saudi you will find yourself in the peaceful and relaxing Sultanate of Oman.

In this wonderful country, original home of Sinbad the sailor you’ll find miles of beautiful coastline, imposing forts on craggy hilltops, golden sand dunes and verdant oases of the wadis.

Perfect for a bit of last minute winter sun, as it was for us when we left a decidedly chilly Netherlands at the start of February 2019.

Getting there and around

There are many international flights coming into Muscat, so no need to detail all those here; or you can come overland from Dubai which is a reltively short drive (although keep an eye out for stray sand on the highway!).

Unless you are on a special guest list then you will need to get an evisa (here) just 5 OMR for 10 days, normally you will get the confirmation in a couple of hours (unless you have Matt´s dodgy UK passport and then it may take bit longer!).

Getting around Oman is super easy and can be done under your own steam…just pick up a rental car from the airport and off you go! If you are just aiming for the main sights you can get a normal two-wheel drive car as the road network is pretty extensive and in good condition;

but if you want to feel like you are really in the Middle East then get yourself one of the shiny white 4x4s and cruise the highways at height and don’t worry if you need to pull off onto those occasional rougher roads or google maps chooses to divert you onto a rocky shortcut!

Driving here is pretty safe, the locals sometimes like to get close up behind, but that’s just them being friendly and overall driving is well-mannered and ordered. The biggest dangers are the numerous speed bumps that litter the roads…keep an eye out as you could easily be doing 100kph and one of these menaces looms up to test your suspension out!

When to go

Winter is when temperatures will be pleasantly cooler, but still much warmer than Europe…days are around 25 degrees and nights may need a light jumper (unless in the desert where a small jacket may be needed as it gets much cooler by night).

The sumner gets roasting hot, but will see less tourists and is also the time when you have more chance of seeing turtles at Ras al Jinz (see later).

Where to go

In the space of a week you can comfortably cover a circuit that takes in Muscat, the mountains (around Nizwa), skirt along the desert and then travel back up the coast to where you started.

This will probably cover a good percentage of the top sights of the country but if you want to get to those last corners then you may need a little longer…or be happy to pull longer driving distances in one go / for example to get to the north eastern area of Musandam and to the opposite corner to Salalah.

Muscat

Muscat will invariably be your first port of call. If you snag a hotel with a nice pool then a couple of days here would be a good aclimatisation. We stayed at the wonderfully appointed Crowne Plaza, a beautiful pool to lounge and get over the jet lag,

along with a great bar for sundowners and tasty Iranian restaurant.

To visit the main sights of the city, don’t bother with an organised tour, having to traipse after a bus load of other tourists, rather drive yourself, getting around the city is easy and parking always available and rules don’t always have to be followed!

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque should be your first port of call. Dress appropriately (covered arms and legs, and covered heads for women)

and make sure you take some extra dark sunglasses as the Middle Eastern sun will be reflecting mercilessly off the acres of sandstone and marble that make up the mosque.

Passing through beautiful courtyards, numerous arches and along soaring towers

you´ll be drawn to the stunning musalla (main room) that can fit 6,500 worshipers and easily swallow up all the open-mouthed tourists!

Take your time to take in all of the prodigious detail, the expansive prayer carpet from Iran, one of the world´s largest chandeliers…don´t worry that it is 8.5 tonnes hanging above your head!

and the dazzling mihrab

Time your visit for when it opens for visitors at 8.30am or go at 10.30 when all the tour groups are getting pushed out the door and you get to see the hall in its empty splendour.

The Royal Opera House is another palace of marble to be dazzled by…have a look for tickets in advance at https://www.rohmuscat.org.om/en.

Moving along the coast to Mutrah you can take an afternoon stroll along the corniche and see what bargains you can find at the souq.

Probably one of the most pleasurable souqs in all of the Middle East with sellers who actually take no for an answer and where haggling is not a blood sport!

If you are lucky in your stroll you may even see one or two of the Sultan’s yachts in the port…as big as the many cruise ships that also dock here, the main yacht Al Said is a snip at just 300mn USD!

Further along the coast is Old Muscat, home of the Sultan, where you can park up and have selfie at his front gates.

If you want to get out onto the inviting blue water of the Gulf of Oman, then there are multiple options, with snorkel and dolphin tours or a gentle sunset cruise.

We shipped out with Ahlan Arabia Tours that leaves from the Bandar Al Rowdha Marina and then takes a leisurely couple of hours along the coastal sights on a traditional Dhow.

Sailing into the port of Old Muscat is particularly nice to see the old forts looming over the sea and the ancient mariners graffiti that adorns the rocky bluff facing the port.

Generally, Oman is facing the wrong way for a good sunset as its coastline is facing East, but this trip culminates in the perfect placement for the country’s best sunset.

If like us you start and finish your tour in Muscat, then you might enjoy a day or two at the beach when you come back to Muscat. For us this was a chance to relax in style at the Shangri La Barr Al Jissah.

3 luxury hotels occupy several bays, The Al Waha, that is more for families, The Al Bandar, for adults only (but guests can use the facilities of both) and the super high end Al Husn.

For us, we were just happy to float around the lazy river for most of the day

and enjoy the food of the Bait al Bahr Omani seafood restaurant by night.

One last treat in this part of Muscat is a visit to the Al Bustan hotel. Not so pretty from the outside, but absolutely stunning inside with soaring domes and sparkling chandeliers.

The gardens and pool are also quite spectacular and a lunch here is a must if you have time.

Nizwa and around

Heading north west from Muscat will take you into the mountains and provide you with a tour of many of the country’s finest forts. Forts are quite popular in Oman and as you head on this route you will get a chance to visit some of the best.

A bit of a detour on the way to Nizwa, but worth it is the Fort of Nakl.

A description on the Oman tourism site notes that “This fort’s architecture does not follow a particular pattern, as it was designed around an irregularly shaped rock.” It’s not exagerating as the fort would make Escher proud with all its steps, chambers, towers and corridors sprouting everywhere!

From here it is into the ruddy brown hills and into Nizwa.

Tourism does not seem to have fully arrived here yet (in a nice way), but accomodation is not always at a premium…we went for the spacious Falaj Daris Hotel,

two pools and a real working bar, but 6km outside the main town along the highway.

A good option we saw to stay in Nizwa itself was the Nizwa Heritage Inn…and opposite to here was our favourite restaurant of Al Aqr restaurant that does delicious date juice and excellent grills in a wonderful setting (on the balcony or the garden).

Nizwa has a perfectly manicured souq that looks like it was created by Disney

Where you can also pick up your own camel…

and a fascinating fort that is great for a visit…with guided tour included and a very good museum.

flanked by a handsome mosque and its minaret

We stayed in Nizwa for two days so that we could also visit the surrounds that make a trip to this area well worth it.

The huge maze like Fort of Bahla, that has been put together like another dream from Escher with all its stairs, corridors and interconnected rooms on different levels.

Keep your kids (or Matt) on a tight leash otherwise you’ll be searching for them for an age in this maze.

Just south of Bahla is Jabreen with a perfect castle that has all the turrets and murder holes you would expect, but also elegantly decorated and well signed information to educate you along the way.

Heading more into the mountains a visit to Al Hoota Cave, a little pricey for a cave visit, but worth it as the largest in Oman, a little electric train ride to get you inside and 450 steps around this large and beautiful cave.

As well as all the ‘tites and ‘mites you’ll hear bats squeaking and perhaps sense the cave spiders and blind fish (that you’ll get a better view of in the great little information centre.

Dont rely on getting food here as the restaurant is often closed, rather head up to The View…a high end, high up resort that needs a 4×4 to climb the mountain

…if you dont have the $$$ to stay here then a nice refreshing drink and some home made hummus is the perfect way to enjoy the afternoon sun.

Although a dip into the pool does look tempting!

Into the Desert

Much of Oman is desert, so you will have plenty of opportunity to experience the beauty of all this sand and meet its local population.

But if you are short on time or don’t want to brave dune bashing in your shiny rental then a perfect introduction to desert living is the Al Reem Desert Camp.

On the edge of the desert proper, just a bit further on from the turning to Sur from the interior…even two-wheel drives can make it,

more like semi desert but still with some dunes and camels

as well as starstruck nights

Dinner and breakfast are included and you can stay in a tent or more luxury in a mud hut with ensuite bathroom (it’s much nicer than it sounds!)

Matt also had a small taste of some dune bashing with a little detour behind the camp into a wilder, sandier track.

Wadi Wadi everywhere…

Some of the highlights of Oman are its delightful wadis, basically a depression in the desert, like a canyon or river bed that opens up into an oasis in the midst of this dry land.

Our favourite was Wadi Bani Khalid, a left turn off highway 23 as you make your way southeast from Nizwa, just after Bidiyah.

Head into the hills and follow the paved road until its end and you find the 4×4 parking lot. A short walk will bring you to the tropical pools surrounded by palms

…dress modestly here, or go a kilometre further on where away from sensitive eyes all the westerners frolic in bikinis and shorts and enjoy the amazing natural canyons and blissful 28-degree water.

An afternoon here can easily drift away, but try to get here before 2pm so that you still have the sunshine in the canyon.

Along the coast as you head down to Ras Al Jinz from Muscat there are a number of popular wadis just off the highway.

The most famous is Bimmah, a sink hole created from the collapse of a cave. 70m wide and 20m deep, the cool water is perfect for a quick dip,

or a high dive!

Wadi Shab gets very popular to take a little boat ride across the water and then a hike up the canyon…get here early.

Wadi Tiwi is more for a sight see from the car…keep driving until the road gets so narrow that you lose your nerve to go any further!

Ras Al Jinz Turtle reserve

Jutting into the Arabian sea, Ras Al Jinz is the mecca for turtle watchers. In the peak season you can find up to 50 turtles (normally green turtles) making the journey up the beach to lay their eggs and then ponderously make there way back down to the sea…or a baby taking their first steps to the sea.

This peak time is May to August, naturally not when we visited! However you can pretty much see a turtle any time of the year…unless you are with us!

There are two tours included in your stay at the resort…8.30pm and 5am! If you are not staying at the resort you can also pay to join the tour (7omr). Expect things to be pretty busy in the evening and you only go down to the beach once the spotters find turtle…in our case no turtles were spotted (1st no show in 5 months!).

But do make the effort for the morning trip…it’s a bit calmer and you go straight down to the beach where we were rewarded with two huge green turtles lumbering back to the sea. Plus, the daylight will reveal the warren of nests that were hidden in the dark.