In Oman, innovation meets tradition

[al-Hasani]

From glittering mosques and towering mountains to frankincense and beekeeping, the Arab nation is embracing tourism while staying true to its 6,000-year-old history.

BBC - Travel - Oman​

Mixing old and new
Oman, on the southeastern tip of the Arabian peninsula, attracts intrepid travelers. Al Alam, one of the Sultan’s eight palaces, offers a sense of Old Arabia in Muscat, the capital. (Karen Bowerman)

The welcomed stability of Oman

Visits often include a dhow cruise through the fjords at the tip of the Musandam Peninsula. (Karen Bowerman)
​

The airport in Muscat, the capital of Oman, operates at its own leisurely yet efficient pace. When you step into the heat you can understand why. It is a reflection of life here under Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

A banner at the airport reads, “Oman Air salutes Sultan Qaboos for 40 years of inspired leadership.” Before 1970 when he came to rule this country on the southeastern tip of the Arabian peninsula, the sultanate had just 5km of tarmac road, one hospital and three schools, for boys.

Today, thanks to an ambitious modernisation programme financed by oil, roads span across the country in all directions, schools (for both sexes) number more than a thousand and education and healthcare are free.

Now Oman is keen to welcome tourists and there are a handful of cities and regions that are attracting the more intrepid type of traveller.

Muscat is a modern, clean city with an opera house and numerous museums. But for a sense of Old Arabia, head to the old town section where two small Portuguese forts, Mirani and Jalali overlook Muscat Bay and Al Alam, one of the Sultan’s eight palaces.

The Grand Mosque in the Azaiba district contains a carpet in the main prayer hall that covers a staggering 5,000 sq m. It was woven in sections in Iran and took 600 women four years to sew it together. Yet it is the mosque’s crystal chandelier that steals the show -- all eight tons and 1,122 bulbs of it.

A 15 minute drive northwest from Old Muscat takes you to Muttrah. Stroll along the marble corniche and visit Muttrah souk, the oldest in Oman, with its labyrinthine alleyways and stalls selling Arabic coffee pots and khanjars -- carved sheathed daggers, part of the men’s traditional dress. Haggling is expected.

The most “accessible” desert from Muscat is Wahiba Sands, home to the Bedouins and 6,000-year-old dunes. It is a 90 minute drive south from the capital.

For any desert encounter, make sure you take a 4x4 and an experienced driver/guide. You can also try dune bashing (when 4x4s attack the dunes from all angles) or opt for a slightly less bumpy camel ride. Desert Nights Camp offers tented huts with all modern conveniences.

The rugged Hajar Mountains cut across the north of the sultanate and include Jebel Shams, the tallest mountain in Oman at 3,048m, and Wadi Nakr Gorge, popularly known as the country’s Grand Canyon. Roads pass traditional villages and oases rich in date palms.

The village of Al Hamra with its mud-brick houses is a must-see, as is its well-preserved falaj (irrigation) system that channels water from the mountains.

About an hour’s drive southeast of Al Hamra is Nizwa, the sultanate’s capital in the 6th and 7th Centuries and home to one of Oman’s 500 forts. Visit on a Friday morning to catch the livestock market – a rowdy, disorganised (but entertaining) affair. Behind it lie various souks selling vegetables, incense, silver and spices.

A 40 minute drive west takes you to Bahla Fort, a Unesco World Heritage site. It is worth seeing just from the outside, with its numerous gates and watchtowers, but the interior is currently closed for renovation work until early 2012.

The southernmost Dhofar region provides a different picture of Oman, especially during Khareef, the monsoon season, from June to early September, when coastal plains turn green and waterfalls stream down from the mountains. Famous for its frankincense trees, Dhofar is also home to the Empty Quarter, one of the largest deserts in the world. But the area is largely visited for its pristine beaches, scenery and archaeological sites. To reach the region, fly from Muscat to Salalah, Dhofar’s administrative capital.

Oman’s most northerly tip, the Musandam Peninsula, is the place to relax. It is separated from the rest of the sultanate by the UAE, so to avoid visas and border controls it is easiest to fly from Muscat to Khasab or take a six hour ferry ride.

Musandam’s mountains are impressive but prepare yourself for hairpin bends. Drive to Jebel Harim, the region’s tallest peak at 2,097m, and look out for the surprisingly lush Sayh Plateau where members of the Shihuh tribe look after donkeys and goats.

Most people’s visits include a dhow cruise through the fjords at the tip of the peninsula. With Iran just an hour away across the Strait of Hormuz you are likely to spot Iranian smugglers racing across the water in their speedboats. They bring goats to Khasab, sell them at the market and return with cigarettes. Port authorities turn a blind eye.

My cruise included a barbecue lunch of sardines and hammour fish which tasted meaty and a bit like red mullet. We passed small inlets, islands with stone fishing villages and snorkelled off Telegraph Island where the British laid the first telegraph cable from India to Iraq in 1864.

On the way back, our skipper, a teenage lad who occasionally nudged the throttle with his foot, gave a shrill whistle. Dolphins appeared, diving in and out of the water around us.

When to visit
The best time is during winter (October to March) when temperatures range from 25 to36 degrees. Citizens from most GCC, EU and US countries can buy a tourist visa, costing 6 rials, upon arrival at Muscat International airport. There are new visa requirements for Middle East GCC residents who work in what the Omani government calls “second tier” professions, so it is best to check before traveling.

BBC - Travel - The welcomed stability of Oman : Adventure, Oman

 

[al-Hasani]

I like Oman. It's an very interesting Arabian country with a very long and proud history that has a balanced foreign policy and rarely if ever causes problems. The people are really friendly too.

I also always wanted to know more about Ibadi Islam.

Ibadi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rarely if ever hear about them. I think that @mahatir is an Ibadi if I recall. You need to tell more.

Along Arabia’s east coast​

Al Noor mosque in Sharjah, UAE (Anita Sethi)​

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) may have turned 40 years old last year, but the area’s recent development is still young in comparison to the beautiful and historic areas worth visiting, beyond the shopping malls of Dubai. Along the country’s east coast, driving from the Arabian Sea to the Gulf of Oman, there are more camels than cars and more roadside stalls than shopping malls. Among the telltale signs that you have left the city and entered desert terrain are shops advertising the services of a “camel doctor”.

Related article: Vestiges of historical Dubai

The natural beauty in the lesser-known emirates, along the coast from Sharjah, includes Arabia’s oldest mangrove forest in Kalba, the great Hajar Mountains and the seaside towns of Khor Fakkan and Dibba – a road trip that begins in the desert, only a few hours drive from the ubiquitous skyscrapers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Sharjah is the only emirate in the UAE that stretches along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Thanks to the 7th-century discovery of unusually pale pink pearls in the seas off the coast of Sharjah, the emerite grew wealthy – at least until the Japanese found a way to mass-produce cultured pearls and put it out of business in the 1930s. Pearl divers once braved shark and jellyfish in hopes of surfacing with oysters. In the Heritage area of Sharjah city, visitors can tour two houses of former pearl merchants and traders, the Bait Khalid bin Ibrahim and Bait Al Naboodah, which display the wealth accumulated by such hazards and showcase traditional Gulf architecture. For further insights into the local history and geology, visit the city’s Archaeology Museum and its Maritime Museum, which displays genuine Arabian pearls.

The city also contains the brilliant blue Khalid Lagoon and corniche (a walkway surrounding the lagoon), which is a lovely place for a leisurely stroll. Situated on the edge of the lagoon is the Hotel Holiday International, with windows that gaze out over the glittering water and the gleaming gold Al Noor mosque, open for tours in the day. Jet skis, dhow cruises and water taxis can be taken from the western side of the city’s Al Mamzar Lagoon. The Al Khan Lagoon is the thriving cultural hub of Sharjah’s Al Qasba area, where families and couples enjoy lagoon-side cafes and the Eye of the Emirates, a 60m high observation wheel that offers stunning views of the city skyline.

Cruising from Sharjah along the UAE’s east coast, past the clear blue waters of the seaside towns of Dibba, Khor Fakkan and Kalba, toward the nation of Oman, the landscape grows increasingly rugged and wild until you are surrounded by mountains and mangrove forests. With plentiful lagoons and corniches, these towns are a paradise for water sports, refreshing stops after visiting the vast deserts. Tours of the east coast and other areas of the UAE can be booked in Sharjah through companies such as Gulf Ventures.

Heading farther along the Sea of Oman, the Hajar mountains rise up, a dramatic chocolate-coloured range, where one of Sharjah’s longest-lasting Bedouin tribes, the Shouhoh, once thrived. The mountains were made more accessible in 1971 when border restrictions between the emirates were eliminated.

At a roadside Friday market on the East Coast Road between the town of Dhaid (known for its delicious local foods) and Masafi village, open-air stalls give off sweet and spicy scents, and sell everything from pottery and plants to carpets and colourful toys. The goods are far cheaper than in the souks of the cities and browsing through the stalls is a breath of fresh air from the enclosed shopping malls of Dubai. The harvest season (from March until October) brings an abundance of mangoes, melons, strawberries, green oranges and small sweet bananas from mountain farms. Delicious dates and honey produced by bees imported from Italy and Egypt are available year-round.

The town of Dibba, about 70km south of Dhaid, is a great place to spot dolphins. Dhows and fishing boats can be chartered for trips to deserted coves and snorkelling spots. The Omani stretch of beach, located in the town but near the mountains, is also a popular camping spot. The Dibba Al Hasn souk is filled with authentic goods, and is found near the fort, one block in from the corniche on the parallel street.

Between the enclave of Dibba and the port town of Khor Fakkan, it is worth stopping to visit the oldest mosque in the UAE, the Al Bidiyah Archaeological Mosque, which has a distinctive architecture, built from stone and mudbricks in the 15th Century and topped by a pointed dome roof.

The prosperous Khor Fakkan is Sharjah’s largest town on the east coast, found mid-way between Kalba and Dibba Al Hisn. Its curving corniche offers several jet ski hire huts, swings, volleyball nets and football goals dotted among the palm trees. A fish market at the southern end of the bay has an excellent cafe. Out in the bay lies Shark and Snoopy islands, popular destinations for camping and picnics as well as snorkelling and diving to spot turtles, manta rays and other coral marine life. The newly refurbished Oceanic Hotel is set to open in early 2012 and visitors to the area also stay in Fujairah which offers plenty of hotels including theRadisson Blu, through which, as with most major hotels, watersport activities can be booked.

Khor Fakkan is now becoming an important port for cruise ships, a needed boost to the local economy, with cruises stopping here weekly, passing through Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and surrounding enclaves.

Just over 33km farther down the coast is Khor Kalba, home to the most renowned restaurant in the region, the Bent Al Nokhetha (Khor Kalba Main Road, south of the fishing harbour at the cornice; 9-710-507-399-723). A delicious Lebanese meal of grilled fish and fresh vegetables should be followed by the restaurant’s rich coffee and a stroll along the Gulf of Oman beneath the brilliant blue sky.

A few kilometres south of Kalba is Kalba Creek, home to Arabia’s oldest mangrove forest and a conservation area for endangered species. Keen-eyed visitors might spot two of the world’s rarest birds: the white-collared kingfisher and Skye’s Warbler. Canoeing is also very popular (try Absolute Adventure). These natural skyscrapers seem worlds away from their urban counterparts.

BBC - Travel - Along Arabia’s east coast : History

 

[ali_raza]

I like Oman. It's an very interesting Arabian country with a very long and proud history that has a balanced foreign policy and rarely if ever causes problems. The people are really friendly too.

I also always wanted to know more about Ibadi Islam.

Ibadi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rarely if ever hear about them. I think that @mahatir is an Ibadi if I recall. You need to tell more.

Along Arabia’s east coast​

Al Noor mosque in Sharjah, UAE (Anita Sethi)​

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) may have turned 40 years old last year, but the area’s recent development is still young in comparison to the beautiful and historic areas worth visiting, beyond the shopping malls of Dubai. Along the country’s east coast, driving from the Arabian Sea to the Gulf of Oman, there are more camels than cars and more roadside stalls than shopping malls. Among the telltale signs that you have left the city and entered desert terrain are shops advertising the services of a “camel doctor”.

Related article: Vestiges of historical Dubai

The natural beauty in the lesser-known emirates, along the coast from Sharjah, includes Arabia’s oldest mangrove forest in Kalba, the great Hajar Mountains and the seaside towns of Khor Fakkan and Dibba – a road trip that begins in the desert, only a few hours drive from the ubiquitous skyscrapers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Sharjah is the only emirate in the UAE that stretches along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Thanks to the 7th-century discovery of unusually pale pink pearls in the seas off the coast of Sharjah, the emerite grew wealthy – at least until the Japanese found a way to mass-produce cultured pearls and put it out of business in the 1930s. Pearl divers once braved shark and jellyfish in hopes of surfacing with oysters. In the Heritage area of Sharjah city, visitors can tour two houses of former pearl merchants and traders, the Bait Khalid bin Ibrahim and Bait Al Naboodah, which display the wealth accumulated by such hazards and showcase traditional Gulf architecture. For further insights into the local history and geology, visit the city’s Archaeology Museum and its Maritime Museum, which displays genuine Arabian pearls.

The city also contains the brilliant blue Khalid Lagoon and corniche (a walkway surrounding the lagoon), which is a lovely place for a leisurely stroll. Situated on the edge of the lagoon is the Hotel Holiday International, with windows that gaze out over the glittering water and the gleaming gold Al Noor mosque, open for tours in the day. Jet skis, dhow cruises and water taxis can be taken from the western side of the city’s Al Mamzar Lagoon. The Al Khan Lagoon is the thriving cultural hub of Sharjah’s Al Qasba area, where families and couples enjoy lagoon-side cafes and the Eye of the Emirates, a 60m high observation wheel that offers stunning views of the city skyline.

Cruising from Sharjah along the UAE’s east coast, past the clear blue waters of the seaside towns of Dibba, Khor Fakkan and Kalba, toward the nation of Oman, the landscape grows increasingly rugged and wild until you are surrounded by mountains and mangrove forests. With plentiful lagoons and corniches, these towns are a paradise for water sports, refreshing stops after visiting the vast deserts. Tours of the east coast and other areas of the UAE can be booked in Sharjah through companies such as Gulf Ventures.

Heading farther along the Sea of Oman, the Hajar mountains rise up, a dramatic chocolate-coloured range, where one of Sharjah’s longest-lasting Bedouin tribes, the Shouhoh, once thrived. The mountains were made more accessible in 1971 when border restrictions between the emirates were eliminated.

At a roadside Friday market on the East Coast Road between the town of Dhaid (known for its delicious local foods) and Masafi village, open-air stalls give off sweet and spicy scents, and sell everything from pottery and plants to carpets and colourful toys. The goods are far cheaper than in the souks of the cities and browsing through the stalls is a breath of fresh air from the enclosed shopping malls of Dubai. The harvest season (from March until October) brings an abundance of mangoes, melons, strawberries, green oranges and small sweet bananas from mountain farms. Delicious dates and honey produced by bees imported from Italy and Egypt are available year-round.

The town of Dibba, about 70km south of Dhaid, is a great place to spot dolphins. Dhows and fishing boats can be chartered for trips to deserted coves and snorkelling spots. The Omani stretch of beach, located in the town but near the mountains, is also a popular camping spot. The Dibba Al Hasn souk is filled with authentic goods, and is found near the fort, one block in from the corniche on the parallel street.

Between the enclave of Dibba and the port town of Khor Fakkan, it is worth stopping to visit the oldest mosque in the UAE, the Al Bidiyah Archaeological Mosque, which has a distinctive architecture, built from stone and mudbricks in the 15th Century and topped by a pointed dome roof.

The prosperous Khor Fakkan is Sharjah’s largest town on the east coast, found mid-way between Kalba and Dibba Al Hisn. Its curving corniche offers several jet ski hire huts, swings, volleyball nets and football goals dotted among the palm trees. A fish market at the southern end of the bay has an excellent cafe. Out in the bay lies Shark and Snoopy islands, popular destinations for camping and picnics as well as snorkelling and diving to spot turtles, manta rays and other coral marine life. The newly refurbished Oceanic Hotel is set to open in early 2012 and visitors to the area also stay in Fujairah which offers plenty of hotels including theRadisson Blu, through which, as with most major hotels, watersport activities can be booked.

Khor Fakkan is now becoming an important port for cruise ships, a needed boost to the local economy, with cruises stopping here weekly, passing through Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and surrounding enclaves.

Just over 33km farther down the coast is Khor Kalba, home to the most renowned restaurant in the region, the Bent Al Nokhetha (Khor Kalba Main Road, south of the fishing harbour at the cornice; 9-710-507-399-723). A delicious Lebanese meal of grilled fish and fresh vegetables should be followed by the restaurant’s rich coffee and a stroll along the Gulf of Oman beneath the brilliant blue sky.

A few kilometres south of Kalba is Kalba Creek, home to Arabia’s oldest mangrove forest and a conservation area for endangered species. Keen-eyed visitors might spot two of the world’s rarest birds: the white-collared kingfisher and Skye’s Warbler. Canoeing is also very popular (try Absolute Adventure). These natural skyscrapers seem worlds away from their urban counterparts.

BBC - Travel - Along Arabia’s east coast : History

bro m from oman.i can say its like my own country.great country indeed.very stable economic situations for every one.

 

[al-Hasani]

The tranquil shores of Oman

Guarding Khasab
Life moves slowly in coastal Musandam, a peninsula in Oman that is a short hop but a world away from the 21st-century face of Dubai. Khasab, the region’s capital, is guarded by a splendid fort, built by the Portuguese in the 17th Century. (Andrew Montgomery)​

Slowly drifting
In the waters near Kumzar, fishermen ply their trade by motorboat while old dhows ferry tourists round sleepy coves. (Andrew Montgomery)

Diving perfection
Despite the tanker motorway a few miles to the north, the waters around Musandam are pristine. (Andrew Montgomery)

Seaside metropolis
The modest port of Khasab is the closest that Oman’s Musandam Peninsula comes to urban life. (Andrew Montgomery)

BBC - Travel - Slideshow - The tranquil shores of Oman



Oman’s sleepy Musandam Peninsula​

By Simon Reeve, Lonely Planet Magazine

The modest port of Khasab is found on Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. (Andrew Montgomery)
​

As the little boat drifted perilously close to jagged rocks, I gaped upwards, lost in wonder at the scale of the honey-coloured cliffs that rose from nothing and soared to loom more than 200 metres above my head. Gulls circled, arcing out over the sea and back towards their perches on the barren crags. The sea was full of life, but these bluffs, weathered and cracked into dramatic shards, were utterly devoid of even the hardiest plant or shrub. They were like cliffs at the edge of a glorious Martian sea.

• Related slideshow: The tranquil shores of Oman

The skipper had been napping. Suddenly, he leapt up as the boat scraped rock, swore at himself in Arabic, and quickly pushed us away from the cliffs with his foot. He guided us into a narrow cove almost hidden among the giant slabs. The water darkened and the temperature dropped. The surroundings looked like a Norwegian fjord, but with no green – as if life itself had been scraped from the rocks with a wire brush.

I was visiting Oman’s Musandam Peninsula – a remote patch of planet separated from the rest of the country by a corner of the UAE – while filming a new BBC series, Indian Ocean, which took me through 16 countries around the edge of our most glorious ocean. The region juts out into the Strait of Hormuz, the key choke point at the eastern end of the Persian Gulf, through which chug scores of oil tankers taking vast quantities of the world’s supply of black gold to Europe, the US and Asia.

Long before oil was discovered in Arabia – creating some of the richest countries on Earth and apparently endless demand for Swiss watches and German sports cars – Omanis had built an empire that stretched down Africa’s east coast to Zanzibar. Many will tell you that the Queen of Sheba had her palace in Oman, and that Sinbad the Sailor set sail from one of its ancient ports.

It is hard to overstate the difference between Oman and its neighbours. While the latter have most of the oil and grand building projects and bling, Omanis remain wedded to 5,000 years of history and culture, preserving traditional buildings, opening museums and occasionally bemoaning the flash modernism of their neighbours in the UAE. “Can you believe they built a ski slope, indoors!” an Omani businessman told me with disdain.

In the midst of all the glitz of the modern Gulf, home to vast shopping malls and some of the most luxurious hotels on the planet, Musandam is a place where life itself moves at a different pace: it lacked roads until just a decade ago. From my bobbing boat, I could see why. With metal-melting temperatures during summer and terrain that needs Thor’s hammer to flatten and tame, the landscape was one of the most dramatic and inhospitable I have ever encountered.

Yet Musandam is just a few hours’ drive from Dubai, and reachable for a weekend break. Strike out towards the peninsula along the coast from the brashest of the Emirates and the tip of the Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building – fades behind as you motor through dirty roadside sprawl along tarmac where I once saw a group of 18-year-olds racing Bugattis and Bentleys.

You pass flaming oil wells, through the emirates of Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah, before the endless development withers and the straight road begins to buckle towards the Musandam border, where a cliffside track winds around the fractured coast. It is the Gulf, but not as you know it: otherworldly Musandam is not a place for those wanting fusion food and FIJI Water, fine hotels or a Lamborghini showroom.

Khasab, the region’s capital, has a splendid fort, built by the Portuguese to keep their sailors supplied with dates and fresh water. The influences of other, more modern, arrivals were being felt during my visit – locals hummed with excitement about the imminent opening of their first supermarket. Yet the little town is not asleep. As I wandered, the still air was broken by the sound of roaring engines, while at the harbour, a dozen speedboats powered their way out to sea. My guide, Badr, a beaming bear of a man, smiled. “They’re Iranians, smuggling fridges.” It is surely one of the most bizarre international trade routes. US sanctions have apparently created a shortage of household appliances in Iran, so smugglers race across the Strait of Hormuz to buy white goods in Musandam and shift them back to the Islamic Republic, dodging giant tankers and the gunboats of the Iranian coastguard. I watched them waving and laughing as they rocketed past with washing machines, microwaves and plasma TVs.

The BBC team and I followed the smugglers out of Khasab harbour in a boat, behind dolphins that streaked through the water like torpedoes. Despite the tanker motorway a few miles to the north, the waters around Musandam are pristine. Just an hour from Khasab are dive sites with schools of blue and yellow Indian Ocean angelfish, Arabian butterfly fish, snappers, lionfish, groupers, stingrays and turtles. Some experts think the coral of Musandam is among the best in the world due to the absence of heavy industry along the coast and few fishing fleets in the area.

Rounding a rocky island outcrop, we slipped into a sheltered bay. At the far end, smoke wafted lazily from the ancient village of Kumzar – a cluster of low houses beneath the cliffs. Badr had arranged for us to meet a local fisherman, Abdul Salim, who was sitting with his men on a rocky beach as we drifted to shore. A shout rang out and his men leapt into action, dragging a long net out into the water.

‘Why are you doing this now? What have you seen?’ I asked.

‘Ah, we have eyes in the heavens,’ said Abdul with a conspiratorial grin.

The Kumzari have a unique language – the only one of Persian origin on the south side of the Gulf – and they began to quietly sing in it as they spread the net in a 50-metre arc out into the water then back towards the shore. As the net was pulled tight the singing became louder. Soon it sounded like a bawdy shanty, accompanied by cheeky laughs from the men. As Abdul’s troops tugged and the fish tumbled to the shore, I spotted a metallic glint on the sheer cliff face. “See!” he said, “those are our eyes!”

An old man emerged from a canvas hide with a pair of binoculars and a kettle. His job was to shout when he spotted a shoal of fish enter the cove, so the team below could trap and catch it. “We have fished this way for generations,” said Abdul. “Minimum effort, but maximum reward.”

The next day, the dusty heart of Musandam beckoned me away from the coast. Until recently, the stony interior could only be explored on the back of a mule. Now, a road climbs steadily into the great Hajar Mountains that stretch for more than 300 miles, reaching 3,000 metres at its highest point. The road soon became a track carved into the hillside, with extraordinary drops off the side into oblivion. We crested one hill and the entire landscape opened before us. Mountains hewn, carved and hacked from the ancient foundations of Earth swept to the horizon.

Driving down from the heights, we came across a wedding. Several hundred men wearing white thobes – traditional ankle length robes – and headdresses had gathered under a tent by the road on the outskirts of an arid town. Suddenly there was the crack of gunfire. “Are they allowed to have guns at weddings?” I shouted to Badr as another volley of shots rang out. “Not in the rest of Oman, and certainly not somewhere like Dubai. But remember, out here,” he replied with a smile, “we’re in the wilderness.”

BBC - Travel - Oman’s sleepy Musandam Peninsula : Oman

 

[Armstrong]

bro m from oman.i can say its like my own country.great country indeed.very stable economic situations for every one.

I'm sure they - the Omanis - don't think so ! Hence why they won't give you their Nationality !

Khair On Topic - Nice country & good pictures !

I often think that Qatar & Oman get overshadowed by the UAE whenever smaller Arab countries in the gulf are mentioned !

 

[al-Hasani]

Oman’s underground playgrounds

Oman is riddled with caves, like the Majlis Al Jinn which is the second largest underground chamber in the world. (Mark Daffey/LPI)​

Stretching from the lunar-like Hajar Mountains in the north to lush and temperate city of Salalah in the south, the Sultanate of Oman -- with its year-round sunshine and a stable economy -- is one of the lesser-known treasures of the Arabian Peninsula.

• Related slideshow: The tranquil shores of Oman

But above the ground is only half of the story. Oman is hollowed out with incredible natural underground playgrounds, including the second largest underground chamber in the world, called Majlis Al Jinn, or “Spirits’ meeting place”. Although currently shut indefinitely to the public for redevelopment, there are plenty of others that are suitable for beginners and experienced spelunkers.

Al Hoota Cave, located at near Jabal Shams mountain near the northeastern town of Al Hamra, is the only cave that has daily organised tours which are suitable for all adults and older children (book in advance). Al Hoota is a two million year old complex comprising two lakes (one an impressive 800m long) and a series of huge underground caverns. Oman’s underground world teems with life, and you will be sharing the depths with more than 100 species of animals including bats, hunter spiders and water beetles, as well as a rare type of blind fish called garra barreimiae. The 45 minute tour whisks you round 10% of the 4.5km long cavern, long enough for you to get a sense of the majesty hidden below your feet.

If a guided tour is too tame, Hoti Cave is a 2.7km tunnel also near Al Hamra that runs under the Hajar Mountains. There are two entrances, Al Fallah and Al Hota; access to the former is reached by a 20 minute fairly easy hike to the large entrance beneath the Hajar cliff’s overhang, while the latter should only be attempted by experienced spelunkers who have a guide, safety gear and other climbing equipment. Once inside you will need torches and a sense of adventure, the hardest part is getting there. The tunnel, whichever way you get there, is worth the scramble. The rock strata, stalactites and stalagmites below reveal the ancient history of the area, through their distinctive red, yellow and pink coloured bands, formed as different sediments settled over the millennia and compressed into rock. Eager explorers can continue 1km on through the tunnel to a huge underground cavern called “Cairn Hall”, said to be full of bats.

Despite Oman being arid most of the year, the country is pockmarked with wadis (river beds) which can flood very quickly when it rains. To see some of the country’s serious water power up close head to Muqal Caveat Wadi Bani Khalid A’Sharqiyah near Sur in Muscat. This is one of the area’s greenest wadis, with plenty of natural pools and waterfalls to cool off in. The entrance to the cave is a small lateral slit in the rock face; make sure you take torches to see the underground rivers and falls that lie hidden inside the actual cave. This is an easier cave to explore than Hoti Cave, but still difficult to find without a guide.

For a more relaxed experience, Ettein Cave, around 10km from Salalah, is made up of two enormous chambers and is the largest and most well-known cave in the southern region of Oman. The entrance is an easy walk halfway up a hillside off the main Salalah-Ettein road; take a picnic and enjoy the lush green scenery. Anyone who is relatively fit should be able to attempt this one, and once inside the gigantic cave expect to see the colossal stalagmites -- watch out for the odd creepy crawly!

Practicalities
One of the reasons why Oman is still so unspoilt and its caves mostly left for individual exploration is that there is a shortage of organised information about most of these sites. Most caves in Oman are not signposted or marked and will not be regulated in any way, which makes you feel like the first one to discover them. To get the best out of your adventure always book through a local guide or tour operator.

Omani tour companies, such as Gulf Leisure or Alanaka Tours, can create bespoke trips, depending on what region you are looking to visit and how much effort you want to put in to getting underground. Most caves detailed above can be explored on day trips from Muscat city, but for a more of a wilderness or eco-experience, combine them with a camping trip.

BBC - Travel - Oman’s underground playgrounds : Adventure, Oman

Dune bashing in Oman's Wahiba Sands
​

In a region overshadowed by touristy Dubai, the Sultanate of Oman offers mountainous and sandy adventures.

• Related article: The welcomed stability of Oman

BBC's Fast Track brings you the latest insider travel news, a wealth of destinations, amazing experiences and features and practical hints, tips and advice for your holidays.

BBC - Travel - Dune bashing in Oman's Wahiba Sands : Adventure, Oman

 

[BestUsernameEver]

An acquaintance of mine who has studied hospitality management in Lausanne has been to Muscat with his wife...said it was absolutely fantastic.

What's the Omani cuisine like?

 

[al-Hasani]

I'm sure they - the Omanis - don't think so ! Hence why they won't give you their Nationality !

Khair On Topic - Nice country & good pictures !

I often think that Qatar & Oman get overshadowed by the UAE whenever smaller Arab countries in the gulf are mentioned !

There are many Omanis of non-Arab or mixed Arab and non-Arab origins in Oman that are citizens.

 

[Armstrong]

There are many Omanis of non-Arab or mixed Arab and non-Arab origins in Oman that are citizens.

I know....there are quite a few Baluch there but that happened centuries ago or at least a century ago; before Oman's value & worth as a possible welfare state was established due to oil reserves being discovered & extracted there !

 

[al-Hasani]

I know....there are quite a few Baluch there but that happened centuries ago or at least a century ago; before Oman's value & worth as a possible welfare state was established due to oil reserves being discovered & extracted there !

Yes, but Oman has historically always been a cosmopolitan country just like most of the Arabian Peninsula which always have been a major crossroad located next to Europe, Africa and Asia and 3 major seas (Red Sea, Gulf, Arabian Sea).

Oman was a colonial power for centuries and this has influenced the country a lot. Arabs usually have had no problems intermarrying with non-Arabs throughout history whether we are talking about the nearly 40 million big Arab community in Latin America or Arabs in the Arab world.

Race often played no role. Omanis come of Arabian, South Asian, African etc. origins.

For instance the Sultans of Zanzibar and many other rulers of Arab origins had no problem mixing with Africans etc.

 

[Armstrong]

Yes, but Oman has historically always been a cosmopolitan country just like most of the Arabian Peninsula which always have been a major crossroad located next to Europe, Africa and Asia and 3 major seas (Red Sea, Gulf, Arabian Sea).

Oman was a colonial power for centuries and this has influenced the country a lot. Arabs usually have had no problems intermarrying with non-Arabs throughout history whether we are talking about the nearly 40 million big Arab community in Latin America or Arabs in the Arab world.

Race often played no role. Omanis come of Arabian, South Asian, African etc. origins.

For instance the Sultans of Zanzibar and many other rulers of Arab origins had no problem mixing with Africans etc.

40 million Latin American Arabs !

All of that happened a long time ago.

Its not a racial things; its an economic thing - We've got the resources & we ain't gonna share them with anyone even if they live in our country for the better part of half a century or were actually born there; such an unfortunate display of parochialism !

I hear Iran, India, China, KSA & a few others do the same; which century are you guys living in ?

 

[al-Hasani]

An acquaintance of mine who has studied hospitality management in Lausanne has been to Muscat with his wife...said it was absolutely fantastic.

What's the Omani cuisine like?

From what I know about then Oman is divided into regions. The so-called "Khaleeji" part in the North, which again differs from the remaining so-called "Khaleeji" Arab countries, the Dhofar region in the Southwest which is very similar to the nearby Al-Mahrah province in Yemen and the interior.

Omani cuisine is similar to Yemeni cuisine and Khaleeji in that it is spicy for ME standards and has many influences due to sea trade etc. But again it depends on the region of Oman. Geographically the country differs a lot and also in terms of size.

Traditional Omani Food

But I am no expert. Not that well-versed in Omani cuisine to be honest with you.

 

[ApparentRaceTraitor]

I know....there are quite a few Baluch there but that happened centuries ago or at least a century ago; before Oman's value & worth as a possible welfare state was established due to oil reserves being discovered & extracted there !

What you mention is very rare, but it has happened, even Indians have become citizens of Oman, the only pre-requisite is having lived in the country for a certain period of time. Case in point: The Khimji Ramdas family, Hindus originally from Gujju-land.

 

[Armstrong]

What you mention is very rare, but it has happened, even Indians have become citizens of Oman, the only pre-requisite is having lived in the country for a certain period of time. Case in point: The Khimji Ramdas family, Hindus originally from Gujju-land.

Exceptions are always there...I was referring to the rule !

 

[al-Hasani]

40 million Latin American Arabs !

All of that happened a long time ago.

Its not a racial things; its an economic thing - We've got the resources & we ain't gonna share them with anyone even if they live in our country for the better part of half a century or were actually born there; such an unfortunate display of parochialism !

I hear Iran, India, China, KSA & a few others do the same; which century are you guys living in ?

Actually the latest mass-migrations from the Arab world into Latin American happened not long before WW2. It was just to show that Arabs have had no problems with mixing in their new surroundings whether in Latin America, Europe, Africa or South Asia/South East Asia.

It is just protectionism. I support this because otherwise the lesser populous Arab countries would not be Arab countries anymore if suddenly all foreigners were made citizens.
For all the nonsense talk about Europe being overrun by "foreigners" then France, which is the most cosmopolitan country in Europe only has 10% of its citizens being from Muslim backgrounds. If not less.

The numbers are much bigger in the GCC countries. And it is not like foreigners are denied any rights aside from being citizens.
I do respect and understand such an policy seen from an Omani perspective. It is after all their right. Their rules, their country!