Oman is the quiet one on the Arabian Peninsula. While its neighbours have gone all-in on glass towers and mega-malls, Oman kept the forts, the frankincense, and the sense that people here aren't in a hurry. It is one of the safest, most welcoming countries in the Middle East, and one of the least visited relative to what it offers.
The country stretches from the Musandam Peninsula in the far north — a jagged finger of rock jutting into the Strait of Hormuz — all the way south to the tropical province of Dhofar, which gets a genuine monsoon in summer and turns startlingly green while the rest of the Arabian Peninsula bakes. In between: the Hajar Mountains, one of the most dramatic mountain ranges in Arabia; the Wahiba Sands, a classic dune desert; hundreds of kilometres of largely empty coastline; and a string of ancient walled towns where the old trade routes still feel present.
The capital, Muscat, is compact and manageable, with a spectacular setting between rocky headlands and the sea. Nizwa in the interior was once the seat of the imamate that ruled this part of Oman for centuries, and its Friday livestock market is one of the best in the country. Salalah in the south is practically a different country — lush, coastal, shaped by the khareef monsoon. Sur on the east coast was a great dhow-building port, and still has the yards to prove it.
The Omanis are Ibadhi Muslim by majority — a branch of Islam distinct from both Sunni and Shia, known historically for its tolerance and egalitarianism. They are polite, hospitable, and accustomed to foreign visitors without being pushy about it. Dress modestly outside the tourist resorts; cover shoulders and knees in towns and villages. Coffee and dates will appear at almost every formal encounter.
Destinations
- Muscat — the capital, with the best museums and the famous Muttrah Corniche
- Nizwa — old capital of the interior, fort and souq
- Salalah — the tropical south, worth timing for the khareef
- Sur — historic dhow port on the east coast
- Buraimi — border town sharing the Al-Ain oasis with the UAE
- Jabrin — impressive 17th-century fort in the Hajar foothills
- Ibri — old caravan town, good base for the western desert
- Barka — coastal fort town, easy day trip from Muscat
- Masirah Island — remote island known for sea turtles and windsurfing
- Musandam Peninsula — dramatic fjords, technically an exclave
- Sohar — north coast port town, legendary birthplace of Sinbad
