Muttrah Corniche and Souq, Muscat
The old waterfront neighbourhood of Muttrah is the best part of Muscat — the Corniche curves around a natural bay lined with whitewashed merchants' houses, and just behind it is the covered souq, a warren of narrow lanes selling frankincense, khanjar daggers, silver jewellery, spices, and fabric. Go in the evening when the air cools and the lights come on over the water.
Nizwa Fort and Friday Market
Nizwa was the capital of the Omani interior for centuries, and the great circular tower of its fort still dominates the town. The Friday livestock market in the shadow of the fort walls is one of the most atmospheric in Arabia — goats, cattle, and the occasional camel, with Omani men in their dishdashas doing business the way their grandfathers did.
Wadi Shab and Wadi Bani Khalid
Two of the most beautiful wadis in the country, both on the east coast south of Muscat. Wadi Shab requires a short boat crossing and a walk to reach pools of turquoise water fed by mountain springs; Wadi Bani Khalid is more accessible and has permanent pools even in the driest years. Both reward an early start before day-tripping tour buses arrive.
Jebel Akhdar and Jebel Shams
The "Green Mountain" and the "Mountain of the Sun" are two high plateaus in the western Hajar range, reachable only by 4WD. Jebel Akhdar is cool enough to grow roses, pomegranates, and apricots — a jarring contrast to the desert below. Jebel Shams has Oman's answer to the Grand Canyon: the Wadi Ghul gorge drops nearly 1,000 metres, and there's a good walking trail along the rim with views straight down.
Wahiba Sands
A proper dune desert, compact enough to visit on a day trip from Nizwa or Sur but big enough to get lost in. The classic experience is to drive in for sunset, watch the light go orange and then red on the dunes, and either camp overnight or push back out in the dark. A 4WD is essential. The Bedouin families who live on the edges are often happy to sell you coffee.
Salalah and the Khareef
Salalah is unlike anywhere else in Arabia. In the monsoon season (June–September) the Dhofar hills turn green, waterfalls appear in the limestone, and mist rolls in off the Indian Ocean. The rest of the Gulf is baking. Timing a visit for the khareef is one of Oman's more memorable travel experiences.
Sur and the Turtle Beaches
Sur on the east coast is an old dhow-building port and a good base for the stretch of coast where green turtles nest. Ras al-Hadd and Ras al-Jinz are protected nesting sites where you can watch turtles come ashore after dark between May and October — one of the better wildlife encounters in the region.