Ruwi is the commercial and business district of Muscat, a grid of mid-rise office buildings, bank headquarters, and shopping streets that developed rapidly from the 1970s onward as Oman's oil revenues funded modern infrastructure. It functions as the working centre of the capital, home to money exchanges, travel agencies, government offices, and the main bus station. The Ruwi souk, a covered market with gold, textiles, and electronics, is less atmospheric than Muttrah but more practical.
As a neighbourhood to explore, Ruwi holds interest mainly for its contrast with the rest of Muscat — the density, the traffic, the multinational workforce visible in the cafes and restaurants give it an energy that the more manicured parts of the city lack. The area around Al Jaame Street has a concentration of South Asian restaurants serving good, cheap Indian and Pakistani food. The main bus station in Ruwi is the practical hub for connections across Oman.