The coastline and mountains around Salalah reward a full day of exploration. Heading east, Taqah (28 km) has a picturesque fort and is the gateway to Wadi Darbat — a park with caves, a large sinkhole, and a waterfall that runs spectacularly during monsoon season. Mirbat, further east, has an old merchant town and the fort where a famous 1972 battle was fought. West of Salalah, Mughsail Beach is the obvious stop for its blowholes and cliffs. The natural springs at Ain Razat and Ain Homran, in the Qara mountains to the northeast, are good for bird watching during and after the rains.