Hajar Mountains
Opposite Bahla Fort, on the other side of Nizwa–Bahla Rd, rows of low-rise, arched buildings hide the entrance to a tiny traditional souq. A giant tree…
Must-see attractions in Oman
Dhofar
Below the village of Ayoon there are some natural pools surrounded by tall stands of reeds and other vegetation. The pools are accessed along a 3km off…
Oman
Enclosing a tidy acreage of the Batinah Plain, this enormous fortress has three circular towers and an unusual rectangular fourth tower. As with many of…
Oman
Brown signs lead off old Hwy 23 to this fortified mud-brick mansion house. Built possibly around 300 years ago, and now buried in the Ibra suburbs on the…
Hajar Mountains
The market opposite Hela Castle sells barasti – plaited palm fronds traditionally used for roofing and fencing – while just along the road, a lively souq…
Dhofar
Of passing interest in the town of Mirbat is the old quarter, where some merchant houses still stand proud along the beach front. Some are still lived in,…
Masirah Island
The small town of Hilf, a 3km string of jetties, shops and fish factories in the northwest of Masirah, is home to most of the island's tiny population…
Oman
Functioning less as a sight in its own right, picturesque though it may be, this fort as an excellent landmark for the slightly obscure entrance into Wadi…
Sur
Built to defend the town against marauding tribes from the interior, 200-year-old Bilad Sur Castle boasts unusually shaped towers. It has been closed for…
Oman
This renovated fort, which is open somewhat erratically, if at all, seems to have been built as part and parcel of the surrounding merchant houses, with…
Oman
This large fort with a mighty round tower with a unique, detached (and arched) external stairway is of passing interest for those heading into the sands…
Oman
With its unusual octagonal tower and a location fending off incursions from the sea, Barka Fort cuts a dash along Barka's busy coastline, flanked by…
Oman
Off the main Muscat–Sohar Hwy, this large formal park has mowed lawns trimmed with flower beds and is shaded by mature trees. It makes a pleasant retreat…
Salalah
This enormous palace complex, with villas and landscaped gardens along the beach front, is home to the family of Oman's ruler, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said…
Dhofar
One of several issuing from the hills above the plain to the east of Salalah, this spring trickles into a reservoir at the end of the road. The spring…
Khasab
Located a 2km walk from the ferry terminal, this sandy beach has shade and toilets and is the nearest place to Khasab for a swim. Wild camping is…
Oman
Once a week this souq, opposite the main market, attracts women-only buyers and sellers from all over the region, selling a variety of handicrafts such as…
Oman
In the days before the housing of Al Mintirib encroached on its space, this solid-walled fort with its sunken door must have been an impressive sight,…
Oman
An old mosque lies at the heart of this crumbling fortification. Visitors are allowed (with shoes removed) to step into the outer are of the mosque where…
Dhofar
This deep sinkhole (1 million cu metres), known as the Well of Birds, gapes without warning in a corrugated landscape of rock, covered in thicket. A small…
Musandam
The newer of Burka's two forts isn't open to the public, but it does boast a commanding vantage point high above town. The castle faces the sea but…
Hajar Mountains
This large, sprawling castle has been attractively restored and now makes a good photo opportunity in the centre of town. The interior is largely taken up…
Oman
With Nakhal and Rustaq, Al Hazm is one of the three great Batinah Plain forts and like them, it protects a large plantation. Currently closed for a…
Hajar Mountains
Neighbouring Ibri Castle, the shops in Ibri's old souq include a small gold market, a covered alleyway or two, and a livestock souq that come to life on…
Oman
Befitting a town of its size, Rustaq has a fine gateway similar to those in Nizwa, Bahla and Sumail. Wedged between a cut in the mountains, this landmark…
Oman
This fort is crumbling back to the soil from which it was built, but it still makes an impressive sight on the edge of the dunes. It's closed to the…
Nizwa
This grand double-arched gateway straddles Hwy 21, along the original Muscat–Nizwa road. The watchtowers that form the uprights of the gateway seem aged,…
Dhofar
Recently restored, this old crenellated castle is set square to the sea as if designed to repel invaders. It's closed to the public but makes a photogenic…
Muscat
Straddling the road between the Corniche and the old walled city, this museum, with the original gates used until the 1970s to keep land-bound marauders…
Muscat
The restored Portuguese watchtower on a promontory out to sea, halfway along Mutrah Corniche, affords a view of the ocean and the grand sweep of Mutrah's…
Muscat
Kalbuh Bay Park juts into a sea that's boiling with sardines. Located at the end of the Corniche, it makes a good pausing place on a hike between Mutrah…
Muscat
This modern clock tower, opposite Muscat's Chamber of Commerce, has become one of the landmarks of Ruwi. It presides over a pleasant park that attracts…
Muscat
Set inside the attractively landscaped Qurm Park, this funfair (with Ferris wheel and an ever-growing number of rides) is a local favourite. Restaurants,…
Muscat
Protecting a rare stretch of mangrove, this reserve is closed to visitors. That said, it's possible to sit in adjacent coffee shops and do some…
Muscat
Marking the approach to the capital's main military camp, this attractive roundabout with its seafaring murals and proud clock tower has become a major…
