Wadis, Peaks, Souqs and Sands: Oman 2025

[1022]

That Mosque looks amazing

It is magnificent! It straddles opulence and contemporary chic in design

 

[1022]

Snorkelling Trip to the Daymaniyat Islands

The Daymaniyat (aka Dimaniyat) Island Nature Reserve lies about 20km off shore from Muscat. Multiple tour operators run trips daily for snorkelers, divers and campers to visit the small archipelago of rocky and sandy outcrops and the crystal clear waters that surround them. We took a bit of a pot shot when choosing a company online, based mostly on the fact that they had same day availability for an afternoon trip because we’d left it too late to join one of the more popular morning tours. As it turned out we were lucky with our random choice. The Pakistani guys running the show were friendly and professional and there were just three other pretty chilled couples on the boat with us as opposed to some of the other boats we saw at the snorkel spots with dozens of people.

It’s about a 25 minute speedboat cruise out to the islands from the commercial fishing port at Seeb that a few of the tour operators depart from. The sea was smooth, wind fairly calm and not a cloud in the sky. I always feel content on a boat!

The first stop was in a cove that is chosen for almost guaranteed turtle sightings. Even before entering the water a few turtles could be seen surfacing for breath. The colours of the the warm shallow waters were reminiscent of the Maldives!






We spent about an hour here. Sadly the coral was all in very bad shape sadly, but there were plenty of stunning fish of all shapes and sizes. 1022+1 and I floated, transfixed on three cuttlefish for a good 5 minutes as they grew and shrank and changed colours before our eyes. There were of course plenty of turtles to be seen also.

After about 45 minutes in the water we returned to the boat as the water was getting a tiny bit cool. But I had a hunch to jump back in with my phone to take a few underwater shots near the boat. What serendipity to have a turtle make a beeline for me as I snapped away.






The second stop was at a white sandy beach on one of the islands. The captain pointed us in the direction of the best snorkelling off a beach on the other side of the tiny island. We weren’t disappointed! The coral formations here were spectacular though again, unfortunately not in the best health. However the shapes and undulations of the underwater landscape made for really interesting and varied snorkelling in perfect conditions and excellent visibility. The main highlight here was a glimpse of a black tip reef shark as well as a couple of turtles swimming side by side watching us watching them! Once again an abundance of brightly coloured fish and species I didn’t recognise from snorkelling in Australian and Pacific waters.

We returned to shore and wandered around the island a little bit before it was time to hop back on the boat to return to the mainland. Tours can only beach on the islands from October to April. In the summer months they are protected nesting grounds for seabirds and hatching grounds for turtles. There were certainly plenty of birds about, and some were carrying sticks in their beaks; obviously starting to build their nests.


I was slightly reminded of Rotnest Island in WA




On the way back to Muscat we were treated to a pod of dolphins frolicking around the boat. The captain slowed, then stopped the boat so we could enjoy watching them breach. These dolphins were much smaller than the ones we regularly encounter in the surf in Australia. They were very cute! Especially when some of them vocalised as they came to the surface.

We made one more short stop on the way back to watch the sun sink into the sea to the west and simultaneously watch an almost full moon rise in the east.



This was one of those days where one can only be full of gratitude for the beauty of this planet of ours and to be fortunate enough to be fit and able to experience it.

 

[1022]

Royal Opera House Muscat
We started our morning with a visit to the Opera House. This beautiful building and cultural institution is another legacy of the much beloved and highly cultured late Sultan Qaboos. He commissioned it in 2001 and the venue opened in 2011 with a performance of Turandot.

Even before you step inside, it’s clear that no expense has been spared. There’s acres of polished marble, ornate marble inlays and carved wood everywhere you look.



We signed up for the rather pricey guided tour at 5 rials each (~$20). Tours run every 20 minutes and we just missed one, so had time to simply admire the foyer while we sat and waited.







Eventually a guide showed up and ran through a bit of history and a few factoids about the building’s construction. He then escorted us into the theatre and again ran though some fairly mundane information. The most impressive part was his description of how the stage, first five rows of seats and the proscenium arch (or rectangle in this case) can all be moved to accommodate different types of performances - with or without an orchestra pit.

There were several displays of instruments gifted from various countries

Sadly the enormous pipe organ was canceled behind curtains and a screen because the previous night’s performance was an orchestra playing the score to Harry Potter live as the film was screened above.



So the building was incredible and a true asset to the city of Muscat, but the tour was a bit short and underwhelming for the price.

After the Opera House we drove to the National Museum which is housed in yet another stunning building that is both contemporary and traditional in style. We spent about an hour going through the 8 or so galleries in the museum, each dedicated to a different aspect of Omani history and culture. It felt to me like a little bit of a missed opportunity to really tell the story of Oman rather than just showing interesting artefacts and listing dates. In short, beautiful museum and interesting at times but not memorable.


National Museum exterior

By this point it was lunch time. We somewhat inadvertently ended up at an expensive buffet at the Shangri-La resort after I searched on google for beachside places to eat. We certainly ate our fill at the buffet which was mostly middle eastern themed with a bit of the subcontinent thrown in too. After lunch we wandered the grounds of the giant and busy resort. The guests were predominantly families for various European countries … so you can just imagine the sun lounger politics there and the necessity of the sign I saw warning people that loungers left unattended for 60 minutes will be considered relinquished! The resort’s beach was in a pleasant cove but the sand was more brown than white or golden.

Beach at Shangri-La resort. Probably not somewhere I'd choose to stay...

It’s a shame that various beaches on the coast near muscat have been monopolised by big resorts and private developments. Perhaps the most heinous is that one of the more picturesque stretches of sand recently closed to the public due to a certain mango coloured dictator’s desire to build “the most beautiful golf course you can imagine” there. Ho hum.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel mid-afternoon and called it a day as we were both feeling tired. The Movenpick's rooftop pool beckoned!

 

[1022]

Wadi Shab

According to the many blogs I read when preparing for this trip to Oman, Wadi Shab is a highlight for most travellers. Wadi seems to be a fairly versatile word meaning anything from a vast deep gorge to a dry creek bed. Wadi Shab definitely falls into the former. It’s a roughly 2 hour drive from Muscat to the bottom of the valley. The scenery along the way was mostly dry and rugged mountains and flat plains wither virtually no greenery apart from some villages with lots of date palms planted.

We set out at about 7:30 and arrived around 9:15 to find the car park already almost full. It’s recommended to arrive early to beat the heat and the crowds. The temperature was already well into the 30s by the time we arrived, so maybe an even earlier departure would have been sensible.

After parking, you first need to pay 1 OMR per person for a 1 minute ride across the river in a little motor boat to reach the trail head. There’s also an assortment of goods for sale or rent in the car park including life vests, cheap plastic shoes for wading and various types of water proof pouch and bag.

From the trail head it’s a fairly easy hike of about 45 minutes with a little bit of boulder scrambling through a very dramatic gorge to get to the main attraction which is a series of pools that have a beautiful mineral-rich blue-green glow to the clear, fresh water that has arisen from mountain springs.

The ultimate reward at the end for those with decent swimming ability and a bit of bravery is a magnificent semi-enclosed cave with a waterfall inside. Along the way the trail rises and falls from the bed of the valley which is punctuated by pools of various size, depth and water colour as well as a couple of small, crystal clear cascades.

The start of the walk


Date palms are ever present in Oman



Very inviting water on a hot day...though there's much better swimming spots to come!

You know you’ve reached the end of the trail and the start of the wade/swim/scramble when you hit an area with lots of people changing into swimmers and hopping into the water. It’s then a further half hour (at a leisurely pace) of swimming and wading through the slow flowing stream and still pools.

Eventually you reach what looks like a dead end until you spot the much anticipated key hole that you’ve read about online. Some people squeeze their head through the gap whereas I found it much easier just to dive under water and swim with eyes open for the 10 metres or so to pop out inside the cave.

The photos below are taken from the web as I didn’t have a waterproof camera and didn’t want to test my iPhone’s water resistance any longer than a couple of minutes the other day to take those title photos!!







A (culturally) muslim acquaintance of mine who’d visited this place a year or tow ago described it as how the Qur'an describes paradise. And it truly is a magical, almost heavenly spot that no photos can ever do justice to. Inside the water is very deep and has an incredible iridescent glow where the sunlight hits it. Some people hauled themselves up a rope by the waterfall and jumped in. I managed to find a secret passage behind the waterfall that was quite a thrill to swim through. In spite of there being 10 or so other people in the fairly small space the whole time we were there, it still felt like a wild and untouched place and one that I will never forget - despite not being able to take my own photos.

Being conscious of the fact that there’s nowhere within the cave to get out of the water and a finite amount of time to comfortably float and tread water, we reluctantly swam back through the key hole and began the swim/wade/walk back out of the stream, collected our bags and stuff that we’d left by a rock and hiked back to the boat and the car park. Lunch was burgers from the little cafe near the carpark.

After lunch a Google maps snafu meant that we didn’t see the popular stretch of white sand that is a few km away from Wadi Shab, so we pressed on to the next destination which is Bimmah Sinkhole. The sink hole is typical of many other karst sinkholes in that it was once an enclosed cavern that eventually caved in on its self, revealing the lake below. Local legend however suggests it was formed by a meteorite which is apparently reflected in its Arabic name. What’s different about this sink hole is that it contains salt water rather than fresh due to an underground passage connecting it to the sea.



The places was quite busy when we were there, so not exactly relaxing, but still impressive and a refreshing spot for another swim. With that done, it was back into our wheezy-engined Suzuki for the drive back to Muscat.

For dinner we ate at an Omani restaurant not fat from the hotel that is in a truly grand building modelled on an old fort. It straddled the line between kitsch and being genuinely impressive and I’d say did a good job of avoiding the former. The food was very good as well!! We had BBQ lamb which had been marinated in a rich mix of spices and tamarind and a biriyani-like rice dish with dried shark meat.

 

[Seat0B]

We visited Wadi Shab in 2017 with Seat Son and it was a day that I will never forget. Absolutely wonderful to swim into that cavern with the waterfall. We picnicked on the rocks outside. And had our feet nibbled for dead skin at another of the pools on the friendly advice of a local - Seat Son speaks good Arabic. I loved this place.

 

[1022]

We visited Wadi Shab in 2017 with Seat Son and it was a day that I will never forget. Absolutely wonderful to swim into that cavern with the waterfall. We picnicked on the rocks outside. And had our feet nibbled for dead skin at another of the pools on the friendly advice of a local - Seat Son speaks good Arabic. I loved this place.

I encountered nibbling fish at the sinkhole!

 

[1022]

Movenpick Ghala, Muscat

Muscat has a decent selection of hotels spread all over the sprawling city. It’s a city without an easily identifiable centre and one that has close to zero walkable areas. So seeing as visitors are reliant on a hire car or taxis, choosing a hotel based on location isn’t really necessary unless being on the waterfront is a priority - with the surcharge that entails. The Chedi is probably the trophy destination, but well outside our budget for a 5 night stay. Sticking to Accor properties meant that Movenpick was the most logical choice. After cashing in 8000 points, it worked out to about AUD160 a night. With Platinum status comes lounge access which also means free breakfast. Over the course of the trip I estimate that we’ll probably save several hundred dollars in hotel breakfasts thanks to this perk. Outside of Asia Pacific, free breakfasts are only offered on weekends, but the loophole is to find hotels that have a lounge meaning breakfast comes with lounge access - albeit a less opulent spread than typical restaurant buffets.

The hotel is a quick 15 minute drive from the airport (including slight detour due to ambiguous google maps instructions - which has become a theme in Oman…). Ghala is set to become a new commercial hub in the next 10 years and a major stop on the proposed metro line that will eventually be built. At the moment it's a bit spartan and (literally) desolate. Movenpick got first mover advantage I guess by operating a hotel in the area!

There was a little bit of confusion while the trainee was checking us in. We’d been upgraded from an entry level twin room (booked for protocol and appearance sake as a queer couple) to a junior sweet which only had a king bed. The front desk manager was nearby however and very discreetly advised the upgraded room had a king bed and a sofa bed he could have made up for us [pause] if we wish. All that I’d read prior to coming to Oman was that for non-Muslims, staying in international hotels, it’s unlikely to be an issue for unmarried straight couples of for same sex coupes - irrespective of marriage status back home - to share a room, even though it’s technically illegal for both. Kudos to the manager for his professionalism.

The junior suite was a generous size and nicely laid out. The room was divided by a panel with mini-bar and coffee machine on one side and TV attached to the other side, facing the large and comfortable king size bed. The bathroom was also generous with glass doored cubicles for toilet and walk in shower, double sinks and separate, large bathtub.

Kudos to the designers for having a luggage rack near the door of the room big enough to open two hard case suitcases side by side!







We didn’t eat in the hotel’s restaurants seeing as breakfast was served in the aforementioned executive lounge. Most mornings we were the only people in the lounge. The breakfast buffet had a spread of Middle Eastern breakfast items such as labneh, babaganoush, hummus, olives, tomato, cucumber as well as delicious pastries, yoghurt, fruit and a few hot dishes each day such as beans, potato curry, scrambled eggs. Omelettes could be cooked to order. We never went hungry and the food was all very good quality.








After the incredibly warm and proactive service at the Fairmont in Manila, things at the Movenpick were a bit more standoffish and hesitant, though improved during our stay as the lounge staff warmed to us and we to them. 1022+1 was chatting to one of the lounge staff one morning who mentioned that the hotel is still relatively new and they are currently understaffed. I also counted staff hailing from several different countries - which can lead to different delivery and interaction styles; not to mention differing exceptions from a diverse range of guests also. Most guests we saw at the hotel - and indeed throughout the Oman trip - were European holiday makers. French has probably been the most widely spoken language, followed by German, (UK) English, Italian, Spanish and a small smattering of Russian and one or two other (Eastern??) European languages I couldn’t make out. Few if any Australian or NZ accents, nor American. There also seems to be a few tourists from other gulf states.

The rooftop pool area had excellent views out to the mountains in one direction and the sea in the other. The pool was a decent size - probably 20-ish metres long and never ran out of sun loungers even on busier evenings. The pool bar served soft drinks as well as alcohol where I redeemed our welcome drink vouchers for a couple of G&Ts one evening.





I’d happily recommend the Movenpick to anyone visiting Muscat - especially those loyal to Accor branded hotels.

 

[1022]

Alila Jebel Akhdar

Jebel Akhdar is a well touristed area in Oman’s Al Hajar mountain range. The main reason for overseas tourists to visit is usually to stay at one of the two well known high-end mountain resorts: either Anantara or Alila and soak in the mountain views and cooler temperatures at roughly 1800m elevation. There are a few hikes in the area, but outdoorsy people tend to head to the Jebel Shams area instead (more on that to follow!!)

We elected to stay a night at Alila because the location, design and vibe looked more appealing online compared to Anantara. It’s the newer of the two resorts and it was ever so slightly south of AUD1,000 a night whereas Anantara was around $1,200 at the time of booking.

Much is made of the drive up to Jebel Akhdar. Famously, one needs to have a 4WD to pass the police checkpoint at the bottom of the mountain. This is despite the fact that the road is sealed all the way and better quality than just about any mountain road I’ve ever driven on in Australia. It’s definitely steep and has a few hairpin bends and blind corners (which some local drivers seemed to think were good places to overtake…). Overtaking lanes were plentiful both going up and back down again. In fact the road is probably 3 lanes for more of its climb than 2 lanes.

Our wheezy Mahindra/Suzuki Grand Vitara really struggled with the hills to the point that on some slopes I had to shift it into manual mode and lock it in first gear to maintain about 25km/h! I would have felt much more at ease driving a Corolla or a Camry up the hill than the ‘mandatory’ 4WD. The only reason I can think of why they insist on a 4WD vehicle is for drivers of said vehicles to have enough common sense to use a lower gear to go down hill and not cook their brakes.

Anyway, after crawling up the mountain we pulled into the very refined atmosphere of Alilia. The White Lotus observations began immediately. While it was a treat, a splurge and a slight stretch for us as a comfortable, Australian, DINK couple to have a night at such an expensive place, it looked like the majority of other guests were settled in for the week…immaculately dressed, bilingual children in tow!

We were shown to our entry level room and given a brief tour of the property’s facilities along the way and offered an abseiling experience for OMR75 a head (a mere AUD600 for the two of us).

Thus began the extortion.

I’m no stranger to 5 star hotel prices and and paying a bit of a premium for a remote location. But Alila was eye watering. Lunch by the pool of a burger, a club sandwich and two soft drinks: AUD180++ thank you very much.

Or have a look at this page from the wine list, specifically at the Koonunga Hill Chardy.



That price is of course in Omani Rials and subject to a further 20% tax and ‘service’ charge. So your $14 quaffer from BWS on the way home from work to have with a bowl of pasta for dinner would set you back a cool $350! Suffice to say, we didn’t order a bottle.

Thankfully the rooms and architecture at Alila were beautiful and the views (no charge…) even better!!








For dinner we ordered a main each, shared a dessert, had a G&T each and coffee to finish which came to a smidge under $300. Like I said, I’m not usually one to balk at 5 star hotel prices because I know it’s a treat once in a while, but this experience at Alila left a really sour taste. By contrast we had dinner at a local place in Nizwa a couple of nights later, total price, 3 OMR for two people (AUD12.50) so it’s not that Oman is necessarily that expensive.

After a decent sleep we had big breakfast from the all inclusive a la carte menu followed by a relaxing morning using the hotel facilities and made sure to squeeze out every minute up to our 12 noon check out time.

It’s really hard to say whether I would recommend others to stay at Alila Jebel Akhdar. The hotel is in an undeniably magnificent location. It's beautifully designed, the food all tasted great and we received OK enough service. So the room price it probably isn’t tooo far off the mark compared to comparable properties around the world. I know that AFF member tastes range from “backpacker hostels are just fine" to "nothing less than caviar in First and 7 star hotels all the way." You can make up your own mind though whether paying for the privilege to eat or take up optional activities makes economic sense. Oh and of course the people watching is free...imagining the White Lotus back stories of the folk staying there for a week or more.

 

[1022]

Nizwa and Surrounds (Nizwa Fort, Jabreen Castle, Al Hoota Cave, Bahla Fort)

After leaving Alila Jebel Akhdar we made our way back down the mountain towards the inland city and former capital of Nizwa. Along the way we made a brief detour to visit an abandoned mountain village by the name of Wadi Bani Habib. Oman seems to have a plethora of historical mud brick villages that have been abandoned and reman in varying states of dilapidation. It was a fairly steep descent from the carpark to a dry creek bad and then on to the village. Visitors are free to roam around the remains of old houses. Some still have upper stories intact as well, which provided some lovely outlooks into the tops of the walnut, palm and pomegranate trees growing in the village.

Spot the remains of houses

View from a second storey window which caught a beautiful cool breeze on a hot day

Once we reached Nizwa we found our way to our small, fairly basic hotel “House 76” in the old town. Nizwa has a couple of modern but bland looking 4 star properties on the outskirts and then quite a number of inns and guest houses in the old town which is in the middle of a renaissance. Most of those inns have tiny, dingy looking rooms. House 76 on the other hand offered a 2 bedroom apartment for less than many of the inns. It was nondescript but perfectly located right behind Nizwa Fort and a stone’s throw from the souq.

We spent our first afternoon getting lost in the laneways of the old town. It’s a jumble of totally uninhabitable, collapsed old mud brick buildings and newly restored/gentrified/constructed premises catering mostly to tourists: cafes, inns, bakeries, ice cream shops, etc. It was actually really charming. I’d say that it’s only a year or two away from peak gentrification, but even then it will be a lovely district.

The aroma of Omani milk tea "Karak" from this hole in the wall filled the whole laneway. Karak is a tiny bit like masala chai, but sweeter and fewer spices added to the brew.


Newly restored walls within the old town. We never quite worked out which side was inside the walls and which was outside. The wall seemed to meander through the centre of the old town. Unfortunately explanatory signage was kind of lacking.



Souq area at night


Delicious Omani dessert: Halwa. Basically made from cornflour, water and caramelised sugar with added nuts, cardamon, saffron and/or honey for different flavours

That night we drove 10 minutes out into the newer part of the city for exceptionally good Italian at a place called Olio, then returned for an early night.

The next day turned into a bit of a rest day. Temperatures outside were pushing towards 40ºC and energy levels were a bit low, so we din’t feel guilty for staying put, doing some laundry, popping out for coffee and not doing much else until heading over to Nizwa Fort later in the afternoon. The site is large, impressive and full of coughy traps and clever and cruel ways of foiling enemy attacks such as narrow slits above many entrances where boiling date syrup or oil could be poured down to dissuade unwelcome visitors. Having survived that, the unwitting visitor (or JW door knocker maybe…) might then step on a trapdoor leading to a tumble straight into one of many dungeon cells.









Boiling hot date syrup channel from above!




View from the fort tower

The next day we hopped back in the car and drove about 30km out of town to visit Jabreen Castle.

Wow.


The outside may not look like much...


One of dozens of rooms


Inspiration for A380 stairs maybe?

This castle dating back to the late 1600s has been beautifully and sensitively restored. It was utterly labyrinthine and beautiful at every turn. Some of the rooms had rugs, furniture and ornaments on display which added to the ambiance. We kept remarking to each other that it is the sort of old castle that would make an amazing small luxury hotel…and also it’s a good thing that it hasn’t been coughised in that manner.


One of the lovely internal courtyards.

Another highlight of Jabreen Castle was this baklava cheese cake in the onsite cafe. It combined two of my favourite desserts into one heavenly, decadent treat!



Slight change of plans after Jabreen. We had planned to go to the nearby Bahla Fort. But again the heat was getting intense, so we switched the order of proceedings and went to Al Hoota Cave for the afternoon. I spent a lot of time as a teenager at Jenolan Caves west of the Blue Mountains and in fact started training at one point to become a casual tour guide at Jenolan, so I have a long held affection for limestone caves and have visited many around the world. Al Hoota Cave was apparently only discovered relatively recently in the 1960s. Approximately 500m of the 5km cave system has been opened up as a show cave. Visitors can follow the path through the show caves with or without a guide. At the time we arrived it would have been almost an hour wait for the next guided tour, so we opted to forego the guide.

First, there’s a golf buggy ride from the ticket office and small museum to the cave entrance. On busier days they run a little 2 carriage train on tyres for the 800m or so to the cave entrance. Metal pathways and lighting inside the cave were modern and very well maintained. For the most part, visitors follow a clockwise loop around a single large, long cavern, with a bit of a branch off towards the end and an optional flight of stairs down to the edge of a vast underground lake. The cavern isn’t as elaborately decorated as some other cave systems around the world, but there’s still plenty of pretty speleothems to go ooh ahh over.






On our final morning in Nizwa we unfortunately got up too late to make it to the famed Friday morning goat market adjacent to the souq. We got there a bit after 8:30 and all that remained was a rather forlorn looking cow on the back of a ute and a tethered goat that mustn’t have been sold. We grabbed breakfast, checked out of our flat and drove to Bahla Fort which was directly on our route to our stop for the next two nights: Jebel Shams.


As luck would have it, we visited Bahla Fort on World Heritage day. The fort was added to the UNESCO list in 1987, so entry was free. The region had its heyday from the 12th to 16th centuries and the massive fort was progressively expanded during that time. Sadly there is virtually no interpretive signage inside the complex so I don’t know much more about it!



One highlight was that a couple of rooms of an outbuilding had been turned into a small art gallery exciting works of a local Omani woman artist. Her paintings were almost all of women and rich in symbolism of independence, obligation, dreams, expression, freedom and forbidden love. I was very very tempted to buy a particularly evocative painting, but the asking price was just a bit too much. Instead I got a much smaller print of said painting on canvas for AUD20.



Interspersed with visiting various sites and landmarks was more strolling around the old town, browsing the souq, visiting a few different cafes, rambling on the ramparts and taking in the relaxed vibe of Nizwa and the beauty of the place. When planning the itinerary for this trip, I wondered if 3 nights might be a bit too long to spend in Nizwa. I honestly think there’s enough in the region to use Nizwa for a base for a week and still not get bored.