Things not to miss

#01 Turtle-watching at Ras al Jinz

The nation’s most memorable wildlife spectacle: hundreds of Green turtles hauling themselves up out of the ocean to lay their eggs on this remote Sharqiya beach.

© Marcin Szymczak/Shutterstock

#02 Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

A splendid example of modern Islamic architecture – and also the only mosque in the country open to non-Muslims.

© Anton Rogozin/Shutterstock

#03 Muttrah Souk

Oman’s most colourful souk is a disorienting labyrinth of tiny alleyways piled high with a bewildering array of exotic merchandise.

© Philip Lange/Shutterstock

#04 Khor ash Sham

Take a dhow cruise through Musandam’s most spectacular khor (fjord), keeping an eye out for pods of frolicking dolphins.

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#05 Dhofar during the khareef

Arabia with a difference, as the arid mountains encircling Salalah turn green during the annual khareef (monsoon).

#06 Al Ayn

Magical cluster of Bronze Age beehive tombs atop a ridge at the edge of the Western Hajar

© MicheleB/Shutterstock

#07 Sur

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Personable old port town, with a beautiful harbour and waterfront, and the last surviving dhow yard in the sultanate.

© lkpro/Shutterstock

#08 Hiking in the Western Hajar

Tackle one of the exhilarating hiking routes which crisscross the airy heights and dramatic wadis of this stunning mountain range.

© Kylie Nicholson/Shutterstock

#09 Frankincense

Aromatic wafts of frankincense smoke pervade every corner of the country, from traditional souks to modern hotels.

© Simon Kadula/Shutterstock

#10 Jebel Harim

Follow the road up into the spectacular mountains of inland Musandam, looking out for cave dwellings, bizarre rock formations, fossils and petroglyphs en route.

© Luigi Morbidelli/Shutterstock

#11 Saiq Plateau

Refreshingly breezy mountain plateau, dotted with a string of spectacular traditional villages teetering on the brink of the cavernous Wadi al Ayn.

#12 Jabrin Fort

Of the five-hundred-odd forts scattered around the country, this is the finest: an absorbing maze of a place showcasing some of the country’s most memorable traditional architecture and interiors.

#13 Misfat al Abryeen

Traditional Oman at its most magical, with a time-warped cluster of antiquated mudbrick houses in a lofty mountain setting.

© LUC KOHNEN/Shutterstock

#14 Diving

Explore an unspoiled underwater paradise of colourful corals and magnificent marine life.

© divedog/Shutterstock

#15 The Rustaq Loop

Absorbing journey though the inland Batinah in the shadow of the Western Hajar, boasting some of the country’s finest forts and most scenic wadis.

#16 Nizwa

Oman’s most historic town, with a picture-perfect huddle of souks and sand-coloured buildings clustered around one of the country’s mightiest forts.

© Pearl-diver/Shutterstock

#17 A night in the desert

Sleep out amid the vast dunes of the Wahiba Sands or Rub al Khali under a sky full of stars.

#18 Jebel Shams and Wadi Nakhr

The country’s highest peak, tumbling dramatically into the depths of Wadi Nakhr, Oman’s “Grand Canyon”.

#19 Wadi Bani Auf

The classic Omani off-road drive, straight down the near-vertical escarpment of the Western Hajar via the idyllic village of Bilad Sayt and the spectacular Snake Canyon to the plains below.

Travel advice for Oman

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