Things not to miss

Rough Guides Editors

5/10/2019

#01 Turtle-watching at Ras al Jinz

© 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.

continued below

Related articles from the blog

#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

continued below

Related Rough Guides travel guides

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

Find even more inspiration for Oman here