OMAN – The Desert Rose

Oman: Currency, Communication & Transport

Oman is a quiet and understated country located in the southeastern part of the Persian Gulf. The country is primarily divided into two parts: coastal and desert areas, and rural regions beyond the Al-Hajar mountains. Oman shares its borders with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and Muscat, its capital, is the largest city. The exchange rate for 1 Omani Riyal is about 217 INR. Oman maintains friendly relations with India and Indians.

A trip to Oman had long been on my mind, and this September, I decided to spend eight days in this beautiful country. We took a flight from Mumbai, which took about 2.5 hours. Muscat, with its beautiful mosques, gardens, and malls, is the largest city. It also boasts a lovely beach in the city center, known as Qurum beach.

We planned to spend two days in Muscat. Car travel is the most convenient mode of transportation in the city. You can use local blue cabs or download the ‘OTaxi’ app, which is similar to Uber and quite affordable.
We stayed at the Royal Tulip Hotel; a 4-star property centrally located within 3-4 km of the city’s main attractions. The room tariff for double occupancy, including breakfast, was about 7,000 INR per day. Lulu Exchange and several good eateries are within walking distance from the hotel.

I brought USD from India, but unfortunately, it is not accepted as regular currency in Oman, so I had to convert it to OMR. For currency exchange, you need an Indian passport with a visa stamp. I went to Lulu Exchange for the conversion.

WhatsApp doesn’t work for calling in Oman, so you need to download a VPN. Super VPN works best. Mobile connectivity is excellent, with ‘Ooredoo’ being the best network. I opted for a 12 GB, 7-day plan for 12 OMR, which worked well throughout my stay. Google Maps generally works fine, but some attractions are marked inaccurately by a few hundred meters.

Oman: Muscat City Attractions

Muscat is easy to navigate. After resting on the first day, we spent the evening at Mutrah Souq, the oldest grand street market in Muscat, featuring fashion jewellery, clothing, and spices. Bargaining is common, sometimes reaching up to 50%.

We spent two hours in the market and then walked around the old city along the corniche, which cuts through small streets and leads to the palace and museum. The weather was pleasant, making our 4 km walk along the sea enjoyable.

The next day, we hired a cab to visit city attractions, starting at 8 am when the weather was still bearable. Our first stop was Sultan Qaboos Mosque, a grand mosque where visitors must be fully covered. The mosque is beautiful and photogenic, with huge hallways and grand chandeliers. At the entrance, the police provide instructions for appropriate dressing and offer headcovers if needed.

From the Grand Mosque, we went to the Royal Opera House, National Museum, Al Alam Palace, and finally, Al Mirani Fort. These attractions can be easily visited within six hours. The Royal Opera House and National Museum were our favorites. We also visited two beautiful viewpoints: Bandar Al Khairan and Yiti Round viewpoint, offering fantastic views of the gulf. We had coffee at the beautiful Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, a seaside property on the outskirts of Muscat.

In the evening, we visited the Mall of Muscat, where we had a good Indian dinner and did some shopping.

Oman: Hills, Ruins, Desert & Wadis

The next day, we started from the hotel at 9 am after a heavy breakfast, aiming to reach Jebel Shams, with a stop at the very old village of Misfat Al Abriyeen. Oman has an excellent road network with minimal traffic. The distance from Muscat to Jebel Shams is about 240 km, taking about 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Misfat Al Abriyeen is a lovely village with mud houses, known for the local Al Abriyeen tribe. Car parking is at the entrance of the village, and you need to walk about 200 meters. Local pottery shops sell artifacts. We explored the narrow lanes and visited the highest point of the village at Halwa Coffee, a café offering lovely coffee and snacks. The views from this spot are amazing.

After two hours of amazing stay, we started our 55 kms drive to Jebel Shams. The last 40 kms are hilly with steep turns, requiring expert driving. A 4×4 SUV is recommended for safety. The last 10 km is a bumpy kuccha road.

Jebel Shams, the highest peak in Oman at about 3,200 meters, is known as the Grand Canyon of the Middle East. We stayed at Sama Heights, a beautiful hotel built out of stones, surrounded by mountains. We booked two private chalets with large balconies overlooking the mountains. The hotel had a restaurant but with limited vegetarian options and only a few guests.

The next day, we went for a hike starting at 6:30 am. The hike, through hill stones, is tricky for non-regular walkers. We saw mountain goats and local shepherds, making for good photographs. After 1-2 kms, there is a small stall selling tea and coffee. The hike provides beautiful views of the cliffs. Direction signs made up of the Omani flag guide the trek path.

After the hike, we moved to Nizwa, a 1,600-year-old town about 100 km from Jebel Shams. We stayed at Nizwa Heritage Inn, a small hotel with clean rooms and at a central location. We paid only 3,000 INR per day, including breakfast!

We hired a battery-operated vehicle to tour the town, taking about 90 minutes.

We visited the fort, which took two hours, including a coffee break at Nizwa Café. The fort and market are photogenic, offering a wide array of pottery artefacts; we bought some good souvenirs and pottery items. The Nizwa Souq is active on Fridays for animal trading, which can get uncomfortably smelly for vegetarians.

After dinner, we retired for the night.

Next morning, from Nizwa, we moved to Bidiyah, a large desert area in central Oman. On the way, we visited an abandoned village called Birkat Al Mouz, about 1,000 years old. It is a small non-touristy village with narrow lanes. A small café offers coffee and snacks. The village with mud houses, and surrounded by khajoor(dates) trees is truly instaworthy.

Bidiyah is about 150 km from Birkat Al Mouz, a two-hour drive. We stayed at Desert Night Resort, renting a villa with two bedrooms. We parked our car around 20 kms before the desert at a petrol pump(very safe), and the resort provided further transport. The abode is amidst sand dunes, perfect for sunset photography and stargazing.

The next morning, we went dune bashing and then checked out of the resort. This was one of the most average days of our trip, as we had experienced similar activities in the UAE and Rajasthan.

Marine Life & Coastal Road Drive

Next, we went to Ras Al Jinz in Al Hadd province, the easternmost part of Oman. On the way, we visited Wadi Bani Khalid, a lovely wadi with natural turquoise colour springs. It’s about 50 kms from Bidiyah. Google Maps’ pin location is incorrect, so we had to drive 2.5 kms ahead. A small shop at the entrance sells cookies and coffee. After parking, we walked about 300 meters to reach the wadi with two ponds. The larger pond is further ahead. A guide helped us explore the area. The wadi is beautiful and worth spending a couple of hours.

From Wadi Bani Khalid, we drove to Ras Al Jinz, about 200 km away, passing through some scenic vistas. The drive included high mountains and elevated roads, with complete silence in the last 50 kms. This drive was one of my best experiences ever, comparable to the Great Ocean Drive in Australia and the Mojave Desert drive in the USA.

We stayed at Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve, located on the beach and managed by Oman Tourism Corporation. The beach is renowned for nesting endangered green turtles, the most important nesting concentration in the Indian Ocean. Guided tours allow visitors to watch the turtles nesting. We saw at least 10 nests and witnessed the unique nesting process.

In the morning, we saw about 30 hatchlings running towards the sea, a mesmerizing sight. The raw, clean beach, with rocks on both sides, felt like a private place. The hotel served vegetarian food on demand, prepared by two Indian cooks.

After the morning tour and breakfast, we started our drive back to Muscat, covering the 250 kms coastal drive via Sur. This drive passes through the beautiful coastline and serene beaches, making it extremely scenic and picturesque.

We took a detour inside Sur town but didn’t find much of interest. Our first stop was at Fins and Pebble Beach, about 50 kms from Sur town. The beach is lovely, with clean, blue-green water. There are hardly any restaurants or eateries, so carry your own water and snacks.

The drive from Ras Al Jinz to Muscat, with its beautiful coastline, serene beaches, and winding roads with no traffic, was unforgettable.

Points to Remember on an Oman Trip
• Oman is hot year-round, so carry light cotton clothes.
• Cover your head in mosques and avoid shorts in large public places.
• Driving is enjoyable, so hire a car from many car shops in Muscat.
• WhatsApp doesn’t work; download Super VPN for connectivity.
• Oman is an important turtle nesting site.
• The national symbol of Oman is the Khanjar (Dagger).