Category Archives: Muscat

Discover the Rich Omani Culture in Muscat through These Experiences

Oman’s capital city, Muscat is a scenic holiday destination set on the edges of an arid desert. Overlooking magnificent emerald seas, the city has a lot to offer to tourists presenting a unique Arabian holiday.

Muscat

Take a look at these interesting things you can do in Muscat for an ideal holiday experience:

Sightseeing

With a number of tourist attractions, especially historical ones, Muscat is a perfect place for sightseeing. Visitors can discover Jalali and Mirani Forts – the famous historical attractions built in the 16th century by the Portuguese to have a peek into the nation’s interesting heritage. The Muscatrestored forts at Jabrin, Rustaq, and Nizwa are some other interesting places where you can spend an ideal day with your family. Besides, there is Al Alam Palace, the most prominent landmark of the city to experience a unique fusion of the ethnic and Indian traditions.

Diving

Muscat invites a large number of divers from different parts of the world all year round. The city offers an array of diving opportunities both within the city and down the shoreline to the south of the city. Visitors can delight in a clear look of some incredible marine creatures in the unspoilt Omani waters and can enjoy spotting whale sharks, barracudas, sunfish and turtles while diving. A holiday to Oman must include this thrilling experience in Muscat.

Dining

Food lovers can have a great culinary experience in Muscat. There are several types of restaurants all across the city offering exceptional dinning opportunities to guests. From the traditional Arabian to Indian to Chinese cuisine, you have a lot of choices to try here in the city. Al Hanan is the place to head to for delicious Indian dishes whereas Al Tarboosh is famed for serving scrumptious Arabian delicacies. Besides, you should not miss enjoying a meal at La Sultanah – a fine dining restaurant set in an ocean liner for a distinctive dining experience.

Shopping

Shopping is one great experience in Muscat; shoppers can spend a beautiful time here discovering luxury malls and street markets. For a contemporary shopping experience in the city, Muscat City Centre Mall is just the perfect place to be. You can find here several stores of Shopping in Muscatwell-known clothing brands including Gap and Banana Republic. If you wish to grab traditional Omani items as souvenirs, you can go for beautiful pottery, handmade khanjars (daggers), and silver jewellery etc.

Exploring Qantab Beach

Tourists in Muscat would love to spend a few hours at the Qantab Beach. Whether you are holidaying with your family or friends, you can have an ideal time here indulging in some leisure activities such as swimming and picnicking. You can also simply relax and admire beautiful views of the beach while having a cool drink. All in all, it is a beautiful place to experience serenity in the city.

Holidays in Muscat: What to do

Shadowed by the rocky Al Hazar Mountains on the west and overlooking the Arabian Sea on the East, the ancient city and the capital of Oman, Muscat, is ranked amongst the most stunning destinations in the Middle East. Apart from the smorgasbord of places to explore and activities to indulge in, the city’s proximity to desert, forts and historical ruins leads to an ultimate holiday experience.

Muscat

Here is a list of places to explore and activities to indulge in Muscat.

Panoramic view from Muscat Gate Museum

Built above the official gate used to guard the old city of Muscat, the Muscat Gate Museum is a historical piece of architecture not to miss. The museum makes use of vintage photographs to narrate Muscat’s story and the way the ancient gate was used to check movement in and out of the city. The panoramic view from the top of the museum will leave you spellbound.

A show at Royal Opera House, Muscat

Royal Opera House is Oman’s premier venue for cultural and musical evenings. The list of legendary artist groups to have performed here includes the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the American Ballet Theatre, Soprano Renee Fleming, Placido Domingo and Yo Yo Ma. The pipe organ concert with the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra is a majestic experience.

A Persian Carpet weaved over four years!

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is home to one of the largest Persian Carpets in the world. This marvel, weaved in over four years by more than 600 women, hangs in the impressively built main prayer hall. The Sulatn Qaboos Grand Mosque, located near the international airport is perhaps the best introduction to Oman and the city of Muscat.

A Walk by the Muttrah Cornice

Muttrah, the main port in Muscat resembles a beautiful small village situated by the stunning waters. The walk from Muttrah stretches all the way down to Old Muscat. There are multiple shops in between offering artefacts crafted by local artisans. You can also stop for a quick bite at the local eateries.  If you feel like cycling down the cornice, there are cycles available for free in the morning.

The Big Bus Tour

With first bus starting at around nine in the morning, the hop on hop off big bus tour is perhaps the best way to discover Muscat in a single day. The bus covers all the major buildings and other tourist attractions in fewer than 120 minutes. However, the passengers are free to hop off at locations of their choice, explore and hop on the next bus from the nearby stop. The view of the city from the Muttrah fort, a must visit attraction during the Muscat tour, is a lauding one.