Must do's in Muscat, Oman
Looking to chase the sun with a not too long flight and reasonable time difference found us choosing a break in Muscat, Oman.
After a night flight to Muscat International airport we grabbed a local licensed taxi and rove off to our hotel The Crown Plaza at Qurum beach, we were a little early for our room check in but were offered refreshments up on the executive floor whilst we waited. Today we would just familiarise ourselves with our hotel and the local area and plan our days ahead in Muscat ( The pool area and bar of the hotel were just the place to do this). Oman is a dry country but alcohol is sold in the hotels and some large restaurants.
Refreshed after a good sleep and breakfast we walked out of our hotel and along the main promenade, it was early around 7:30am and our plan was to walk to the local opera house before the sun got too hot and take advantage of a talk and tour for OMR3, around £6 which was well worth it. The building is an engineering marvel, fabulous architecture and stunning interior. Built by order of the Sultan Qaboos in an Islamic and Italianate architecture style it was officially opened in 2011 and glows in a finish of locally sourced limestone and Stucco. By now the sun was beating down and we availed ourselves in a cool air conditioned coffee bar before returning to our hotel.
Transport in Muscat really is private taxi, there is no public transport to speak of but the hotel runs a daily shuttle into Mutrah so we hopped on that in the afternoon and found ourselves in a bustling little sea port with sights and scenes of the Souq before us, a traditional bazaar known locally as Al Dhalam ( Darkness in Arabic) and is possibly the oldest Souq in the Arabic world. A warren of alleyways selling household goods, jewellery, shoes, perfume oils and an amazing range of spices, the scent filling the air. Delicious samosas sold by the dozen were a welcome snack before we sat down for a traditional coffee in a small upstairs coffee bar taking in the view across the water.
Just a short walk away was the Muttrah Fort, built by the Portuguese in the 1580’s and dominates the harbour. We climbed up the side of the fort, it has only just re opened to the public since undergoing extensive renovations. Beautiful sweeping views from its location on the top of the narrow hill facing the sea. Three circular towers, a huge one on the summit and two smaller ones.
A short taxi ride from here took us to the Sultans Palace, Al Alam palace to give its official name. You can’t go inside the inner grounds of the palace but its a good place for a photo opportunity, the faced of gold and blue pillars with an avenue of palm trees leading to grand royal court buildings and also the new national museum.
No trip would be complete without a visit to the Sultan Quaboos Grand Mosque, the main mosque. A major feature of the interior is the prayer carpet bringing classical Persian Tabnz, Kashan and Isfahan design, weighing 21 tonnes, 28 colours and covering over 4000 square meters, a sight to behold!
The dress code in Oman is strict, ladies heads must be covered with a scarf and full arm and leg covered too. You will be refused entry if you don’t adhere to this but you can hire suitable attire for your visit if necessary.
