Oman - attractions

Oman is a real country of oriental tales. Before the tourists who came here, they discover truly fabulous opportunities. This excursion and gastronomic tours, lazy beach holidays and active entertainment. First of all travelers - especially those who came here for the first time - are eager to see the main tourist facilities of the country. To visit, if not all, then at least the most important ones, see the full list of sultanate sights of Oman, their description and photos.

Oman is a real country of oriental tales. Before the tourists who came here, they discover truly fabulous opportunities. This excursion and gastronomic tours, lazy beach holidays and active entertainment. First of all travelers - especially those who came here for the first time - are eager to see the main tourist facilities of the country. To visit, if not all, then at least the most important ones, see the full list of sultanate sights of Oman, their description and photos.

For convenience, they are all divided into 2 groups - natural and historical-cultural.

Natural Attractions of Oman

All tourists who have ever rested here are unanimous in the opinion that the nature of this country is its main attraction. Thanks to the unique location of Oman in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula, it absorbed all the best that there is in this region:

1. Mountains . In the northern and southern parts of Oman stretched from the west to the east two mountain systems. The northern - mountainous system of Hajjar - is a crescent, separating the narrow coastal fertile part of the country from the arid inner regions. In the south, on the border with Yemen, the Dhofar Plateau stretches. In the mountains of Oman, stunning sunsets and fantastic views. Climbing one of the peaks - for example, Ash Sham or Jabal-Kaur - is impressive and memorable for a long time.
2. Wadi . This is a special natural landmark, typical for a country with a desert climate. There are no constant rivers here: the canals are filled with water only in winter, and in summer they dry up and form original natural roads, on which adventurous safari trips are carried out by foreigners. The most picturesque in Oman are Wadi Shaab, Wadi Bani Anuf and Wadi Bani Khalid.
3. The caves . Speleology in Oman is an actively developing direction of tourism. The fact is that the main mountain system of the country, the Hajar, is very old, and under the influence of erosion, caves, gorges and crevices have been formed here for centuries. Today they are studied by specialists, and travelers are exploring already "refined" places of descent to the ground. With a little stretch, you can call a cave and the famous Bimmach failure , filled with salt water of a stunning turquoise hue.
4. Underwater beauty. Due to its geographical location, Oman boasts a very beautiful, lively and almost untouched underwater world, which only a few scuba diving lovers have appreciated so far. Among the local residents, diving is scarcely popular, and there is not a large influx of tourists here. Professional dive centers are only about 5, and the most popular sites are the islands Daymaniyat and Fahal, Bandar Khayran in the bays of Muscat , The Caves, LimaRock, RasLima in Musandam and Mirbat in the vicinity of the city ​​of Salalah .
5. Waterfalls. They can be seen in the mountains - it's Raysut Waterfalls, Ayn Athum, Ayn Tubrook and Hoqain Waterfalls. To appreciate the beauty of Oman's waterfalls, it's enough to book a jeep excursion through a mountainous area - for example, from Salalah.
6. Beaches . The ocean coast is hardly a landmark, but it is the center of attraction for all tourists heading to Oman. You can relax on its beaches in any of the popular resorts - Sohar , Sahm, Barca , Sib, Muscat, Masira Island , Dukm, Mirbat, Salalah. The best beaches are waiting for tourists at large resorts , but if you want on the rugged coast of the country you can find cozy coves, where, except for you, there will be no other visitors. It is for such a holiday that many people fly to Oman.
7. Fjords . In Oman you can see what you will not see in any Middle Eastern country - these are the bays, which here are called fjords. Of course, they are far away from the famous Norwegian fjords, but to take a boat trip along the picturesque watery surface surrounded by rocky mountains is a great pleasure!
8. Wahib Desert . This is an interesting place, which every guest is obliged to visit. Usually, trips in the desert on a jeep take up to 3 days, for which you can study it completely and, of course, do selfie against the backdrop of characteristic dunes for the Wahib Desert.
9. Parks and protected areas . The authorities of the Sultanate value their natural resources and wealth very much, therefore many corners of the country today are nature reserves. The most popular among foreign guests today are Al-Kurm National Park (possibly due to its location in the capital), as well as al-Harus, al-Nasim, Parks of Raiam and Kalbo.

Architectural and Historical Cultural Attractions of Oman

Not only tourists come to admire the nature. The ancient history of the country and its rich culture are embodied in dozens of architectural monuments and hundreds of museum artifacts. The most popular among them:

1. The Sultan Qabo Mosque is the main religious landmark of Oman in general and Muscat in particular. This is a huge building with 5 minarets, decorating the capital since 2001. Sultan Qaboos personally financed its construction, presenting his subjects with a magnificent example of modern Islamic architecture. The mosque became famous thanks to a giant carpet for prayers, woven by hand - the largest in the world.
2. Museums. There are not many of them in Oman, so it's possible to see everything for one trip. The main museums of the country are Bai Adam and the National Museum of Oman. The first is a private institution that displays historical exhibits (ancient ornaments, weapons, maps, newspapers, portraits of sultans) to tourists. The second is a state museum with several large permanent galleries. Also interesting for visiting the historical and ethnographic museum Beit el-Zubayr, the Sultan Museum of the Armed Forces, the Museum of Natural History, the Children's Museum.
3. The Sultan's Palace. It is the residence of the dynasty of the rulers of Oman, from where they have ruled the state for 200 years now. The building has a unique architecture, where the Omani and Indian styles intertwined. All tourists try to get to the palace square to see one of the main sights of the capital of Oman, although access to the interior for the public is closed.
4. The Royal Muscat Opera House. This is the center of the cultural life of the country. It is interesting how to look at the building itself, built in the best traditions of the East, and appreciate the repertoire of the theater. It was opened in Muscat in 2011. It is noteworthy that this is not just an opera, but a large multifunctional complex where about 50 shops and boutiques, several fashionable restaurants of Oman cuisine and a craft center where you can buy unique souvenirs are also working.
5. Forts . This category of Oman's sights is the most extensive, after all, about 500 ancient fortresses scattered throughout the country fall under it. Most of them are in ruins, but some are perfectly preserved and today are popular objects of tourism. Among the most visited forts are the following: Bahla , Nizwa, Al-Jalali , Nahal, Khasab , Jabrin Castle , etc.