Trip to Oman in 10 days to discover Muscat, Sur and Nizwa. Omani culture, habits and customs, food in an unforgettable trip to Oman.
I state that the trip I made in Oman, I did it following the tour operator's itinerary TravelYoung people and therefore I didn't organize it. However, since I see that this destination is in great demand and that many people want to know more about Oman, as well as explaining the reasons why I liked it and things you need to know before leaving, I would also like to give you an idea, in principle, of the route and the cities to visit.
If you want to exaggerate and make a truly unforgettable trip and maybe even more low cost, prefer the arrival by plane to Dubai. Dubai is far from Muscat, the capital of Oman, only 5 hours by car and 50 minutes by plane. There are excellent flights to Dubai from Italy even low cost, much more than Oman and Muscat, if nothing else.
Muscat, the capital
Muscat is a city built on the sea, in front you find the Gulf of Oman and the seafront is the liveliest area, in my opinion. Don't miss the old city, Muttrah, where the museum, to better understand the Omani culture (cost 1 rial), the largest censer in the world and the Sultan's Palace.
For the rest I advise you to concentrate on the area of souk, the large market overlooking the sea. Any taxi driver can take you from the old city for a maximum of 3 total rials.
In the souk you will find lots of gifts to do and things to take home, if you have a way to return on the last day of your trip to this city, I advise you to spend all the money you have left at the end, you will be even more skilled in bargaining which here is not an offense at all.
Next to the souk, on the sea, you will find several places to eat hamburgers, sandwiches, falafel and very few rials. Do you think that for a hamburger with fries and a pepsi, I spent 1.60 rial, about € 3. If you want to do a day of shopping to see local life this is where you have to come.
In Muscat, you don't have to miss it for anything in the world Great Mosque of Muscat, open to tourists only on Saturday mornings until 11. A wonder that I am sure will leave you speechless, as it happened to me.
Accomodation
In Muscat I slept for 3 nights at Ruwi Hotel, a good 3 star hotel with swimming pool, good breakfast and above all abundant and wifi both in the hall and in the room. The Hotel is not exactly in the center, but outside the hotel you will always find taxis and many bars and restaurants where to eat, you will be spoiled for choice. From here the sea and the souk are just 15 minutes by taxi. The cost of the hotel varies, but inside the rate was 70 rials per night.
Nizwa,
Nizwa is a point of "support" to visit everything in central Oman. Here you can easily spend two nights and go on short excursions. In the city be sure to see the Fort of Nizwa, which I liked very much and the characteristic souk, where you will find a bar that offers excellent pomegranate juices but also an Illy Caffè, for those who just can't stay without coffee. Obviously the cost of a coffee is about 2 rials (pomegranate juice is 0,30) but the taste is not bad at all.
The excursions from Nizwa that in my opinion you should not miss are in my opinion the one at Wadi Ghul, the Grand Canyon of Oman, even if there is nothing else to do or see there except carpets and Omani women who will want to sell you bracelets and necklaces made by them (never without seeming insistent) and the locality of Misfat al Abreyeen .
Misfat al Abreyeen
Misfat al Abreyeen is a place that I found wonderful. The village is built on a hill and its inhabitants organized agriculture by terracing. You go down and up the stairs they cross palm and banana groves. You see people working, children playing in the irrigation canals, the same ones you can find in Madeira Island Moreover. The houses are built with earth and little else and walking through the alleys of this town is something incredible.
The place has been "discovered" by tourists for a few years and the inhabitants are now getting used to seeing new people and different faces in their streets. Here I give you two very important tips. First of all for women, as I have already said in other posts on Oman, do not go too bare legs and with necklines, the second advice is to never point the camera or camera in someone's face. If you see a place that you would like to photograph first ask them, otherwise you risk not only offending their culture, but also something more .. and I won't add anything else :)
Markets not to be missed
A few km from Nizwa is located Ibra, where a beautiful one is held on Wednesday mornings market run by Bedouin women and forbidden to men. If you can go, do it. Many organize the travel program in Oman also based on this visit because it is really worth it. Another important market is the animal market held every Friday in the city of Nizwa, it is important to be there very early. Finally, the last market I recommend you to see is the fish market, where it is still held the fish auction every morning, it takes place in Barka a few kilometers from Muscat.
One night in the Wahiba Sand desert
If you can, treat yourself to a night in the desert. I tried it in for the first time Jordan and then I retorted with Oman. The desert of these two countries is very different, I must be honest, and the Omani one of Wahiba Sand I liked it more. Red, soft, velvety and a goosebumps sunset. Here you can book and sleep at Safari desert camp, all the costs of excursions and overnight stays can be found on the site. The overnight stay also includes dinner and breakfast. Be sure to get up early in the morning and take a ride with the first light of dawn… you will thank me. In the desert you can stay there even more than one night, but honestly I recommend only one, if you live it well, it will be enough!
Once out of the desert do not miss a stop at Wadi Bani Khaled. A path of just under 5 minutes on foot will take you to a large freshwater basin where you can cool off. Here there is also a small restaurant and a path leading to the caves. Unfortunately when I went the caves were "dry", but I was still able to make the beautiful path to reach, half on foot and half by swimming, following a stream where you have to swim without touching.
There is nothing dangerous, but if you have beach shoes bring them because it is full of pebbles and it slips a lot. The show is incredible, needless to tell you!
Sur, the city by the sea
Once past the desert you will be in Sur, my favorite city among the ones I have seen in Oman. Sur is a different city, with incredible sunsets, do not miss the one at the lighthouse of the city and a unique charm.
Unfortunately I was too little to give you good advice, other than to visit the Boat Museum, where traditional wooden ships, unique in the world, are also built. The nearby town of Tiwi worth a visit, but you can go there the next day as you reach the Wadi Shab - to get to the most spectacular point where even swimming takes about an hour of walking. Returning to Sur, finally, do not miss the beautiful town of Quriyat.
Accomodation
In Sur you can sleep in the hotel where I stayed, a beautiful hotel not on the sea, but in an area a bit far from the city center, this was the only flaw. The Sur Plaza Hotel it has beautiful rooms, great wifi and a great breakfast. The hotel is a 4 star and if you come straight from the desert night I recommend it!
Where to see the turtles
One of Oman's attractions and also a tourist catcher (so be careful) are the turtles. There are specific areas and beaches where turtles go to spawn, cyclically, but they are not located near Muscat as some would have you believe - cheating you. Turtles spawn all year round, mainly in the warm months it is true, but all year round, on the beaches near Sur. The reserves of Ras al hadd of Ras al Jinz they are the favorite and best equipped to see turtles. If you have a day available I recommend you to sleep here and to follow that visit starts at 4 in the morning, not that of 21.30 pm, because you will be much more likely to see them.
Here you cannot take pictures, you cannot bring lights or telephones, it is absolutely forbidden to make noise, which could disturb both the laying and hatching of turtle eggs. Seeing it ... is a spectacle of nature that will pay off everything.
Natural oases that you must not miss
In addition to Wadi Shab and Wadi Bani Khaled, I advise you not to miss the Sinkhole. The depression of the ground that created this natural wonder, I must say, is much more beautiful in photos than in live. Live you can swim, but the site is inside a small park, usually full of goats, in the middle of nowhere. If you want to photograph it, rest assured that it will look gorgeous, but it doesn't drop more than an hour of your time.
On a next trip to Oman I would love to see the part from the south down, so true Yemen, have any of you done it? #NomadsModerns
