Welcome to Oman

‘Ahlan wa salan! Welcome!’
 

The Sultanate of Oman could be the Arabian Peninsula’s most rewarding destination. More accessible than Saudi Arabia, safer than Yemen and more traditional than the Gulf emirates, Oman nonetheless has plenty to rival these countries’ attractions and more.

A stirring history that combines the great sweep of Bedouin tradition with some extraordinary forts and other traditional architecture; and Mutrah Souq in Muscat is a fantasy of an Arabian bazaar come-to-life, with glittering gold and clouds of incense. But it’s Oman’s diverse natural beauty that is the main drawcard. Here you’ll find wildly beautiful beaches, the jagged ramparts of mountain ranges and the perfectly sculpted sands of the fabled Empty Quarter.

It is only relatively recently that a network of roads and graded tracks, such as the coast road from Filim to Shwaymiyah, or the adventurous mountain track to the ancient tombs at Gaylah, has made it possible to penetrate Oman’s pristine landscapes, as well as its more visited ones. Muscat has been a port hub for many years, and today is the arrival point for everything from goods to cruise ships. In the Shariqiya region you'll discover some of Oman's main attractions, like the beautiful beaches of Sur, turtle nesting sites in Ras Al Jinz and the desert dunes of Shariqiya (Wahiba) Sands. Those who are sufficiently intrepid to get off the beaten track will find that they can have the desert to themselves quite easily without mounting a major expedition.

The oldest independent state in the Arab world, Oman is one of the more traditional countries in the Gulf region and was, until the 1970s, one of the most isolated. Occupying the southeast corner of the Arabian peninsula, it has a strategically important position at the mouth of the Gulf.

At one time Oman had its own empire, which at its peak in the 19th century stretched down the east African coast and vied with Portugal and Britain for influence in the Gulf and Indian Ocean.

During past epochs Oman was covered by ocean, witnessed by the large numbers of fossilized shells existing in areas of the desert away from the modern coastline.

Tourism, a source of revenue, is on the rise. The country’s attractions include a largely untouched coastline, mountains, deserts and the burgeoning capital Muscat, with its forts, palaces and old walled city.

Most Omanis follow the Ibadi sect of Islam - the only remaining expression of Kharijism, which was created as a result of one of the first schisms within the religion.

The country has so far been spared the militant Islamist violence that has plagued some of its neighbours.