Lining the coastal plains of Oman, the city of Muscat glows white under the camel tones of the basalt Al Hajar Mountains; a magnificent and eye-watering conglomeration of marble mosques and meticulously-crafted houses shining brilliantly in the Arabian sun. For centuries this city’s startling beauty has been the stuff of legend, filtering back to the ports of Europe and the west like whispers riding the trade winds.
Anyone coming here will need to do their homework first, because this sprawling and ancient city has a seriously formidable array of ‘must sees’ up its sleeve. Plan your itinerary with your Muscat tourist guide such that it encompasses the Al Jalali Fort of the walled city, the heady strips of Muttrah and the magnificent Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace.
But Muscat is no simple relic of its own past. Still a lively place that oozes energy from every pore, adventure travellers will be right at home, enjoying some offbeat scuba diving opportunities, a wealth of desert hiking operators, some of the best beaches on the Arabian Peninsula and camel trekking to boot.