Why Oman Should Be Your Client’s Next Favourite Destination

There are some destinations you visit because they’re famous. Then there are the ones you visit and think, “Why didn’t I come here sooner?”

Oman feels like the latter.

It has the dramatic landscapes, beautiful beaches and ancient history you’d expect from a Middle Eastern escape, but it also feels refreshingly calm. There are no huge skyscrapers dominating every skyline, no endless resort strips and, outside the main sights, plenty of space to simply enjoy where you are.

From the streets of Muscat to the desert of Wahiba Sands, Oman is a country of contrasts and that’s exactly what makes it so interesting.

Start in Muscat

Your first stop will probably be Muscat, and it’s a brilliant introduction to Oman.

The city sits between rugged mountains and the sea, with whitewashed buildings, mosques and traditional markets giving it a very different feel from some of the Gulf’s better-known cities.

Take a look inside the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, wander through Mutrah Souq and spend some time around the waterfront.

But don’t feel like you need to rush from one sight to another.

One of the nicest things about Muscat is simply taking your time stopping for coffee, wandering through the old streets and watching the mountains change colour as the sun moves across the sky.

Then head into the desert

From the city, the landscape changes dramatically.

The Wahiba Sands stretch for hundreds of kilometres, with huge rolling dunes creating the sort of scenery that looks almost too perfect to be real.

This is where we’d slow things down again.

Spend a night at a desert camp, watch the sunset from the dunes and, if you’re feeling adventurous, head out for a 4×4 drive across the sand.

And then there’s the night sky.

With so little light pollution, the desert is an incredible place to look up once the sun has gone down.

It’s one of those travel experiences that doesn’t need much explaining. You just have to be there.

Find a wadi

Oman isn’t all desert.

Far from it.

Some of the country’s most beautiful places are its wadis natural valleys where water has carved its way through the landscape, creating pools of clear turquoise water surrounded by dramatic rock formations.

Wadi Shab is one of the most popular, and for good reason. Getting there involves a little walking and a short boat ride before you’re rewarded with some seriously beautiful scenery.

If you fancy a swim, this is the place.

Just remember your water shoes.

Drive through the Hajar Mountains

If you like a good road trip, Oman is going to make you very happy.

The Hajar Mountains cut across the northern part of the country, with winding roads, mountain villages and enormous views around almost every corner.

Head towards Jebel Shams, often known as the “Grand Canyon of Oman”, or explore the cooler mountain landscapes around Jebel Akhdar.

The drive itself is part of the experience.

And don’t be surprised if you find yourself pulling over every few minutes for another photograph.

There’s a coastline too

One of the things we love about Oman is how easy it is to forget just how varied the country is.

After mountains and desert, you can be standing beside the Arabian Sea.

Oman has long stretches of coastline, quiet beaches and clear water, and the coastal scenery around places such as Salalah is particularly beautiful.

If you’re visiting at the right time of year, Salalah’s khareef season transforms the surrounding landscape into something surprisingly green and lush.

It’s another side of Oman that many first-time visitors don’t expect.

And then there’s the food…

You can’t talk about Oman without mentioning the food.

Expect plenty of fragrant rice, grilled meats, seafood, dates, flatbreads and warming spices. And make sure you try shuwa, a traditional Omani dish where meat is slow-cooked for hours, often for special occasions.

Omani cuisine doesn’t always get the same attention as some of its Middle Eastern neighbours, but that’s part of the fun.

Try a little of everything. Sit down for a long meal. Order something you’ve never had before.

That’s how you discover your new favourites.

So, why Oman?

Because it gives you a little bit of everything without feeling like you’re being rushed from one experience to the next.

You can explore a historic souq in the morning, swim in a turquoise wadi in the afternoon and watch the sunset from a desert dune that evening.

You can drive through mountains, eat incredible food, meet incredibly welcoming people and spend time on a coastline that still feels wonderfully unspoilt.

And perhaps most importantly, Oman doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard to impress you.

It just does.

If you’re looking for somewhere a little different for your next big trip, we’d put Oman firmly on the list.

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