Souqs

The traditional Arabic market place is called the souq and these are found in many of the towns throughout the Sultanate. One of the oldest preserved souqs in Oman is in Muttrah, on the Corniche. Gold and silver jewellery is found in abundance as well as numerous wooden carvings, ornaments and spices. Muttrah souq is a maze of pathways leading in and out of each other. 'Household' goods make up the bulk of the souq, but browsing through some of the smaller shops may result in a lucky find. Bargaining is a must, however. Gold and silver are well priced and mainly sold by weight. Good buys are silver khanjars (the traditional Omani dagger, worn by men) and incense burners.

Nizwa souq hosts a lively cattle market early each Friday morning where cows, goats and sheep are auctioned. The obstinate behaviour of the animals often provides great amusement for the spectators. There is an abundance of local handicrafts and produce in the covered souq. Silversmiths can be seen hammering patterns into the hilts of khanjars and women sell the birka, a glittering, embroidered facemask worn by local ladies.
Sinaw souq is best visited early in the morning on weekends. It has similar ware to Nizwa souq, including a cattle market. Some of the silver shops sell the old silver Bedouin jewellery, but you have to look hard. This is actually the new souq, the old one being situated to the rear. The old one is now abandoned.
Ibra souq is open to all, as long as you are female! It is a fairly recent innovation, opened in 1990 and is held on Wednesday mornings. It is the only souq in Oman which lends itself totally to the needs of women. Lotions, cosmetics, powders, textiles, perfumes and henna are amongst some of the items on sale.

Parks and Gardens

For what is typically considered a 'desert country', Oman astounds the visitor with its verdant gardens, and elaborate floral displays lining the highways and byways. All the parks are free to enter and usually have small snack shops or drinks stands. Some parks, in or near to Muscat district are as follows:
Qurum Natural Park was opened in 1993 and is 570,000m2, the largest park in Muscat. The park contains a large boating lake and fountain, 'Waterfall Hill', Sultan Qaboos' Rose Garden and meandering pathways, weaving amongst pungent-smelling shrubs and floral beds.
Past Seeb International Airport, heading towards Sohar, just off the highway, is Naseem Park which has, amongst many other features, an Arabic garden, Japanese garden, mini falaj system and a small train capable of holding 70 passengers which circumnavigates the park.
Riyam Park, on Muttrah Corniche, is a favourite park with children. It is a huge, rambling place whose main feature is an enormous incense burner which, when climbed, provides stunning views of the nearby harbour and surrounding seacliffs. A static fairground is open from 4pm each day providing thrills and spills for the young and the young-at-heart.
Khalbuh Park is located a little further along the Corniche from Riyam Park. It has a small, children's play area and an amphitheatre for concerts by local artists and bands.

Forts and Castles

There are hundreds of forts and citadels in Oman. These huge stone structures were built to protect against invaders and whole communities have lived and worked in and around them for centuries.

Nakhl Fort (Al Batinah) is within an hour's drive of Muscat and provides a morning of sight-seeing. The fort is 350 years old and is set in a gorge, surrounded by a mountain enclave. In 1990, sympathetic restoration work began, using traditional building materials and period furnishings. The carved master gate is believed to date back to the 1830's during the reign of Sayyid Said bin Sultan.

Nizwa Fort (A'Dakhliyah) was completed in 1668 and guards the route through the Sumail Gap to the Interior regions. The fort was once used as the Imam's headquarters and is a stronghold designed to withstand some of the most aggressive sieges. The traditional doors are inches deep and over the lintel of each is a hole through which boiling oil could be poured over the marauding enemies.
Rustaq Fort, (Al Batinah) originally known as Qalat Al Kisra, was built in the 13th century. It has four towers: Al Burj Al Ahmar; Al Burj Al Hadeeth; Al Burj Al Reeh; and Al Burj Ashiateen (which means, ominously, the devil's tower). A falaj ran through the fort to supply water to its inhabitants. Should this become contaminated, the inhabitants were able to rely on a well. There are many rooms to this fort and it also boasts a mosque, weapons' room, prison, and reception area.

Jibreen Fort was built by Bil'arab bin Sultan, an Imam of the Ya'aruba dynasty during the 17th century. It is one of the most impressive forts in the Sultanate and the details and carvings in the rooms and balconies are most elaborate. Finely painted flowers and symbols are found on the ceilings in the 'living' rooms. The tomb of Imam Bil'arab remains within the fort.

Bahla Fort is one of the oldest remaining forts in Oman and has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Renovation started in 1995 under the Ministry of Heritage and Culture. It has a city wall of 12km and 132 watchtowers with guardrooms.
There are three forts in Muscat Region: Al Mirani Fort, Al Jalali Fort and Muscat Fort, holding prominent positions in the cliffs along Muscat Bay.

Beaches

With a coastline of 1700km, Oman offers some of the cleanest, most stunning beaches a visitor could hope to see. Few beaches are private, except some attached to the beach resort hotels, or those adjoining military or official property. Weekend picnics and barbeques are popular on the beach. Many coves are perfect for snorkelling and with fairly gentle shelves, are good for children. Some of the beaches in the Muscat capital area include:

Aviation Beach, or Shell Beach, which is located near the Civil Aviation Club in Al Azaiba. A four-wheel drive vehicle is necessary to get down to the water's edge. It is abundant in starfish, crabs and exotic shells.

Qurum Beach, below the Crowne Plaza Hotel, is well set up for visitors and has a number of picnic areas and palm shades. When the tide is low, one can take a 4km walk towards the Embassies' area in Shati Al Qurum. Approximately half way along this stretch of beach is the Muscat InterContinental hotel. Around this area are many jetski rentals.

Bandar Jissah is located near Qantab, on the way to Al Bustan. The bay is quite secluded and the rocks at the foot of the cliffs can be good for exploring when the tide is out. Snorkelling is popular here. There is also a children's playground and snack shop.

Marjan Beach, near Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), is quiet during the day, but tends to get livelier in the early evenings. It has some small coral reefs, perfect for the novice snorkeller, as one doesn't have to swim too far out before seeing the likes of clown fish, parrot fish, sea cucumbers and occasionally, turtles and rays. Local fishermen can be seen spearing cuttlefish.

Wadis

A wadi is a dried up riverbed found in the mountain valleys. Wadis come into their own after heavy rains, when the rivers start running again and the vegetation is restored. However, some wadis have year-round running water, with deep, cool pools in which it is quite safe to swim if the currents are slow. On the whole, wadis are only accessible with a four-wheel drive vehicle, as the terrain can be extremely bumpy. Wadis are green, lush oases of palm trees, grasses, and flowering shrubs. The villagers often take their cars down for washing and groups of people have great fun splashing around in the clean water. It is always safest to visit wadis in a group or with a tour guide. Although they are beautiful places, they are often remote and car breakdowns can happen to anyone. Visitors must also be on the alert for rain clouds, as sudden downpours can lead to flash floods, which are highly dangerous when in the gorges.

Museums

Muscat capital area has a number of interesting and informative museums open to the public, most of them free of charge.

The Omani Museum contains a wealth of archaeological information, displaying various artefacts. There is also information pertaining to Oman's minerals, agricultural methods and its distinctive architecture.

The National Museum charts the Al Said dynasty with correspondence and pictures of the five Al Said Sultans. It has a small, but interesting collection of costumes, jewellery and household equipment.

The Children's Museum is a large blue and white domed structure, seen from the main highway. The exhibits are interactive and allow children to explore their world using scientific methods. Activities include energy creation using dynamos; reaction tests and balancing boards. It is popular with school parties.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum gives an interesting tour of Oman's flora and fauna. Showcases display the country's indigenous species: mammals, insects, birds, and the adjoining whale room houses a huge skeleton of a sperm whale which was washed up on one of Oman's beaches around 27 years ago. The botanical gardens are perfect to stroll through during the cooler months and have highly scented shrubs which are found throughout the Sultanate.

Bait al Zubair is Oman's newest museum and has a vast collection of ancient household equipment, costumes and weapons. Most of the exhibits have come from the owner's private collection. Outside, there is a falaj running through a full-scale Omani village and souq.

The Oil and Gas Museum was donated to the people of Oman by PDO in 1995 and is a historical journey through Oman's discovery of oil. The museum has many interactive displays related to oil formation and extraction and is a highly educational trip for children and adults alike.

The Omani French Museum is based in the original French Embassy, Bait Fransa. The exhibits concern the Omani-French relationship over the years and displays furniture, clothes and photographs of the early French diplomats.

The Sultan's Armed Forces Museum is located in Bait Al Falaj fort, the original garrison headquarters for Sultan Said bin Sultan's Armed Forces. Oman's military history is explored using weapons, uniforms, motor vehicles and defence systems.

Shopping

The Capital area has a number of shopping malls, mainly situated in Qurum, but in recent times, spreading to the Al Khuwair area, which house a variety of shops, ranging from boutiques to chain stores. Local produce in the super markets is reasonably priced and of a good standard. There are many furniture shops selling mainly Western style furniture, but a few galleries have opened up which renovate and customise antique Middle Eastern and Indian furniture.