Seeb International Airport is located 35km—about half an hour—from central Muscat. The modern airport is easy to navigate and also provides domestic flights to Salalah and Khasab. When leaving the country there is an airport tax of RO3, which should be included in your ticket price.
Upon arrival at the airport you can hire one of the numerous orange-and-white taxis, which are all privately owned. They are NOT metered so it’s imperative that you agree a fare before you get in. A cab from outside the airport to central Muscat will cost anything between RO 7-10 depending on your skills of negotiation. Alternatively you can walk about 200 metres to the clock roundabout near the airport where you can hop into a shared taxi for as little as half a rial, or a minibus for even less. While a private taxi may be more comfortable within the vehicle the drive itself is fairly straightforward and takes no more than half an hour.
Top hotels run their own shuttles, which will happily collect you should you ask for the service, while the final straw has to be the number 24 bus, which picks up from the airport on its route.
Sultan Qaboos’ Grand Mosque True to its name, this is one of the grandest monuments in the region. See the stunning 14-metre-long Swarovski crystal chandelier in the dome that illuminates the single hand-made Persian carpet consisting of 1,700 million knots—easily one of the largest hand-woven carpets in the world.
National Museum Located in the suburb of Muscat town, it contains valuable collections of heritage treasury like silver ornaments, copper crafts and samples of known Omani ships. It also houses a letter dating back to the 8th century of the Islamic calendar, sent by Prophet Muhammad to the rulers of Oman, inviting them and the people to Islam. Other museums of note include the Bait Al Zubair Museum, the Natural History Museum of indigenous species and the Oman Museum of archaeology.
Qurum Natural Park Muscat has some eye- catching parks and none is bigger than this one. It contains a large boating lake, complete with a suspension bridge and a fountain, which shoots water some 30 metres into the air. Other features include Sultan Qaboos’ Rose Garden and meandering pathways, weaving shrubs and floral beds. You can take a ride through the park in a small driven vehicle for a pittance. The idea of the park’s design is to exploit nature and the topographic features of the area to create wonderful and comfortable scenes for visitors—including the sea beaches and sunset.
Muttrah Souq A main attraction on the Corniche, it is one of the oldest preserved souks in Oman. Gold and silver jewellery is found in abundance as well as numerous wooden carvings, ornaments, rich fabrics, antiques, pottery and spices. Some of the most popular shops with foreign and local visitors alike are those specialising in the locally designed silver jewellery.
Excursions
No visit to Oman would be complete without a trip into the desert and all concierges will be able to put you in touch with a reputable tour operator. The area of Wahiba Sands is one of the most revered in the Arab world and well worth a visit. Take a camel safari on the Bedouin trail, or visit the area in more modern comfort of a 4x4 for some serious dune bashing —it’s great fun.
Muscat’s coastline is one of the most unspoiled in the world and the best way to witness it is by boat charter. Whether it’s a traditional dhow or modern yacht there are a host of opportunities to be had at sea from water sports and dolphin or turtle watching.
For those who prefer the sights under the water, Muscat’s coastline is host to an exotic array of marine life from coral reefs to hundreds of exotic fish species. Professional diving guides are available through most of the hotels. Alternatively you can call the Oman Dive Centre 0n Tel: 934 0096 or check out the website at www.diveoman.com.om.
Bullfights are held along the Batinah coastline, usually on a Friday afternoon. The Omani version of bullfighting has none of the blood or gore associated with the Spanish one. It’s a contest of horn-locked strength between two powerful animals, which lasts just a few very beguiling minutes.
Tour operators include Adventure Tours (Tel: 24 786916), Al Ghadeer Tours (Tel: 24 425 557), Desert Discovery (Tel: 24 593 232 website: www.desert-discovery. com), Global Tours (Tel: 24 695 959, website: www.globaltoursoman.com), Mezoon Travel (Tel: 24 796 680), Nomadic Adventures and Tours (Tel: 99 336 273, website: www.nomadicdesertcamp.com), Oman Discovery (Tel: 24 706 424), Oman Orient Tours (Tel: 24 485 066, website: www.orienttours.ae), and United Tours (Tel: 24 787 448)
Tourist traps
There are no particular areas to avoid in Muscat and while the city is a relatively safe one it always pays to take care whenever you are out about. Obvious things to avoid are of unregistered tours or private mini-cabs.
Convention centres
Apart from the massive Oman International Exhibition Centre, which is located near the airport, most of the five-star hotels cater for groups of all sizes