Top choice in Oman
Owned by the Al Hajri family, this 23-room hotel on Hwy 23, opposite the junction for Wadi Bani Khalid, offers modern, friendly accommodation. The newer block offers better grades of rooms at higher prices. Indian and Middle Eastern fare plus a few international dishes are served in the hotel's restaurant (open 6am to 10pm).
A swimming pool is open between November and March: for the rest of the year the high winds dunk the floating sand dunes in the water.
23.9 MILES
The 90 or so meticulously crafted stone towers scattered across the Selma Plateau are tombs dating back to the Umm An Nar culture of 2000 to 2700 BC…
25.4 MILES
Home to an extraordinary museum, this private castle houses the personal collection of Sheikh Khalfan Al Hashmi. His great grandfather owned the 250-year…
12.39 MILES
Justly famed for its natural beauty, this wadi just north of the town of Al Kamil makes a rewarding (and well-signposted) diversion off the Muscat–Sur…
9.81 MILES
This quirky little museum on the edge of the sands preserves the history of the Hijri Tribe, written in Arabic on goat skins. A collection of spears and…
29.08 MILES
The old part of Ibra is a honeycomb of crumbling mud-built houses of two or three storeys. There's a paved walkway of several kilometres through some of…
13.22 MILES
Most people visiting Wadi Bani Khalid head for the springs that collect in a series of deep pools in the narrow end of the wadi. The pools have been…
28.63 MILES
Ibra has a lively souq that is at its most active on a Wednesday morning. Arranged around a double courtyard, the greengrocery takes pride of place in the…
29.45 MILES
This wide and luscious wadi meanders along the western base of the Eastern Hajar Mountains and provides a fascinating alternative route between Muscat and…
9.67 MILES
In the days before the housing of Al Mintirib encroached on its space, this solid-walled fort with its sunken door must have been an impressive sight,…
9.81 MILES
This quirky little museum on the edge of the sands preserves the history of the Hijri Tribe, written in Arabic on goat skins. A collection of spears and…
12.04 MILES
For a panoramic view of the wadi plantations, stop at the Tourist Service Centre on the approach road to Moqal Cave. The centre has been closed for years,…
12.39 MILES
Justly famed for its natural beauty, this wadi just north of the town of Al Kamil makes a rewarding (and well-signposted) diversion off the Muscat–Sur…
12.42 MILES
This large fort with a mighty round tower with a unique, detached (and arched) external stairway is of passing interest for those heading into the sands…
13.22 MILES
Most people visiting Wadi Bani Khalid head for the springs that collect in a series of deep pools in the narrow end of the wadi. The pools have been…
13.4 MILES
If you want to beat the crowds at Wadi Bani Khalid, then Moqal Cave in the upper reaches of the wadi is a curiosity to head towards. There's not much to…
23.9 MILES
The 90 or so meticulously crafted stone towers scattered across the Selma Plateau are tombs dating back to the Umm An Nar culture of 2000 to 2700 BC…