Battlements

Hajar Mountains


Said to have been designed by a woman 600 years ago, Bahla's remarkable battlements are noticeable at every turn of the main road through town. The walls extend for several kilometres from the fort along the adjacent wadi, making Bahla one of the most comprehensively walled towns in the world.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Hajar Mountains attractions

1. Bahla Fort

0.21 MILES

After many years of restoration, Bahla Fort, one of the largest in Oman, makes a grand sight looming over the sprawling modern settlement of Bahla. Built…

2. Bahla Old Souq

0.32 MILES

Opposite Bahla Fort, on the other side of Nizwa–Bahla Rd, rows of low-rise, arched buildings hide the entrance to a tiny traditional souq. A giant tree…

3. Bahla Potteries

0.4 MILES

All over Oman, terracotta pots with simple ribbed motifs decorate the entrances to smart villas and hotels. The potteries where these beloved vessels are…

4. Jabreen Castle

4.95 MILES

Rising without competition from the surrounding plain, Jabreen Castle is an impressive sight. Even if you have had a surfeit of fortifications, it's worth…

5. Al Hoota Cave

8.46 MILES

Embellished with stalactites and stalagmites, this is the only cave in Oman developed for tourism and it's something of a gem. Sensitively lit, this…

6. Al Hamra Viewpoint

10.52 MILES

Bathed by the golden light of sunset, with the limestone 'dip slope' of Jebel Shams as backdrop and a thick plantation of date palms in the foreground,…

7. Bait Al Safah

10.71 MILES

This quirky museum is more open house than historical display. Three ladies accompany guests around their traditional house in the aged and crumbling…

8. Misfat Viewpoint

11.7 MILES

For the best view of Misfat, turn right by the campground before entering the village. The ancient stone buildings, half buried in a thick date plantation…