The road through Nakhal, from the fort to Ayn Thawarah hot springs, winds through a dense plantation of dates. Enough light passes through the feathery canopy of palms to allow for allotments of corn, alfalfa, edible greens, bananas and citrus trees to thrive in the small plots below. Even wild ferns and an occasional lily put in an appearance. The drive makes for an interesting close up of plantation life, where water is still diverted by rocks according to ancient principles.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.82 MILES
Built on the foundations of a pre-Islamic structure, the towers and entrance of this fort were constructed during the reign of Imam Said Bin Sultan in…
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25.57 MILES
Two cannons mark the interior courtyard of this enormous fort – the entrance alone signals its former importance. Built on top of pre-Islamic foundations,…
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25.2 MILES
Tucked into the unlit and crumbling old quarter of Rustaq, behind the fort, this unique museum is the personal project of the owner, Zakia Al Lamki. Left…
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5.3 MILES
This fortified residence has hosted royalty on two occasions in its 300-year history. Now the sensitively restored, mud-brick house has been converted…
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22.46 MILES
This spectacular wadi is a major artery through the mountains and often flows year-round with spring water. It looks particularly gorgeous when mountain…
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0.5 MILES
Beyond the date plantations that surround Nakhal Fort, this hot spring emerges from the wadi walls and is directed into a falaj (immigration channel) for…
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23.72 MILES
The rim of the cliff here, with its celebrated panoramic view of the farmed terraces below, has a royal connection. Diana, Princess of Wales, enjoyed this…
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17.51 MILES
You have to pity the donkeys of the past who, until the 1980s, had to trudge up the punishingly steep track, laden with supplies, to reach the village of…
Nearby Oman attractions
0.5 MILES
Beyond the date plantations that surround Nakhal Fort, this hot spring emerges from the wadi walls and is directed into a falaj (immigration channel) for…
0.82 MILES
Built on the foundations of a pre-Islamic structure, the towers and entrance of this fort were constructed during the reign of Imam Said Bin Sultan in…
5.04 MILES
An old mosque lies at the heart of this crumbling fortification. Visitors are allowed (with shoes removed) to step into the outer are of the mosque where…
5.3 MILES
This fortified residence has hosted royalty on two occasions in its 300-year history. Now the sensitively restored, mud-brick house has been converted…
10.25 MILES
Less wadi and more an extension of the Batinah Plain, Wadi Mistal leads through a narrow gap in the mountains to an enormous desert basin. Dotted with…
17.51 MILES
You have to pity the donkeys of the past who, until the 1980s, had to trudge up the punishingly steep track, laden with supplies, to reach the village of…
17.87 MILES
Marking the end point of national Walking Route 25, this small pavilion has yet another spectacular vista across the Al Ghubra Basin a thousand metres…
19.78 MILES
Functioning less as a sight in its own right, picturesque though it may be, this fort as an excellent landmark for the slightly obscure entrance into Wadi…