Top 5 Must Do's
Edit ThisMuscat is endearingly dual-faced in its appeal. On one hand it’s a buzzing commercial metropolitan with lofty structures and swanky malls and on the other, it is a historical land with old souks, Portuguese-age forts, mosques and a string of museums. Here are the Top Five Must Do’s when in this distinguished Omani Capital.
Mutrah Souk
No trip to the city is consummated without a visit to the famous Muttarh Souk. This is a quaint, local bazaar with old-fashioned stalls arranged in thoroughly confusing maze-style pathways. The sprawling market sells everything from fresh local produce to antiques, jewelry, regional spices, nuts, local fabric, artifacts like dowry boxes, hand-weaved bags and footwear, earthenware, ceramic figurines, religious paintings, traditional attire and a host of other items. Visitors should be aware of pickpockets who thrive in the crowded market. Also, visitors need to make sure they know where they are heading and how to exit the souk because it’s easy to get lost in the labyrinth paths of the market.
Dolphin Boat Trips
Dolphin Boat trips are very popular with tourists in the Gulf of Oman. Visitors can see tons of these smart and friendly dolphins leaping out of the clear blue waters. The adjacent Tiwi village is also a nice place to spot turtles and other oceanic ecology. Especially notable is the beach where green turtles nest, lay eggs at dusk and return to the waters at the break of dawn.
Grand Mosque Sultan Qaboos
Grand Mosque is the third largest mosque on earth and is a modern structure of Oman’s remarkable religious and cultural legacy. The contemporary edifice was built in 2001 and its interiors are adorned with the largest hand-woven Persian carpet on the planet. Non-Muslims can enter the mosque only on specific days and men and women are required to be modestly clothed with their legs and arms covered. Women are also asked to cover their heads with a scarf before entering the mosque.
Night Desert Safari
If you want to savor a true spirit of the region on action-packed ‘Arabian Nights’, book for a adventure-filled night safari conducted by any of several city tour operators and hotels. The overnight trips take visitors to the Wahaiba Desert, which is like reaching a no man’s land on a thrilling four-wheel ride. Visitors can camp in the region and experience the clear night sky of a desert or indulge in some super photographic sessions of the sand dunes.
Watchtower
This impressive and iconic city monument is frequented by tourists who love climbing to the top of the tower to catch a spectacular view of the entire city and its adjoining mountains and desert landscape. The tower is built attractively in the form of an incense burner. Visitors can also make a trip to the beautiful Kalbuh and Riyam gardens that are located adjacent to the tower.
Muscat is a bustling commercial port that houses several attractions and activities, offers breathtaking natural landscape and a rich cultural identity.
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Mutrah Souk
No trip to the city is consummated without a visit to the famous Muttarh Souk. This is a quaint, local bazaar with old-fashioned stalls arranged in thoroughly confusing maze-style pathways. The sprawling market sells everything from fresh local produce to antiques, jewelry, regional spices, nuts, local fabric, artifacts like dowry boxes, hand-weaved bags and footwear, earthenware, ceramic figurines, religious paintings, traditional attire and a host of other items. Visitors should be aware of pickpockets who thrive in the crowded market. Also, visitors need to make sure they know where they are heading and how to exit the souk because it’s easy to get lost in the labyrinth paths of the market.
Dolphin Boat Trips
Dolphin Boat trips are very popular with tourists in the Gulf of Oman. Visitors can see tons of these smart and friendly dolphins leaping out of the clear blue waters. The adjacent Tiwi village is also a nice place to spot turtles and other oceanic ecology. Especially notable is the beach where green turtles nest, lay eggs at dusk and return to the waters at the break of dawn.
Grand Mosque Sultan Qaboos
Grand Mosque is the third largest mosque on earth and is a modern structure of Oman’s remarkable religious and cultural legacy. The contemporary edifice was built in 2001 and its interiors are adorned with the largest hand-woven Persian carpet on the planet. Non-Muslims can enter the mosque only on specific days and men and women are required to be modestly clothed with their legs and arms covered. Women are also asked to cover their heads with a scarf before entering the mosque.
Night Desert Safari
If you want to savor a true spirit of the region on action-packed ‘Arabian Nights’, book for a adventure-filled night safari conducted by any of several city tour operators and hotels. The overnight trips take visitors to the Wahaiba Desert, which is like reaching a no man’s land on a thrilling four-wheel ride. Visitors can camp in the region and experience the clear night sky of a desert or indulge in some super photographic sessions of the sand dunes.
Watchtower
This impressive and iconic city monument is frequented by tourists who love climbing to the top of the tower to catch a spectacular view of the entire city and its adjoining mountains and desert landscape. The tower is built attractively in the form of an incense burner. Visitors can also make a trip to the beautiful Kalbuh and Riyam gardens that are located adjacent to the tower.
Muscat is a bustling commercial port that houses several attractions and activities, offers breathtaking natural landscape and a rich cultural identity.
