Sights

Salalah’s sights may not be conspicuously touristy or in your face beautiful, but the destination, with its ancient sites, heritage ruins, old tombs and historical monuments, definitely exudes an unconventional beauty that is rare and intriguing. Here is a comprehensive guide to discovering the mystical sights of Salalah.

Ayub’s Tomb

 Prophet Ayub or Job from the Bible’s Old Testament has been put to rest at this site, which is considered holy by the Muslims. Even for non-Muslims, the vast area surrounding the actual grave site in an interesting place that offers a brilliant view of the city and its surrounding mountains from a vantage point. The secluded area has a few other ruins and an ancient, mysterious path that leads to relics of erstwhile palaces, which were once the pride of the region. There is also a pretty spring near the tomb, where according to popular legend; Ayub thumped his foot on the ground to generate water for his followers.

Al-Baleed Archeological Park

Al Baleed Archeological Park is a nice place to stroll through the early Bronze Age settlement vestiges and Iron Age ruins that amplify the vintage charisma of Salalah. Some settlements here are touted to date back to 2,000 B.C. and there have been several restoration and excavation programs since the 1970’s to preserve the glory of this entrenched historical attraction. A huge path has been created for visitors to move around and see the City Wall, Grand Mosque and the Citadel, all located in the park. The place has now been spruced up into a major heritage tourist attraction complete with floodlights at twilight. Park is open from 8am-1pm and 4pm-9pm.

Wadi Darbat

Salalah is famous for its lovely wadis with sub-tropical palm trees, lush waterfalls and alluring mountain vistas.  Wadi Barbat is one of the most gorgeous wadis in the town, which features among other things, a photogenic waterfall at the tip of the destination along with a valley looking over the Arabian Peninsula. Another nice view here is of the river gushing through the valley and its confluence with the Khir Rawri Sea.

The Frankincense Trail

The Frankincense Trail is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an ancient trade route snaking through the deserts of the region that still feature relics of oasis caravans and significant trading ports of the incense trade in Middle East. Frankincense was highly sought after to make perfumes and medicines and merchants would load them on camel backs to move through various trading posts. A drive through the trail brings back the magical fabled imagery of traditional Arabian caravans.

Salalah has several natural, heritage and historical sites that offer fascinating snapshots of the destination’s tryst with a rich ecology and a deep-rooted, mystical culture.