Any Travels

The Sultanate of Oman borders Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the west; the Republic of Yemen in the south; the Strait of Hormuz in the north and the Arabian Sea in the east.

Dominated by an interior of jagged mountains simply called al-Hajar, 'the Rock', the country is a magic tapestry of different terrain. The mountains, whose king at a soaring 3,075 metres is the terraced Jabal al-Akhdar ("The Green Mountain"), rise straight out of the coastal plains or the seam or soar out of the gravel plateaux and shifting dunes in the Interior. The country ranges from the fjord-like barren majesty of the Musandam Peninsula that plunges into the Strait of Hormuz in the north, to the fertile Batinah plain that inclines south-east towards Muscat, from the vast, sandy edge of the Rub al-Khali (The Empty Quarter) through the mountains to the lush, monsoon-based near-tropical Salalah plain in the south.

The very landscape of Oman is dramatic and exciting. Rugged cliffs rise sheer from a deep blue sea; tawny deserts lap up to the foot of arid mountains whose jagged peaks tower high above; deep green palm groves fill a mountain valley or spread out around an ancient mud-built town.

Along the plain of the Batinah the palm groves form an uninterrupted belt, and the coastal towns behind them are guarded by ancient forts.

In the far south, the mountains of Dhofar turn a lush vivid green with the summer monsoon. It is the Hajar mountain range, however, that is the backbone of Oman. These mountains have played a central role throughout the history of the land, shaping the character of the people and their destiny.

Although the mountains only cover about one-sixth of Oman's total 309,500 square kilometres, they have always dominated the country at their feet, and determined the pattern of settlement there.

Since the discovery of massive oil deposits, Oman has seen spectacular economic growth and modernization. The country has kept faithful to its Islamic traditions, however.

Even so, Oman has managed to create a relative open society, more open to influences from the outside than other Gulf countries. In 1970 when the current Sultan took over the government in a bloodless palace coup, Oman was barely out of the Middle Ages. Now, a mere 30 years later, women drive, can be elected -- or appointed -- to the Majlis as-Shura, Oman's quasi-parliament, which advises the Sultan -- and run many successful businesses around the country.

The Gulf has been an important waterway since ancient times bringing the people who live on its shores into early contact with other civilizations. In the ancient world the Gulf peoples established trade connections with India; in the Middle Ages they went as far as China; and in the modern era they became involved with the European powers that sailed into the Indian Ocean and around Southeast Asia. In the Twentieth Century the discovery of massive oil deposits in the Gulf region made the area once again a crossroads for the modern world.

Places of Interest:

Muscat
Muscat, the official capital of Oman, is only a small part of a larger grouping of cities and towns strung some 40kms along the coast of the Gulf of Oman, which is known locally as the "Capital Area" or the "Muscat Municipality." Never much deeper than 3 or 4 kms, this string of towns forms a sort of necklace sandwiched between the sea to the north and a very rocky, primeval-looking range of barren mountains to the south. Despite its ceremonial position as capital, the neighboring cities of Muttruh, with its superb corniche encirling a charming bay, and Ruwi, the traditional commercial center of the area, are both much more important.

A thriving and strategically located port of the Arabian peninsula in ancient times, Muscat is the capital of modern Oman. It has a somewhat medieval appearance with two old Portuguese forts, Jelali and Merani. These picturesque old structures co-exist with modern, commercial, and residential quarters of the neighboring coastal towns, and lend the city an ambience all its own . The seaside, ceremonial palace of H.M.Sultan Qaboos Said, nestled between steep rocky hills, offers a spectacular sight, especially at night.

Buraimi
Bruraimi (pronounce Bramee) is Omans half of the Al-Ain oasis. Most of the things to see are in Al-Ain proper in the UAE, but since there are no border formalities here, this isn't much of a problem. Hotels are a lot cheaper in Buraimi, so staying here and hopping over to Al-Ain might be an idea. Note that the UAE taxis have meters and do cruise around in the Omani part of town, but refuse to use them while in Oman or even when driving to Oman. Haggle or have yourself driven to the roundabout on the border and walk if your hotel is close. Note also that most Omani shops will readily accept UAE currency, but the other way around is much more of a problem.

Jabrin
Jabrin is a relatively small city in the Hajar mountains with an impressive fort. Entrance to the fort is 0.5 Rial and on most days you can wander around pretty much on your own. If you don't have your own transport, getting to Jabrin is slightly difficult. The bus to Nizwa drops you off the junction from where it is another 8 kilometers to the fort. You might find a taxi, but you're probably better of hitching a ride with the locals.

Salalah
Zafar had its heyday around a millenium ago when it was an active trading port. A striking change from Muscat, Salalah is about the only corner of Arabia that catches the Indian summer monsoon, and it's also the best base for exploring the villages and archaeological sites of southern Oman.

Numismaticists will have a field day as coins from as far away as China have been found at the site. There are very good beaches all along the road to Mughsail, once you're about 5km (3mi) west of Salalah, near the ruins of Al-Balid, site of the ancient city of Zafar.

Culture

Arabic is the official language of Oman, though English is widely spoken in business circles. In the northern coastal areas you can find traders and sailors and a large number of expatriates from the Indian subcontinent who also speak Farsi and Urdu. Most Omanis are Ibadi Muslims, belonging to one of Islam's earliest fundamentalist movements. The Ibadi are distinguished by their conservative doctrine and their system of hereditary rule.

Despite the modern appearance of much of Oman, the country remains intensely traditional. In the countryside hamlets and coastal villages, day-to-day life has changed little in centuries. Men can frequently be seen sporting bright blue, loose-fitting, floor-length shirt-dresses called dishdashas, often with a curved khanjar knife dangling from the waist. Women's dress is far more colourful than the simple black cloaks common in much of the rest of the Gulf region. Bright printed dresses are wrapped with even more colourful shawls and veils.

Oman has devoted a great deal of effort to preserving its traditional arts, dance and music, though you're more likely to see traditional dancing staged in a museum than spontaneously breaking out in a village street. Oman is particularly known for its curved, silver-sheathed khanjar knives and silver jewellery.

There is little in the way of traditional Omani cuisine; Indian-style curry is pretty much the national dish. The typical menu is little more than whatever curry the cook decided to make that day, but it is usually pretty good, especially in the myriad small restaurants of Muscat and Salalah. Alcohol is only available in larger hotels and expensive restaurants.