Salalah… the hidden gem of the middle east
Lush, green and rich in history Oman’s cool holiday spot has more in common with Ireland than you might think, reckons Colm McGuirk
Salalah in southern Oman is about as far removed from the Emerald Isle as can be, culturally speaking, but the places have at least one thing in common. Just as our 40 shades lure visitors from drier climates each year, Salalah is the go-to destination in the Arabian Peninsula for tourists looking for their fix of green.
The coastal city is hemmed in by the crescent-shaped Jebel Al Qara mountain range to the north, supplying it with its own microclimate and regular rainfall during khareef (monsoon) season, from late June to September.
And far from flooded businesses and cancelled outdoor events, Salalah’s rain is a predictable, misty drizzle that carpets its mountains in lush vegetation and restocks its abundance of breathtaking waterfalls. This makes it an ideal cool summer haven for visitors from its hotter neighbours – including other parts of Oman – and June to September are by far its most popular tourist months.
But the striking turquoise pools and waterfalls along the Wadi Darbat river remain after the plant life has receded, as does the rugged coastline’s white, Indian Ocean sands, meaning the ancient city is a gem all-year round.
A number of luxury resorts offer exclusive access to sections of pristine beach – with others publicly accessible – where bathers are greeted with clean, warm waters.
The five-star Al-Baleed Resort by Anantara is tucked between the sea and a freshwater lagoon, and even has a stunning beachside infinity pool for those who prefer a more confined dip.
The hotel’s in-house guide Hussain Balhaf will provide a local’s potted history of this fascinating city of around 330,000 inhabitants, as he brings us to Salalah’s key attractions, many of which involve Oman’s most famous export: frankincense.
Best known in the Christian world as one of the first Christmas presents along with gold and myrrh, the aromatic tree resin is central to the story of Oman and is ubiquitous in the country.
Hussain takes us to the Khor Rori estuary at the mouth of the Wadi Darbat. He points to water that would have teemed with trade ships in times gone by as a key location of the incense trade route that ran from the Mediterranean, through North Africa and Arabia, over to India and beyond.
We walk around the ruins of the ancient fortified city of Sumhuram – begun in the 4th Century BC at the dawn of a flourishing 500-year period for the frankincense trade in Oman, before it was finally abandoned in the 5th Century due to the changing geographical characteristics of the estuary. Sumhuram is one of a quartet of attractions that make up the Land of Frankincense – a designated Unesco World Heritage Site since 2000.
The others are another, later harbour, Al-Baleed, and its archaeological site, a caravan oasis around 180km into the desert called Shisr, and the frankincense tree cultivation area of Wadi Dawkah, a little over an hour’s drive from Sumhuram into the mountains and towards the arid hinterland.
Hussain activates the four-wheel drive in our tour jeep as we leave the motorway and bounce over rocky desert towards some specimens of the ancient frankincenseproducing Boswellia sacra trees.
He says the landscape would have been covered with the plants 70 years ago, but overharvesting and climate change has diminished their stock to the point that the government has planted a farm nearby to preserve and protect the iconic tree. Parking up near one of the trees, Hussain uses a sharp stone to demonstrate the process of harvesting frankincense. He scratches away some bark to reveal fresh sap, which is then left to dry in the sun. Other blobs already exposed have a much thicker consistency, and the sweet-smelling substance will eventually harden completely.
It is used not just as incense in Oman but in perfume too – for which Salalah is also famous – and certain types can be used in food and drink, both for flavour and for its healing qualities.
But most will be used to burn, and back in the city souks, bags of the prized resin are available at almost every stall.
The drive to and from Wadi Dawkah is punctuated with off-road detours to gorges and other spectacular mountain features, while enlivens the journey by sharing his own backstory – which could be a case study for Omani history of the last 50 years.
Previously an underdeveloped, unindustrialised, isolationist country, the fortunes of normal Omanis would begin to change unrecognisably when the beloved Qaboos bin Said ascended to the throne in 1970.
Qaboos, who had been educated in Britain and served in the British army for a time, overthrew his father in a bloodless coup to become Sultan (assisted by the British, who would benefit from freer access to oil).
The new Sultan embraced Oman’s vast natural mineral resources to modernise the country and drag living standards up immeasurably for normal Omanis – to the point of some of Oman’s wealthy neighbours by the time of his death in 2020.
Less than 50 years old, Hussain recalls his childhood as a farmer’s son in the mountains, sharing a primitive hut with animals and with no access to electricity.
Despite the poverty, he and his brothers enjoyed one of Salalah’s other main attractions just as readily back then – going for a swim in
THIS TREE RESIN IS CENTRAL TO THE STORY OF OMAN
WATER IN THESE NATURALLY FORMED POOLS IS INVIGORATING
the naturally formed pools along the Wadi Darbat river.
The water is crystal clear and makes for an invigorating dip in near-30 degree heat, though Hussain advises against slurping too much down, owing to the occasional presence of the other great lovers of the features – camels, who pop up just about everywhere in Salalah, including regular excursions across busy roads.
The scenic Darbat Step Waterfalls are a picture of idyllic tranquillity, and are remarkably serene during our visit a few weeks after the rainy season.
We have a snack of sweet pancakes followed by skewered and fried bananas, washed down with some traditional Omani coffee.
Salalah is a spread-out city with rough, dusty areas between streets and buildings, and does not have an obvious centre as such apart from a few pedestrianfriendly areas. For that reason, it is best experienced by car
The Al-Baleed Resort is around a 15-minute drive from Salalah Airport. Its expansive boundaries boast 30 rooms, 10 junior suites and 96 villas, 88 of which come with private pools. All are kitted out with all mod cons, and walking around the mini village of its bright white and sandstone villas is a pleasant stroll in itself.
As well as some luxury shopping options including a small outlet for famous perfumers Amouage, who are partners of the hotel, the resort has several bars including a library/jazz bar and three completely separate restaurants.
Alcohol is legal in hotels and restaurants in Oman, but it isn’t cheap. A can of Bavaria, more associated in Ireland with student house parties than luxury resorts, costs around €10 at the Al-Baleed, while a walk up the road to the Al Khareef Pub at the equally opulent five-star Crowne Plaza Resort didn’t present any cheaper options. It was around €16 for a pint of Amstel.
The Al-Baleed also runs a culinary festival at the end of November, with chefs from around the world – mostly Michelin star ones – invited to take over the restaurants’ menus for a few nights. And guests can even participate in a cookery masterclass with each chef during the day. The hotel also has a world class spa and daily wellness classes including yoga on the beach.
Nearby destinations like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain tend to come to mind when a luxury holiday to the middle east is mentioned. A few days in the hidden gem Salalah, growing in popularity with international tourists, suggests its name could join those soon.