Oman! It’s out of this world
I AM not sure I could have placed Oman on the map before I visited. When I learnt that its neighbours are Yemen and Saudi Arabia – not exactly known for being tourist friendly – the idea that Oman could make an ideal family destination seemed far-fetched. It was time to find out whether Oman is the Middle East’s best-kept secret.
Oman has more than a thousand miles of coastline so my wife Bridget, our three-year old daughter Laila and I started our week at the beachside Al Waha hotel, a 45-minute drive from the capital Muscat.
I knew Laila was going to having a good time when I saw her galloping towards the bouncy castle located next to a row of sunloungers so Bridget and I could relax while she played.
Our three days there were blissful – making sandcastles on the beach, paddling in the ocean, collecting shells, accompanying Laila as she took her first ever camel ride, trying to choose from 22 dining options, and floating in giant inflatable rings along a half-mile lazy river around the hotel grounds.
But Oman is about more than beaches so we reluctantly left the sun-loungers for a city tour of Muscat, voted one of cleanest cities in the world. I didn’t see a single piece of litter on the street but I did see lots of images of Sultan Qaboos, who has run Oman since a coup in 1970.
During his reign, Oman has been transformed from a backwater into a prosperous and stable nation. Muscat looks very modern – smooth roads, shiny office blocks – but the city is ancient. For a reminder of that history we visited the souk where in keeping with Oman’s laidback vibe there was none of the aggressive hawking I have witnessed elsewhere.
The Omanis we met in the souk and during our whole week were extraordinarily friendly, warm and open, rightly proud of Oman’s reputation as the safest and most ost tolerant of Arab nations.
The country’s history was on display at the Bait Al Zubair museum which had some great old Omani daggers and jewellery as well dresses worn by nomadic desert tribes. That blend of the old and new was also present at the Grand Mosque built to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sultan’s rule. The mosque, set amid beautifully maintained gardens, is stunning. It was built from 300,000 tons of gleaming sandstone; the walls of the main prayer hall are clad in marble with intricate mosaics, a 40ft chandelier hangs from the ceiling, and on one wall is the second largest hand-loomed Persian carpet in the world.
The next day we left the Al Waha and headed inland. The scenery changed as modern Muscat gave way to medieval watchtowers, date plantations and the ruins of thousand-year-old villages. The mountains were stained red, blue and green because of the minerals contained in the rocks.
I had assumed Oman was largely desert – in fact it has one of the largest canyons in the world. Unlike the Grand Canyon, this one did not bother with safety barriers so to stand at the edge was both spectacular and scary.
There were more astonishing views from the two hotels we stayed at in the mountains. The first, called The View, offered an infinity pool that seemed to fall off the side of the Earth, and a restaurant where it felt like we were eating on top of the world.
Our second, the luxurious Alila, is built from dark limestone and blends in effortlessly with the surrounding mountains.
After the beach, the city and the mountains, there was one fi final part of Oman left to e explore – the Wahiba desert. O Our destination was the 1,000 N Nights Camp, complete with te tents with power points, a playground, a wonderfully atmospheric restaurant and, can y you believe it, a swimming pool.
That night Bridget, Laila and I lay on the ground and stared at t the sky. I pointed out Jupiter, M Mars and Venus to my daughter. Laila said she would like to visit them, but after an incredible week, I know you don’t need to leave this planet for a holiday that is out of this world.