Fabulous Muscat! Discover why the Omani Capital is a Top Destination (A Cultural Travel Guide)
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
- Google asks: Is Muscat a good holiday destination? Is Muscat good for tourists? Answer --
Yes and definitely Yes!!
It's my favourite city of the Arabian Peninsula! The capital of Oman nestles comfortably between the mountains and the sea, welcoming travellers and seafarers as it has done for centuries. It's the perfect destination for a week of culture and relaxation.
This film looks at the history, the principal sights, the delights of the Muttrah corniche and of course a little shopping in the souks.
The capital of Oman is, in reality, a string of towns and neighbourhoods with different characters. It all started in Old Muscat. Until modern times this WAS Muscat. A tiny port that had changed little in over a thousand years.
Change has been rapid here. In my lifetime this part of Muscat has gone from being a crowded almost medieval community to a place of administration. Almost all of the old residential buildings have been torn down. With its natural harbour and coveted position on the trading routes between the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf Muscat attracted the Portuguese navy and the various forts that dot the hills around Muscat date from the 17th century. Remarkably until the 1950s the gates of Muscat would close every night 3 hours after dusk.
The national museum in old Muscat provides a well curated journey through Oman’s sea-faring heritage, distinctive forts and its rich culture up to the present day. Well worth a visit.
From here Greater Muscat now spreads west along the coast for over 70 kms, with a population that exceeds 1.7 million.
A short drive west brings you to Muttrah, the most vibrant district of Muscat. This used to be the most important port in the country and the centre of commerce. In the souk traders used to exchange dates and other Omani goods arriving on camel trains from the desert for the silk and spices, and later domestic goods arriving by sea. You would have seen camels unloading here until the 1960s.The local name is the market of Darkness, harking back to a pre-electricity age when navigating the passageways was a far more difficult undertaking. There is still a large fish market here selling an abundant catch of tuna and grouper and the old souk itself spreads out in all directions tempting passers by with smoking frankincense.
The corniche is incredibly photogenic, with the latticed balconies, and blue tiled mosque, and it’s particularly popular in the evening. The stalls selling fruit juice and smoothies are highly recommended!
Ruwi is the finance and business district. It’s quiet on the streets during the day, all the action being in the offices. We stayed a few days at the Sheraton, supposedly the city's tallest building. Check out the Sheraton’s elegant Tea Library if you’re passing. Ruwi only really comes to life at night and the bustling streets of the suq are the place in Muscat to go looking for gold.
Al Qurum is where you'll find many of the sights and hotels.There are many five star hotels in Muscat but very few can beat the views of the Crowne Plaza and its private beach. We loved every minute of our stay here.
The Royal opera house was built under the orders of Sultan Qaboos. Made from locally sourced limestone The architectural style is contemporary Omani. The opening night performance in 2011 was given by none other than Placido Domingo. Adjacent to the opera house is a hands on museum that you must visit if you have any interest in the mechanics and dynamics of the music of the middle east.
Further west from the opera house you cant miss Muscat’s most impressive building - the Sultan Qaboos grand mosque. The mosque was completed in 2001 and has four corner minarets standing 45m high and one central minaret that towers over everything at 91 m in height. The complex can house 20k worshippers and contains one of the largest Persian carpets in the world.The opening hours are very restricted for tourists and unfortunately I was not able to enter.
Enjoy the film and leave comments!
Filmed November 2023
Jonathan Wheeler
Travel Obscurer
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@TravelObscurer
All music licensed through Artist
#oman #omantravel #visitmuscat
It looks very nice and authentic indeed. And that range of choice in juices and smoothies at that one cafe is something else.
We returned to that cafe many times!
Looks like a fascinating place. Much better than Dubai with all its tourist glitz.
Yes, it's so refreshing that Oman has watched the skyscrapers rise in Dubai and Doha and thought "no thanks".
Crown plaza on the beach definitely one of the best hotels. Amazing country
It's a gem of a hotel.
this video deserves more than 43 "likes"! (28 april 2024)
Thank you. Of course, I agree! Jonathan