the Capital of Oman since the late 18th century; its
relaxed pace of life and old world courtesies make it a
great place to have a holiday; and we also think it makes a
wonderful city to live in.
We are based in the
area of Muscat known as Hellat Al Jazirah (most
guide books refer only to Muscat, Muttrah and Ruwi) and know the city and its people
well.
Much of the city’s
charm lies in its location between stunning rugged mountains
of either Limestone or Ophiolite and the warm waters of the
Gulf of Oman. On the beaches of Muscat there are several
excellent hotels - Al Bustan
Palace, The Chedi & The Shangri-la which we visit
frequently, we can book rooms for
you in these or one of the town based hotels scattered in
the spreading suburbs of Muscat.
In Muscat there are a number of
small Museums whose displays and exhibitions focus on Oman.
Our favourites are - Bait Al Baranda which gives an overview
of Muscat's history and as an added bonus has changing art
exhibitions – the Natural History Museum whose displays give
an insight into Oman’s often hidden fauna and more obvious
flora – and the Oil Exhibition which gives a nice insight
into Oman’s small but important oil production.
Make time when you are in Muscat to
visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. The quality of
workmanship is outstanding and attention to detail
remarkable. We include it on our
Muscat City Tours and can
visit it at the start of some longer tours
of Oman.
Muttrah’s Souq area
is a labyrinth of small shops selling an eclectic mix of
products, naturally including Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh
(you can read an
article about Frankincense on our
about us
page). The Souq is where we sometimes sit and have a great
‘Masalah Shai’ (Spiced Tea).
