Muscat Travel Guide
Stretching almost 25km (15.5 miles) along the Omani coastline, Muscat is a taste of real Arabia, and despite a recent Dubai-style building blitz, it’s a capital city that has retained all of its old-world charm.
That’s because, unlike the Emirati city, most of the new buildings are less than three-storeys high and the historic Mutrah district remains much the same as it has for generations.
One of Arabia’s prettiest cities, Muscat life is dominated by the old corniche, a picturesque stretch of seafront that is fringed by 18th-century buildings and dominated by the imposing 17th century Mutrah Fort.
By day, the harbour is awash with locals selling everything from bread to Sheikh salt pots, but by night it rings to the sound of locals chewing the fat and enjoying the cool twilight breeze.
Away from the corniche, there’s plenty to see – not least the tiny Bayt al-Baranda, a quirky little museum charting the city’s cultural history.
Then, there’s the mighty National Museum which focuses on Muscat’s role in the Omani empire, which stretched as far as East Africa. Here, history is brought to life with a dazzling collection of jewels (among them ruby encrusted daggers and elaborate emerald necklaces) that were amassed by the Sultan.
The current Sultan, Qaboos bin Said Al Said, shares the magnificent Al Alam Palace with the rest of the Omani royal dynasty. Flanked by Forts Al-Jalali and Al-Mirani, the palace is closed to the public but worth visiting for the architecture alone, as is the city’s other main focal point, the Grand Mosque.
Just as important as the sightseeing is the shopping and no visit would be complete without a trip to the Mutrah souk. Here, you’ll find everything from leather babouche slippers to pink plastic mosque alarm clocks, as well as plenty of vendors ready to indulge in a spot of haggling. For authentic charm, few places come close to Muscat – and the beaches aren’t half bad either.
It has been the capital of an empire, and latterly a sultanate, but for centuries, Muscat was barely noticed by the outside world. The first mention came from Ptolemy in writings dating from 2BC. Despite his best efforts, the city slipped back into obscurity, with no further mentions until well into the 13th century.
As a result, little is known about Muscat’s formative years, but what is certain is that by the dawn of the 14th century, it was a trading port of some significance. It success, however, also made it a target and the Portuguese seized control of the city in the 1580s. But they weren’t the only ones with designs on Muscat and the Portuguese were forced to construct the city walls along with Fort al-Jalali to protect themselves from the Ottoman Turks.
Although the Ottomans were unsuccessful, the local Yaruba dynasty was not and in 1649, they booted out the Portuguese. In the years that followed Muscat became one of the foremost ports in the Indian Ocean but it was twice convulsed by civil war before falling to the Persians in 1743.
Free once more, Muscat became Oman’s capital city in 1793 and it soon grew in influence and prosperity, with its rulers racking up an empire that extended as far as Africa. But Africa was also to prove the city’s undoing and when Said bin Sultan took control of Zanzibar and moved his capital to Stone Town, Muscat’s fortunes dwindled.
In the 19th century, the British arrived, using Muscat as a major staging point between their interests in India, Africa and the Middle East. These interests included the formerly Omani island of Zanzibar and as a result, the city suffered an economic slump.
As the city grew poorer, tribal attacks increased and the Sultan was twice forced to get help from the British in 1915 and 1963. The rise of Sultan Qaboos, however, brought prosperity, peace and an extensive building programme which reshaped the city into the modern metropolis it is today.
Actress Isla Fisher was born in Muscat.
Muscat is home to the world’s largest marble mosaic. It measures 8.30 m (27 ft 2.77 in) in height and 5.30 m (17 ft 4.66 in) in width and depicts His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
Muscat Gate was still in use up until the 1970s.
The best time to Muscat is between mid-October and mid-March when the weather is perfect and the evenings cool. This is the time when the city blooms with long ribbons of petunias along the highways, the sky is azure blue, the mountains sharply in focus and the sea calm and inviting. For the other seven months of the year, the heat can be ferocious and the humidity dense enough to taste.
Getting around Muscat
Transport around Muscat is provided by private minibus operators. A major hub for these minibuses is opposite the ONTC bus station in Ruwi. It can be hard to understand the routes however, and timing is erratic.
Taxis are the most common way for people to travel around the city and fares are generally inexpensive.
Hello Taxis
Telephone: +968 2460 7011 offers a reliable service.
Taxis, which are generally white and orange, can be hailed from the side of the road.
IVMS OMAN
Telephone: +968 7999 3385
Given the large distances involved in travelling around the city, driving is a convenient option. All road signs are in English as well as in Arabic, and brown signs indicate major tourist attractions. If driving beyond Muscat, especially to off-road destinations in the mountainous or desert interior of Oman, a 4-wheel drive is necessary. All car hire outlets cater for this.
Oman Bicycle Shop, on the corner of the
Muscat Expressway and Bawsharstreet
Telephone: +968 9966 4710
Website: www.omanbicycle.com hires out road, trekking and mountain bikes.
Biko
Address: Al Qurm St, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 9049 0002
Website: www.bikoman.com
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Book popular activities in Muscat
Things to see in Muscat
Attractions
Mixing Islamic and Italianate architecture, the Royal Opera House is a wonderful 1,100-seat concert hall that also hosts theatrical performances. Its season runs from September to May and all concertgoers must adhere to a smart dress code. No jeans or trainers are allowed, but overalls are available to hire at the venue.
Address: Shatti Al Qurum, Al Kharjiyah Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2440 3300
Opening times: Dependent on show.
Website: www.rohmuscat.org.om
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
This wonderful old souk runs through a warren of alleyways off Mutrah Corniche, with cupboard-sized shops selling everything from home-grown frankincense, gold and myrrh to plastic trays and Omani khanja (ceremonial daggers). Stop to look for strings of semi-precious ‘gems’ in bead shops festooned with handicrafts from Afghanistan to India.
Address: Mutrah Corniche, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 9827 7478
Opening times: Daily 09:00-22:00
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
This sweeping arc of old, balconied buildings and tiled mosque domes, souvenir shops and carpet vendors begins with the early-morning fish market, is punctuated with 18th-century Mutrah Fort and ends with musical fountains overlooking the harbour. It’s a popular evening stroll for Muscat’s citizens keen on catching the sea breeze.
Address: Mutrah Corniche, Muscat.
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
A masterful piece of modern Islamic architecture, the comparatively unassuming Indian sandstone exterior of the Grand Mosque belies an almost overwhelmingly beautiful interior that’s rich with hand-loomed Persian carpet, elaborate tile work and a huge chandelier. It’s also the only mosque in Oman open to non-Muslims. Dress modestly during your visit.
Address: Al Ghubra, Sultan Qaboos Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2450 5170
Opening times: Mon-Thurs 08:00-11:00 (for non-Muslims).
Website: www.sultanqaboosgrandmosque.com
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Muscat has several small museums dedicated to Omani heritage, but this collection of antique weaponry, jewellery and furniture is its best. With early maps, photos and prints as well as coins and stamps, it gives a flavour of life before the 1970 coup. It also includes a restored house, Bait Al Dalaleel.
Address: Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2208 4700
Opening times: Sat-Thu 09:30-18:00.
Website: www.baitalzubair.com
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Muscat’s uninterrupted beach of pale sand is bejewelled with shells and ornamented with sea birds. It stretches for 20km (12 miles) and is great for gaining a feel for the soul of Muscat as lady joggers in their abayas (black clothing) exercise in the morning, football teams gather at sunset and families picnic into the early hours.
Address: Muscat
Telephone: +968 9864 0400
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Although you can’t enter this flight of architectural fancy, a stroll around the perimeter fence from the grand esplanade at the building’s entrance to its seafront back garden on Mutrah harbour is a must. The graffiti scratched into the harbour’s rocks is a virtual logbook of naval vessels that have docked in this port.
Address: Al Ala, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2588 6865
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Admission Fees:
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
- Omani Society for Fine Arts
More than just an art museum, the Omani Society for Fine Arts is the driving force behind the emerging slew of painters, sculptors and photographers in Oman. Expect intermittent exhibitions of the best contemporary art from the country that runs the gamut from ceramics and caricatures to calligraphy and graphics.
Address: Shatti Al Qurm, Muscat.
Opening times: Sat-Wed 09:30-20:00.
Website: www.osfa.gov.om
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Once the grand entrance to Muscat itself, this charming turreted gate was still locked shut each night until 1970 – despite an opening being made for passing traffic. Today it houses a small museum, which traces the history of Oman through municipal highlights like the Falaj irrigation system and local architecture. It’s the corniche views you’re really visiting for.
Address: Al Bahri Road, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 99 328 754
Opening times: Daily 10:00-17:00.
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
Address: Ministries District, Thaqafah Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2208 8000
Opening times: Sun-Thu 07:30-14:30.
Website: www.mht.gov.om
There are not any dedicated tourist information centres as such in Muscat but you can pick up some brochures from the helpful desk at the Ministry of Tourism or find information on its website. Alternatively
- National Travel & Tourism
Telephone: +968 2466 0300
Website: www.nttoman.com along Al Wutayyah Street, acts as an unofficial tourist desk.
Things to do in Muscat
- Enjoy excellent scuba diving all the year round
Warm seas, vibrant coloured fish and excellent reefs make Muscat a world-class location for year round scuba diving.
MolaMola Diving Center
Telephone: +968 9667 4612
Website: www.molamoladivingcenter.com offer PADI courses for beginners, excellent day trips to established sites such as the Daymaniyat and Fahal Islands for the more experienced, and some superb shoreline snorkelling too.
- Head out to sea for some whale watching
The waters around Oman’s port capital are teeming with a cacophony of creatures, including two of its most prized: dolphins and whales. For fans of these magnificent mammals, the best way to see them is with a boat trip. Climb aboard with
Alsansool
Telephone: +968 9274 8669
Website: www.alsansool.net to see them in their natural habitat.
- Make a splash with some watersports
Muscat’s location means that much of its activity is centred on the sea, and the warm azure waters are a great place for adrenaline junkies to make a splash. From going full-throttle on a jet-ski and catching air with a kite-board to discovering the thrill of wakeboarding
Uniboats
Telephone: +968 9261 1222
Website: www.uniboats.com do it all.
- Spend a night under the stars
Muscat is morphing into a very modern city and despite its transformation it remains rich in cultural traditions. For an insight into a lifestyle at risk of disappearance, visitors can spend a night in the Wahiba desert with the nomadic Bedouin tribe.
Oman Sarafis
Telephone: +968 9286 4776
Website: www.omansafaris.com can make the necessary arrangements.
- While away an afternoon with a round of golf
Golf is a game that’s gaining popularity in Oman, and thanks to the warm weather and additional challenge of the sea breeze, it is well suited to Muscat. Ex-pro Greg Norman designed one of the finest courses in the area
Almouj Golf
Telephone: +968 2200 5990
Website: www.almoujgolf.com whose stunning coastline location offers golfers a memorable round.
Muscat tours and excursions
Muscat tours
Oman is blessed with a varied landscape that lends itself well to outdoor activities, from hiking, climbing and mountain biking to exploring the coastline. Muscat Diving and Adventure Center can organise such pursuits within and beyond Muscat, while Oman Diving Centre can enable you to explore the beneath the waves.
Telephone: +968 9771 0486
Website: www.omandaytours.com
Driving tours are usually tailor-made to each customer’s interests and consist of a saloon car with air conditioning and a driver who often doubles as a guide. National Travel & Tourism has considerable experience in arranging city tours, while Mark Tours has a good reputation for adventure trips in and beyond Muscat.
Telephone:
+968 2478 2727
Website: www.nttoman.com
Muscat excursions
100 minutes from Muscat by car is Nizwa, at the base of the Hajar Mountains. Formerly the Omani capital, it sports a spectacular 17th-century fort and has a lively animal market on Thursday mornings. It also has a craft souk with some fine silver artefacts. It’s a great base for exploring Jebel Akhdar, Jebel Shams and the Grand Canyon of Oman.
Telephone:
+968 9222 1008
Website: www.muscatnature.com
An hour’s drive southeast of Muscat, the coast becomes sharply indented in a series of sandstone fjords known as khors. The calm Bandar Khayran inlets provide many places to swim and the surrounding cliffs turn molten gold at sunset. To reach them, drive to the coastal town of Seifa. Alternatively, take a boat and enjoy the accompanying flotilla of dolphins.
Telephone: +968 9828 7001
Website: www.muscatseatours.comShopping in Muscat
Shopping in Oman is a delight, thanks to the country’s rich craft heritage and the the purity of its silver.
Two specialist craft shops are the Bait Muzna Gallery, Akl-Saidiya Street, Old Muscat, and the not-for-profit Omani Heritage Gallery, Way 2817, Shatti al-Qurm, both of which sell quality craft items. While you’re in the vicinity of the latter, indulge in some chocolate-covered dates from Bateel, Way 2817, in the Shatti al-Qurm shopping complex opposite.
You can buy silver items such as khanja, the ceremonial dagger worn by Omani men, in Mutrah Souk. This is also where fine pieces of Bedouin silver jewellery, often using Maria Theresa dollars (a coin used in Omani currency for many years), can be found. Frankincense, a hardened, aromatic resin grown in Dhofar in the south of Oman, makes another fun purchase.
Generally, shops open Saturday to Thursday 08:00-01:00 and 16:30-21:00. Some open Friday 16:30-21:00. Supermarkets (the most useful being Al-Fair and Lulu’s) open early to late daily.
Restaurants in Muscat
Restaurants in Muscat range from dining in world-class hotel restaurants to simple Arabian cafés. The Muscat restaurants below have been grouped into three different pricing categories:
Expensive (over OR15)
Moderate (OR10 to OR15)
Cheap (up to OR10)
These prices are for a three-course meal per person without drinks, tax and service included.
Expensive
Cuisine: Italian
Tuscany, Hyatt’s Award winning restaurant represents the finest Italian cuisine. The restaurant features an open kitchen with a wood burning oven and a private dining room all set in the tastefully decorated interior of a Tuscan Villa. The secret of Tuscan cookery is, and always has been – Simplicity! Chef Giuseppe Lioce & his brigade offer recipes from around Italy along with other Mediterranean countries and interpret them in the true Etruscan
Address: Grand Hyatt Muscat Hotel, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2464 1189
Website: www.hyattrestaurants.com
Cuisine: International
For a fine dining experience in a gorgeous seaside location, it’s worth venturing out to this luxurious resort, about 20 minutes through the mountains from Old Muscat. Offering authentic flavours of the Middle East, this understated venue has chefs on show in four open kitchens. Go early for a sunset aperitif in the neighbouring bar.
Address: Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2477 6565
Website: www.shangri-la.com
- The Beach Restaurant at The Chedi Muscat
Cuisine: Seafood
From the impeccably cooked seafood to the romantic seaside views, The Beach Restaurant is the jewel in the crown of the Chedi’s restaurant offerings. Tuck into some of the best-dressed lobster in the country whilst looking out over the Gulf of Oman, but be sure to wear your finest threads as it’s a formal restaurant.
Address: Qurm, Off 18th November Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2452 4343
Website: www.ghmhotels.com
Moderate
Cuisine: Indian
In a capital city with nearly as many Indian expats as resident Omanis, it’s praise indeed to call this one of the best Indian restaurants in Muscat. With a hilltop perch overlooking Qurm Natural Park, it is a sophisticated choice for a working lunch or a special dinner, known for its tandoori grills.
Address: Qurm, Way no. 2601, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2460 5979
Website: www.mumtazmahal.net
Cuisine: Indian
Serving up tasty Indian cuisine, this is a Muscat must-visit when you have a craving for curry but don’t want to blow your budget. Located just off Sultan Al Qaboos Street, Begum’s is renowned with locals and visitors for its excellent Mughlai delicacies, friendly atmosphere and beautifully presented biryanis.
Address: Bediyah House, Bawshar St, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 9307 4000
Website: www.begumsbiryani.com
Cuisine: American and international
When nothing but a burger will do, head for Slider Station, a popular industrial-styled chain that serves its thick meat sandwiches on a sushi-style conveyor belt. Don’t miss the dynamite burger, which comes with cheddar, jalapenos and spicy chipotle ranch sauce. Just be sure to leave room for dessert.
Address: Shatti Al Qurum, Oasis By The Sea, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2469 8990
Website: www.sliderstation.com
Cheap
Cuisine: Omani
Omani food is not to everyone’s taste, but if you’re keen to try some, this sit-on-the-floor restaurant, catering mainly for homesick businessmen from out of town, is one of the few places to sample genuine local cuisine like ma owl (a dish garnished with dried shark) and qaboolisamakhkenadh (king fish with biryani rice).
Address: Al Khuwair Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2447 8225
Cuisine: International
For those who just can’t imagine life without bacon (albeit beef bacon) and eggs for breakfast, steak pie and chips for lunch and beans on toast for tea, this homely, immensely popular British café is a short distance from a nap on the beach. The coffee is decent as well.
Address: Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, , Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2460 0234
Cuisine: Omani
We started our company based on various experiences of board members in different areas for decades. The board have experience in F&B, Franchising, commercial Kitchen equipment’s as well as spares and support. We are proud to initiate this partnership and looking for more success in the field. We look at your needs as our motivation. This means we always listen to you and work carefully to meet your expectation and make sure that our business relationship is consistent, friendly and productive.
Address: P c 112 al qurm Muscat.
Telephone: +968 9044 6611
Website: www.thehuboman.comMuscat Nightlife
Nightlife in Muscat tends to refer more to a picnic under the streetlamps of the coast road or a few kebabs with friends at one of the ubiquitous coffee shops. That said, all the hotels have lively bars (with a licence for alcohol) and a few local dance venues are beginning to gather momentum. All are obliged to double as restaurants. Most of Muscat’s cultural activities are arranged on an ad hoc basis. To find out what’s on, buy a copy of Oman Today or check the English daily newspapers, such as the
Oman Observer
Website: www.omanobserver.om
Bars in Muscat
Ironically, for the expats who call this Irish boozer a home from home, Feeney’s has upped sticks again and is now at the Beach Bay Hotel. Muscat’s first Irish pub has all the charms of an Emerald Isle tavern: a warm welcome, cold Guinness, decent grub and live music. It gets packed at the weekend.
Address: Bareeq Al Shatti, Al Kharjiya Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2212 0000
Website: www.wmuscat.com
It’s hard to join the dots here: this oft-packed sports bar, named after a Cuban capital is decked out like an African colonialist’s hunting lodge. However, look past the décor and you’ll find the best place to get a decent pint with some pub grub and watch live football, rugby and F1.
Address: Shatti Al Qurm, Al Shati Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2464 1234
Website: www.muscat.grand.hyatt.com
Address: Qurm Heights Road, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2456 4443
Website: www.rameehotels.com
Clubs in Muscat
Located in the Safari Entertainment Complex of the Grand Hyatt Muscat, this lively venue is decked out in faux-African decorations and has a resident DJ spinning tunes late into the night. While the dancefloor is pretty petite, the crowd still make the most of it, especially after a few happy hour drinks.
Address: Shatti Al Qurm, Al Shati Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2464 1234
Website: www.hyattrestaurants.com
For those for whom East Coast means less Mombasa and more Mexico, Pavo Real offers tequila-fuelled dancing at weekends (Wednesday and Thursday nights in Muscat). While it’s essentially a Mexican restaurant, there are dance parties on Thursdays as well as live bands and karaoke throughout the week. The food is decent too.
Address: Al Madina Plaza, Al Bashair Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2460 2603
Website: www.pavorealthemexican.co
For modish maraca shaking, there’s a nightly ensemble getting things going at Trader Vic’s, a Polynesian-inspired bar at the InterContinental Hotel. The dance floor is limited but it doesn’t stop diners and divas jostling for hip space – especially after one or two of the venue’s well-mixed cocktails.
Address: Shatti Al Qurm, Al Kharjiya Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2468 0080
Website: www.ihg.com
Live music in Muscat
His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos, is a classical music enthusiast and concerts are occasionally performed at Al-Bustan Hotel, a super sharp Ritz-Carlton property right on the beachfront. Else you can hear sophisticated piano and violin music that’s often performed as an accompaniment to afternoon tea or dinner.
Address: Muttrah Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2479 9666
Website: www.ritzcarlton.com
Nestled away as part of the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, the name of this classy, aquatic-hued cocktail bar all but gives the game away. Among the margarita and mojito nights, Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, expect a light tinkling of the ivories in the corner as stylish clientele sup away at some superb concoctions.
Address: Barr Al Jissah, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2477 6666
Website: www.shangri-la.com
Offering a world-class programme of classical orchestras, jazz stars and Arabian musicians, the elegant Royal Opera House opened in 2011 and is still the best place to go for theatre, dance and to see the fantastic Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra. Note: it has a smart dress code, so not trainers or jeans. Shows September to May.
Address: Shatti Al Qurum, Al Kharjiyah Street, Muscat.
Telephone: +968 2440 3300
Website: www.rohmuscat.org.omMuscat Food And Drink
Food In Muscat
Similar to the kabsa of Saudi Arabia, majboos is a dish made of long-grain basmati rice, chicken and aromatic spices that add depth of flavor. The rice and chicken are cooked separately and then assembled to create this simple yet flavorful dish.
Most shuwa is made with lamb, but beef and goat are also sometimes used, says Chef Ziyad. In fact, some
Omanis don’t cook their shuwa in a pit at all, but rather in a modern oven—although the dish in that case lacks the distinctive smokiness from the somer wood, the chef says.
Using beef, chicken or mutton, the marinades incorporate salt, black pepper, cloves, ginger, curry powder, cumin, coriander, cardamon, cayenne pepper, oil and tamarind paste. The longer the meat is marinated, the better the flavour, although the key to a good mishkak is taking it off the grill at just the right time.
Jareesh, also known as cracked or crushed wheat, is a staple grain used in Saudi Arabian and Middle Eastern cuisine. The dish, also named after the grain itself, is cooked until tender with broth and meat, creating a dish that can be likened to a creamy, grain-based stew.
Mashuai is a meal comprising whole spit-roasted kingfish served with lemon rice. The rukhal bread is a thin, round bread originally baked over a fire made from palm leaves. It is eaten at any meal, typically served with
Omani honey for breakfast or crumbled over curry for dinner.
Omani bread is served on the side of many dishes. This thin flatbread is made from flour, water and salt and cooked on a griddle or in a tandoor oven.
The Omani Halwa (Sweet) is one of the most famous desert dish’s in Oman. it is made of margarine, sugar, rose water, semolina and other things to prepare, mostly contains of nuts. there are types now which are special made from honey instead of sugar, or milk.
Omani Dates are densely packed with nutrients that are essential to nourishing your body. The dates contain all the required parameters of nutrition like carbohydrates, proteins, fats and dietary fibres with a boost of energy.
Drink In Muscat
Muscat wine is any wine that’s produced from a grape variety in the Muscat family. Yet within the Muscat family of grapes – over 200 of them, by some counts! – there are several important clones and production techniques that will help determine the character of the liquid in the glass.
A Liqueur Muscat (or, to give it its correct name, Muscat) is a fortified wine made in Australia from the Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge (known locally as Brown Muscat). The wine is sweet, dark, highly alcoholic Australian wine that has some similarities to Madeira and Malaga.
Omani coffee, or “Kahwa,” is a ceremony in itself. Flavoured with cardamom and lightly roasted, this aromatic brew is served in small cups along with dates, symbolizing hospitality and warmth. Quench your thirst with “Jallab,” a refreshing drink made from grape molasses, rose water, and pine nuts.
A versatile drink to be enjoyed with canapes, fruits and nuts or on ice in summer. Mix it with soda or tonic and garnish with fruit to make refreshing Muscat cocktails.
MUSCAT is a luscious blend of black tea scented with juicy muscat grapes. The tea’s cool, refreshing flavor is ideal for making iced tea. It’s a perfect choice when you want to brighten your mood.
Laban is a traditional fermented dairy-based beverage that has been enjoyed for centuries in many African and Arabian countries. This unique beverage is made from cow’s milk, goat’s milk, or sheep’s milk and is fermented for a day at a higher temperature than regular milk.
Muscat Hotels
Despite being a busy capital city, Muscat hasn’t lost its traditional feel and historic elegance. Visitors are treated to low rise blocks and plenty of domes and arabesque windows opening out onto the port, which is still the city’s focus. This is also where you’ll still find some of the best places to stay in Muscat.
As well as beautiful, traditional buildings, our Guru’s list includes modern resorts, favoured by those who are here for a beach break with a unique cultural twist.
With its clean, traditional appearance, Muscat is a very forward-thinking, modern city. On the list of highlights you’ll find the spectacular Grand Mosque which visitors can enter and the magical Sultan’s Palace and ancient forts which visitors can’t. The souqs and the corniche and the new Royal Opera House, which has attracted the very best international companies and performers.
The Mutrah Corniche is a good place to start your explorations, and this row of traditional white latticed buildings and mosques, gardens and fountains is especially picturesque at sunset when the buildings are bleached many colours. Part of the corniche experience is its souq, a traditional, chaotic market offering some fabulous artefacts, antiques, textiles and jewellery etc.. Just a little further on and you’ll find the fish markets and busy port.
Once you’ve seen, and felt, a bit of modern Muscat, you might like to delve into old Muscat, and Oman, at the Bait al-Baranda Museum, and then explore the walled part of Muscat, which was the original city limits.
And then of course there are those miles and miles of beaches, some lined with resort hotels, and some lined with fishermen collecting in their nets. Muscat is also a relatively short drive from the Wadi Shab, one of Oman’s most spectacular wadis, with a collection of beautiful green pools, eery caves and sheer sides.