Insight Guides Pocket Oman (Travel Guide eBook)

By Insight Guides

Insight Pocket Guides: ideal itineraries and top travel tips in a pocket-sized package.
Compact, concise, and packed with essential information about Where to Go and What to Do, this is an ideal on-the-move companion when you're exploring Oman
Covers the country's Top Ten Attractions, including spectacular Nakhal Fort and splendid Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and a Perfect Day in Muscat itinerary suggestions
Offers an insightful overview of landscape, history and culture
Contains an invaluable pull-out map, and essential practical information on everything from Eating Out to Getting Around
Includes an innovative extra that's unique in the market - all Insight Pocket Guides come with a free eBook
Inspirational colour photography throughout
Sharp design and colour-coded sections make for an engaging reading experience

About Insight Guides: Insight Guides has over 40 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture together create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: Feb 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781786718662

Insight Guides

Pictorial travel guide to Arizona & the Grand Canyon with a free eBook provides all you need for every step of your journey. With in-depth features on culture and history, stunning colour photography and handy maps, it’s perfect for inspiration and finding out when to go to Arizona & the Grand Canyon and what to see in Arizona & the Grand Canyon. 

Book preview

How To Use This E-Book

Getting Around the e-Book

This Pocket Guide e-book is designed to give you inspiration and planning advice for your visit to Oman, and is also the perfect on-the-ground companion for your trip.

The guide begins with our selection of Top 10 Attractions, plus a Perfect Itinerary feature to help you plan unmissable experiences. The Introduction and History chapters paint a vivid cultural portrait of Oman, and the Where to Go chapter gives a complete guide to all the sights worth visiting. You will find ideas for activities in the What to Do section, while the Eating Out chapter describes the local cuisine and gives listings of the best restaurants. The Travel Tips offer practical information to help you plan your trip. Finally, there are carefully selected hotel listings.

In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

Maps

All key attractions and sights in Oman are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map], tap once to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

Images

You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Oman. Simply double-tap an image to see it in full-screen.

About Insight Guides

Insight Guides have more than 40 years’ experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce 400 full-colour titles, in both print and digital form, covering more than 200 destinations across the globe, in a variety of formats to meet your different needs.

Insight Guides are written by local authors, whose expertise is evident in the extensive historical and cultural background features. Each destination is carefully researched by regional experts to ensure our guides provide the very latest information. All the reviews in Insight Guides are independent; we strive to maintain an impartial view. Our reviews are carefully selected to guide you to the best places to eat, go out and shop, so you can be confident that when we say a place is special, we really mean it.

© 2018 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

Table of Contents

Oman’s Top 10 Attractions

Top Attraction #1

Top Attraction #2

Top Attraction #3

Top Attraction #4

Top Attraction #5

Top Attraction #6

Top Attraction #7

Top Attraction #8

Top Attraction #9

Top Attraction #10

A Perfect Day In Muscat

Introduction

Varied landscapes

Land of traditions

Islam in Oman

Building a future

A Brief History

Prehistory

Early civilisations

Arrival of Islam

Maritime trade

The Omani Empire

Creation of modern Oman

Historical landmarks

Where To Go

MUSCAT

Old Muscat

South of Old Muscat

Mutrah

Ruwi

Qurm

Madinat as Sultan Qaboos

Al Khuwayr

NIZWA AND THE MOUNTAINS

Muscat to Nizwa

Nizwa

Around Nizwa

Al Hamra region

Ibri and Bat

SOHAR AND BATINAH COAST

Batinah coast

Sohar

Wadi Jizzi

SUR AND THE EAST

Muscat to Sur

Sur

Turtle-watching

The Eastern Hajar Mountains

Wahibah Desert and beyond

SALALAH AND DHOFAR

Salalah city

West Salalah

East Salalah

MUSANDAM

Getting to Musandam

Khasab

Scenic coastal drive

Dhow cruise

Mountain tour

What To Do

SPORTS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Spectator sports

ENTERTAINMENT

SHOPPING

ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN

Calendar of events

Eating Out

WHERE TO EAT

WHEN TO EAT

WHAT TO EAT

DESSERTS

DRINKS

Reading the Menu

To Help You Order…

Menu reader

Restaurants

Muscat

Nizwa

Sohar and Batinah coast

Sur and the East

Salalah and Dhofar

Musandam

A–Z Travel Tips

A

Accommodation (see also list of Recommended hotels)

Airports

B

Bicycle hire

Boat hire

Budgeting for your trip

C

Camping

Car hire (see also Driving)

Climate

Clothing

Crime and safety

D

Driving (see also Car hire)

E

Electricity

Embassies and consulates

Emergencies

G

Gay and lesbian travellers

Getting there (see also Tourist information)

Guides and tours

H

Health and medical care

L

Language

M

Maps

Media

Money

O

Opening times

P

Photography

Police

Post offices

Public holidays

Public transport

R

Religion

T

Telephone

Time zones

Tipping

Toilets

Tourist information

V

Visas and entry requirements

W

Websites and internet cafés

Recommended Hotels

Muscat

Nizwa and the mountains

Nizwa

Al Hamra region

Sohar and Batinah Coast

Sohar

Batinah Coast

Sur and the East

Sur

The East Coast

Salalah and Dhofar

Musandam

Oman’s Top 10 Attractions

Top Attraction #1

Chris Bradley/Apa Publications

Nakhal Fort

A soaring structure in the Western Hajar Mountains. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #2

Chris Bradley/Apa Publications

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

A beautifully designed and decorated contemporary mosque with a capacity for 20,000 worshippers. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #3

Oman Tourism

Al Hoota Cave

Spectacular underground formations. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #4

Elvis John Ferrao

Bait al Baranda

This excellent museum traces Muscat’s history. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #5

Chris Bradley/Apa Publications

Dhow cruise

Enjoy tranquil bays and stunning views. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #6

Chris Bradley/Apa Publications

Land of Frankincense Museum

A fascinating and fragrant history. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #7

Shutterstock

Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve

Nesting site of endangered green turtles. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #8

Chris Bradley/Apa Publications

Sumhuram

The site of an ancient port in a beautiful setting on the banks of Khawr Rawri creek. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #9

Chris Bradley/Apa Publications

Mutrah Corniche and Souq

The exotic sights, sounds and smells of an authentic Arabian souq. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #10

Chris Bradley/Apa Publications

Nizwa Fort

A majestic fort with excellent views. For more information, click here.

A Perfect Day In Muscat

8.00am

Breakfast

Join the power-walkers and joggers for an early-morning stroll along the quiet beach at Shati al Qurm, followed by a well-deserved outdoor breakfast at D’Arcy’s in Jawaharat a’Shati Complex.

9.30am

A mosque visit

Visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque for a look around this beautifully constructed and exquisitely decorated building, one of the most famous in Arabia. Women must remember to take a scarf to cover their heads.

11.00am

Local history

Head for Mutrah and spend an hour at Bait al Baranda, a fascinating history museum. Have a hot drink at the Kargeen Caffe before moving on.

12 noon

Coastal drive

Drive along the sweeping corniche and through the Muscat Gate into Old Muscat. Admire the facade of the Sultan’s Al Alam Palace and take in the latest art exhibition at Bait Muzna Gallery.

1.30pm

Scenic lunch

Drive down the coast to the world-famous Al Bustan Palace Hotel for a superb buffet lunch. The Al Khiran Terrace restaurant offers indoor or outdoor dining with stunning views along the coast, and features ‘live cooking stations’ for personal freshly cooked dishes.

4.00pm

Dhow cruise

Return to Mutrah Corniche to board a pre-booked sunset dhow cruise. Glide out of the harbour and along the coast into the bay of Old Muscat, often accompanied by dolphins, and take in views of the Sultan’s Palace and the Portuguese forts of Al Mirani and Al Jalali.

6.30pm

A short stroll and an aperitif

Disembark and walk along the Corniche for early-evening drinks on the tiny top-floor terrace of the Marina Hotel. Enjoy fabulous views along Mutrah Corniche to the fort and beyond.

8.00pm

Dinner with a view

Reserve a table at La Brasserie, next door to the Marina Hotel, for exquisite French cuisine specialising in fish dishes. This small restaurant is spread over three floors, with the upper terrace having great views across the harbour and fish market.

10.00pm

Late-night jazz

Take a taxi back through town to the Park Inn at Al Khuwayr for some late-evening live jazz or lounge music at its laidback Sama Terrazza rooftop bar. Enjoy extensive night-time views towards the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.

Introduction

Oman’s potential as a tourist destination is still unfolding, but all the right ingredients are here: unspoilt landscapes, wonderful beaches, a rich culture and friendly people. Oman occupies the southeastern corner of the Arabian peninsula, straddling the Tropic of Cancer along the coast of the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf. It has land borders with the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and an area of just over 300,000 sq km (115,800 sq miles), making it slightly larger than Italy. Recent figures show that Oman has a population of some 4,741,305 people; a dramatic increase from the December 2010 census which showed a total population of 2,694,094, with the majority living in Muscat or along the Batinah Coast enjoying year-round sunshine. Foreigners (mostly guest workers) account for 12.5 percent of the population.

Varied landscapes

One of your first impressions of Oman will be the vast stretches of colourful flowers