Oman Road Trip
Mountain along the highway in Oman
A Weekend Trip from Al Ain, UAE, to Muscat, Oman
Our friend Andrew suggested we would do a weekend trip to Muscat, Oman before would leave Al Ain the following week from the United Arab Emirates. Right after Andrew was done work we hopped in the car and made the three-and-a-half-hour drive.
We booked an Airbnb which takes the prize for having the hardest bed we have ever slept on.
The Muscat Coniche
A Stroll Along the Corniche in Muscat
After a rough first night, we were in need of fresh and we got plenty of that along the corniche in Muscat. It was unbelievably clear, the sun stung and a thick layer of factor 50 sunscreen was applied. Being near the ocean reminded us of a pristine day in Thyborøn, Denmark.
I am sure, the clear air had something to do with the rain which had fallen the night before.
Call to prayer a the Souq in Muscat
The corniche is touristy but that was okay. There were plenty of signs of history with the watchtowers and a fort in the hills above the harbor.
Sultan Qaboos of Oman's impressive yacht was moored in the harbor but the Sultan himself was nowhere to be found. An invitation to a nice tour of the bay would have been in order I should think.
Narrow alley and small shops at the Souq in Muscat, Oman
Exploring the Souq in Muscat
The Souq in Muscat is pure magic. The narrow streets behind the harbor take you back in time to when small business was literally small. A few square feet, side by side with alleyways of only 3-4 feet. We were there in the middle of the day while the souq was closed.
Di and I had an ongoing discussion as to whether it was fortunate or not that the souk was closed. We visited the souk on a Friday. Friday is the holy day and men appeared from all angles of the alleys to gather in the many small mosques.
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, Oman
Beach Soccer in Muscat
We arrived just before sunset at the beach in Muscat and the beach was busy with about a dozen or so beach soccer games in progress. Families were gathering and some were swimming. We decided against a swim and merely took in the atmosphere.
After the beach, we had dinner at Trader Vic's at the Intercontinental Hotel. We saw an Indian wedding celebration in progress with a guest list of 700. Quite a sight with a live band, caterers, videographers, lighting show, and everything imaginable.
Beach Soccer in Oman
On the Road Back to Al Ain
The drive back to Al Ain was surprisingly exotic. Leaving Muscat we had expected a desolate drive with nothing but desert.
Much to our surprise, we drove through town after town where the white houses and colorful mosques stood in sharp contrast to the harsh mountain landscape.
At one point I mentioned to Andrew we were on a real "driver’s road". Twenty seconds later we were passed by about a dozen luxury cars; Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Porches. It only took a few seconds and they disappeared into the horizon way ahead of us.
A boy at the Nizwa Fort in Oman
We made a stop in Nizwa and toured the Fort. The view from the tower of the fort was amazing and the fort was a cultural and historical gem, certainly a worthwhile stop. Especially if you count in the goodies we picked up at the local bakery to carry us through the rest of the drive.
Thanks, Andrew for joining us on the adventure to Oman. We are glad we could wrap up our time in the Middle East together with a successful road trip.
The view from the fort at Nizwa, Oman
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The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-T1. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 35mm f/2 R WR - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Lightroom and I used Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos.
