Things to do in Oman

25 things to do in Oman

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Watch sunrise over the rolling dunes of Wahiba Sands

  Witness the first rays of light igniting golden sand waves in a vast desert that seems endless, with only the tracks of camels and the wind for company.

  Wahiba Sands, Ash Sharqiyah

• Explore the cavernous prayer hall of Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

  Stand beneath the massive Italian chandelier and walk barefoot on the second‑largest hand‑woven carpet in the world, surrounded by intricate sandstone and marble.

  Muscat

• Snorkel with green turtles at the Daymaniyat Islands

  Glide through crystalline shallows alongside grazing hawksbill and green turtles, while clownfish dart around protected coral gardens in this marine reserve.

  Daymaniyat Islands, off Muscat

• Climb the round tower of Nizwa Fort and haggle in the souq

  Ascend the massive 17th‑century fortress for sweeping date‑palm views, then plunge into the adjacent market for silver, halwa and pottery.

  Nizwa, Ad Dakhiliyah

• Wander the abandoned mud‑brick lanes of Al Hamra

  Step into a 400‑year‑old village where multi‑storey mud houses with carved wooden doors crouch at the foot of the Hajar mountains, seemingly frozen in time.

  Al Hamra, Ad Dakhiliyah

• Hike the dramatic balcony walk along the rim of Jebel Shams

  Traverse Oman’s Grand Canyon on a narrow ledge with sheer 1,000‑metre drops into Wadi Nakhr, surrounded by juniper trees and ravens circling the abyss.

  Jebel Shams, Al Hajar mountains

• Watch craftsmen build a dhow by hand in the shipyards of Sur

  Sit by the lagoon as master carpenters shape teak planks with traditional tools, assembling majestic wooden vessels exactly as they did centuries ago.

  Sur, Ash Sharqiyah

• Swim in the emerald pool of Bimmah Sinkhole

  Descend steps into a surreal limestone crater filled with turquoise, fish‑teeming water, while sea breezes from the nearby Gulf of Oman cool the air.

  Bimmah, near Quriyat

• Taste sticky Omani halwa at a small shop in Muttrah Souq

  Spoon up rose-infused, cardamom‑laced gelatinous sweets cooked in a copper pot, while the vendor explains the recipe handed down through generations.

  Muttrah, Muscat

• Watch sunset paint the Muttrah Corniche as dhows bob in the harbour

  Stroll along the seafront promenade as the sun sinks behind rugged mountains, the call to prayer echoes and ships’ lights begin to twinkle on the water.

  Muttrah, Muscat

• Camp under a canopy of stars in the Empty Quarter

  Pitch a tent on the edge of the world’s largest sand sea, where absolute silence and an impossibly clear Milky Way create a humbling desert night.

  Rub' al Khali, near Ubar

• Walk among ancient frankincense trees in Wadi Dawkah

  Touch the gnarled bark of trees whose resin was once worth its weight in gold, in a UNESCO‑listed valley that still oozes sacred wadi aromas.

  Wadi Dawkah, Dhofar

• Attend a world‑class performance at the Royal Opera House Muscat

  Settle into a seat of Italian marble and inlaid wood in the Gulf’s most opulent opera house, where Arabesque arches frame a programme of ballet, jazz and classical music.

  Muscat

• Dive the coral gardens and reef sharks of Fahal Island

  Drop into clear blue water off a rocky islet where schools of barracuda, moray eels and shy reef sharks patrol healthy hard‑coral formations.

  Fahal Island, off Muscat

• Explore the crumbling mosques and mausoleums of ancient Qalhat

  Roam the windswept ruins of a once‑great trading port, where the broken dome of Bibi Maryam’s tomb still guards a story of Hormuzi power and maritime glory.

  Qalhat, Ash Sharqiyah

• Drive through the terraced rose gardens and villages of Jebel Akhdar

  Climb into cool, green mountains where pomegranate orchards, damask roses and stone houses cling to steep slopes, and the scent of drying petals fills the breeze.

  Jebel Akhdar, Al Hajar

• Bargain for antique silver khanjars in Muttrah Souq

  Get lost in a labyrinth of frankincense‑scented alleys under a wooden roof, haggling over curved Omani daggers, Bedouin masks and hand‑pressed turmeric.

  Muttrah, Muscat

• Kayak through the silent fjords of Khawr Sham in Musandam

  Paddle past towering rust‑coloured cliffs that plunge into mirror‑calm, dolphin‑dotted waters, camping overnight on a deserted white‑sand beach.

  Khasab, Musandam

• Soak in Nakhal’s hot springs under the shadow of a mountain fort

  Clamber through a pre‑Islamic fort perched on a boulder, then ease tired muscles in the warm, mineral‑rich water gushing from the base of the range.

  Nakhal, Al Batinah

• Haggle for goats and camels at Nizwa’s Friday livestock market

  Arrive at dawn to a dusty, raucous circle where Bedouin traders in dishdashas auction prize camels, rams and cattle under a haze of dust and shouts.

  Nizwa, Ad Dakhiliyah

• Explore the secret falaj channels of Birkat Al Mouz

  Follow the ancient water tunnels that still irrigate date palms in a ruined mud village, with the jagged peaks of Jebel Akhdar rising behind.

  Birkat Al Mouz, Ad Dakhiliyah

• Hike through the emerald pools of Wadi Shab to a hidden waterfall

  Swim through crystal‑clear limestone wadi pools, scramble over boulders and squeeze into a cave where a waterfall cascades into a turquoise grotto.

  Wadi Shab, Ash Sharqiyah

• Discover Omani heritage at Bait Al Zubair museum

  Handle traditional weapons, jewellery and costumes displayed in a restored merchant’s house, then sip kahwa in the replica village courtyard.

  Muscat

• Sip Omani coffee and dates in a Bedouin tent in Wahiba Sands

  Crouch on carpets inside a black goat‑hair tent as your host pours cardamom‑scented qahwa from a brass dallah and offers fresh dates, the sacred welcome of the desert.

  Wahiba Sands, Ash Sharqiyah

• Watch blowholes blast seawater at Mughsail Beach in Salalah

  Stand near limestone cliffs as waves force foaming plumes through natural shafts, creating towering geysers that drench the surrounding rocks with a deep roar.

  Mughsail, Dhofar