Muscat has now become a favorite tourist destination among the tourists. The city of Muscat is well-known for its historical monuments, museums and gardens and many festivals held here. While visiting the city, one will find a lot of beautiful places to see. The place has so much to offer and it also has so much to offer to the tourists.
There are many sites that you can visit in Muscat but the highlight of the place would be the old Sultan's Mosque. This mosque is very important and must be visited by every visitor to the city. The mosque itself is beautifully designed and the people here speak English very well. This place is extremely historic and has more than one hundred thousand years of history behind it. To enjoy the beauty of this place you must hire a guide.
You must see the monuments in Muscat. One must come to the old citadel, which is very impressive and must be visited by every tourist. You must see the famous Abu Ali bridge or Umar-e-Naseem bridge. This bridge connects Muscat with the Indian city of Udaipur. It is one of the famous bridges in the world as it has been very famous for centuries.
The famous Mosque of Sultan's Palace must be visited while visiting the city. Here you will find a lot of local cultural activities. There are also some fun loving night parties where you can enjoy the things that this place has to offer. The local bars and pubs in the city have been open from the year 1924. This place has been a common hangout for locals for many years.
Many artists and dancers and other artists from the collection here and there. For instance, they make a living through dancing and producing music in the city. They also performat concerts. You can visit the gallery where the Indian art and crafts are also exhibited. In fact this city of Muscat has so much to offer to the tourists.
The modern mosques and its surroundings are also worth seeing while traveling in Muscat. Some of these places have gardens and they have interesting sculpture and works of art. You must try to visit this place.
In the months of June to August there is a very popular festival called Zayed Arabi. This festival attracts a lot of people from all over the world as they spend their vacation in this place. There are festivals and celebrations organized here from time to time.
There are some hotels in the city that provide tourists with the best possible accommodation. The rooms are big and luxurious and the service provided by the hotel is very good. The staff in the hotel is always ready to help and take care of any queries that the tourists may have.
Most of the city's hotels are quite comfortable and provide the travelers with many facilities. They are clean and fresh. A common guest might want to stay in a luxury hotel in the city.
One must also make a list of the touristic attractions in the city before planning to visit this place. Some of the tours that you should do in this city are camel safari, Seaplane tours, Angkor Wat, Amber Temple, City and the Maritime Museum, National Museum and many more.
If you are interested in exploring the different places of this city, then you can go online and search for travel tips Muscat. You will come across so many interesting and nice offers that you can explore while traveling in this place.
Places in Muscat - Diving
In the midst of the Arabian Sea and the city of Muscat lies a surprisingly small but richly scintillating beach in which many places in Muscat have their own unique charms. Whether it is the azure blue sea on the horizon or the sea birds, running down your arm, bird calls, beach fruits, fishes, seashores and the huge flora and fauna, there is one thing that has nothing to do with Muscat: Diving.
Muscat Diving has come as a big surprise to many who think that it is only a local activity. The locals don't seem to understand the more popular things about this place.
The scene of nature here and the natural marine life in the dunes and the low-lying beaches, make you forget about the usual tourist attractions. The sea is a long way away and yet, still the scenery and the sounds of nature remind you of the mountains. They are not an illusion; it is reality.
Many tourists come here from other places, and here in Muscat are actually fascinated by the sea. There are several options available for diving. These range from the less conventional to the more adventurous.
For those who wish to visit some offbeat destinations like two million-year-old freshwater fossils to see the vast array of sea shells, or the unique stalactites and stalagmites, or the flowers and flora, Muscat Diving has all these options. If it is diving that you are interested in, there are several diving sites available. The local area is very beautiful; and yet a little risky.
While the blue sea and the people of Muscat would love to you to take a stroll and spend some time in their wonderful atmosphere, for the more adventurous kind of divers, the option of going deep down into the Arabian Sea is available. This is where the world's biggest underwater cave of Dredge Reef was discovered in the distant past.
A big attraction is the dive site of Myth, the largest cave in the world. The cave is not of those that you see at the surface, but deeper, so many more divers go and explore the underwater world.
The islets of Lahore is a very popular spot for tourists as it is one of the rare sites of natural coral. It is at this place that more than eight million dollars are invested every year in the maintenance of this reef.
Several more dive sites have been discovered in the world and many of them are not accessible by car. This is because there are no roads for the purpose of making this region accessible. The local owners of these dive sites sell some tickets at the local dive sites.
There are many hotels and guest houses for tourists, and they offer a wide variety of services like, wine tasting, beach cooking, lunch and so on. There are also tour operators who arrange trips for tourists who have found a nice spot for diving.
Local people take care of the diving spots; and, in many cases, these go for feeding of the animals. Then, there are also local guides who take you there on a boat or a tour boat.
Conveniently positioned on a millennia-old trade route which functioned as a crucial, all-natural plan to Mesopotamia and Persia and also, today, where a significant part of globe's fuel passes by, Muscat, the capital of Oman, has actually been a city of vital importance for centuries.
It doesn't shock me that Muscat is one of those capitals with so several layers of background, whose calculated area made it particularly appealing for rather a few empires, from the Persian Sassanids to the Arabs, the Footrest and also the Portuguese, the last one being defeated in 1744 by the very same dynasty that has actually been ruling considering that after that.
Today, Muscat is a modern-day city, where you can find all the high-end the Gulf Monarchies are well-known for, yet, unlike Dubai, it has a genuine heart, its own character, practices, and also history.
It's a fascinating funding, like no place else in the area.
This guide consists of every little thing you need to understand to see Muscat, consisting of areas to go to, how to move around, where to remain and other interests and ideas.
Best time to check out Muscat
It is necessary to travel to Muscat throughout the ideal period:
Summer season: Prevent it, entirely. Temperatures typical 45ºC, plus it is incredibly damp, day and night. Primarily, life quits practically throughout this season.
Fall and also spring: Summer seasons are long, so attempt to also stay clear of late spring and also very early autumn due to the fact that the weather condition will still be quite intolerable.
Winter season: Ideal time to travel to Muscat Pleasant climate all day.
Just how to relate in Muscat
Muscat is sort of a straight city that stretches over 70km complying with the shoreline.
The city is spread out, making it impossible to walk, and hard to move by mass transit, and also it is made up of numerous communities, so different from each various other that they might essentially be like small cities, a lot of them not being walking-friendly either.
This indicates that Muscat isn't one of those cities where you just choose an arbitrary stroll and also see what you encounter, but preparing ahead prior to leaving your hotel or home is a must.
Sultan Qaboos Road is a multi-lane highway that experiences the middle of the city, making it rather simple to orientate, as no matter where you go, you require to enter it and afterwards leave it at the respective leave.
It is a weirdly intended city, but the reality is that all resources in the Gulf Monarchies are prepared in a comparable way yet, once you get utilized to, it should be easy to browse.
Where to stay in Muscat
Muscat is large, so it is important to pick the best holiday accommodation based upon your recommended location. Here is some assistance.
Ruwi-- For spending plan travelers as well as backpackers. It is like Little India, where you discover the very best and also least expensive Indian dining establishments as well as it has one of the most practical location, as it is close to every little thing as well as it is where the primary bus terminal is. Ideal for those that do not have an automobile.
How to take a trip to Muscat.
Taking a trip to Muscat by air-- Muscat International Flight terminal is expanding so, today, you find plenty of links with several cities in Europe as well as Asia. However, I suggest you check the flights to Dubai first, as it is normally more affordable.
Traveling to Muscat by land-- Oman shares a border with UAE, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
UAE-- Traveling from Dubai to Muscat is a 400km drive. You can stop by vehicle yet there are also buses from Bur Dubai. Read my 1-week plan to the UAE
Saudi-- Obviously, the boundary was recently opened up, yet there are no buses and also it is in fact faster experiencing UAE, which would certainly be a 1,300 km drive from Riyadh to Muscat. Review my travel guide to Saudi Arabia.
Yemen-- The boundary is open however it is a long drive and, most likely, you will not be originating from there.
Taking a trip to Muscat by boat-- You can visit ferryboat from Musandam, an exclave within UAE that belongs to Oman.
Places to check out in Muscat on day 1-- Mutrah and Al-Bustan
Mutrah as well as Al-Bustan, the last one being the actual Old Muscat, were 2 separate cities, or regions, whose harbors utilized to take on each other in some way, Mutrah primarily acting as the engaging harbor of Al-Bustan, therefore Muscat.
However, Mutrah likewise became a prosperous community for the straightforward factor that Muscat was not easily accessible by land, as a result of the mountains, so the camel caravans chosen to enter the region by means of Mutrah
They were 2 cities that matched each other and today, they are the actual heart of the city as well as where the most fascinating areas to visit in Muscat are.
Things to do in Mutrah.
Fish Market-- From large tuna to marlin, this is just one of the most effective places to check out in Muscat as well as the best fish market I have ever before visited in the Gulf, far better than the one that used to be in Dubai, for the straightforward reason that right here, the stalls are run by regional Omanis. Try to go early, around 6-7am, when the market is more busy. Some of the stalls are currently vacant if you come at 9-10am.
Mutrah Souq as well as lanes-- Mutrah Souq is yet one more souq as well as, honestly, my one of my least favorite points to do in Muscat, as it has become a touristic souq loaded with keepsakes as well as really irritating sellers who do not let you appreciate the place. There are, however, some parts of the souq where the citizens buy, like the Gold Souq, yet on the whole, after visiting tens of souqs all over the Middle East, this set isn't particularly amazing.
Mutrah Souq (Sur Al Lawatia)-- Like a lot of Shia areas around the Arab globe staying in largely Sunni countries, the Omani Shia populace living in Sur Al Lawatia is paranoid about outsiders, as the small Shia districts have constantly been a target for terrorist groups such as ISIS, specifically in Lebanon. I review that visitors are not invite in the location, but I did get in and also nobody claimed anything to me. Hide your camera and also do not take photos, not even with your phone.
Corniche-- An amazing place to walk and also take pictures of Mutrah's horizon. Likewise, have a look at the harbor, where the Sultan's outstanding personal luxury yacht is anchored-- when he is not utilizing it.
Mutrah Fort-- Built by the Portuguese in the 16th century throughout their policy, Mutrah's fort dominates the eastern edge of Mutrah. The ft isn't really amazing but the views are excellent and also entryway is cost-free.
Things to do in Al-Bustan (Old Muscat).
Al-Bab al Kabir (Muscat Gate Gallery)-- This magnificently remodelled structure made use of to be the major entryway to Muscat and today, it has a gallery that showcases the background and advancement of Oman.
Al Mirani Fort-- Likewise constructed by the Portuguese in the 16th century, this is my favored ft to see in Muscat (there is a third one visible from here called Al Jalali) yet you are not enabled to go into. From outside you have wonderful views of the Old Harbor as well as a different perspective of Sultan Qaboos' exclusive palace.
Al Alam Palace-- The Sultan's personal residence layout seems to have actually been drawn from Aladdin's flick. You can't get in, as well as I doubt they supply trips, yet the outside of the building is unique.
National Museum-- It showcases the history of Oman, from the first human proof 5 million years ago to today. Entryway prices 5OR (13USD), which is fairly costly for a gallery in this area, as both Riyadh and Dubai's national galleries set you back a few cents.
Transportation: Just how to move Muscat.
Reaching and from the flight terminal:.
By taxi-- I advise you download and install either Uber or Careem yet, if you do not have net accessibility, a taxi flight to Mutrah for example, should cost around 6-8OR. Note that they will certainly attempt to charge you much more.
By bus-- There is a red bus that copulates to Ruwi along Sultan Qaboos Road, so depending upon where you are staying, it can be extremely hassle-free.
Moving Muscat by normal taxi-- If you do not have an auto, taxis are the method to enter Muscat. They do not have taximeters, however, and cab driver from Muscat are really bothersome because they constantly try to dupe vacationers. Like I stated, your best option will certainly be using either Careem or Uber.
Renting a cars and truck-- Renting a car will really be less expensive than depending regularly in taxis. I suggest you book it via Rental Autos, an internet search engine that locate you the very best cars and truck delas in Muscat and any kind of city.
UAE-- Traveling from Dubai to Muscat is a 400km drive. Fish Market-- From huge tuna to marlin, this is one of the ideal places to go to in Muscat as well as the greatest fish market I have ever before checked out in the Gulf, better than the one that made use of to be in Dubai, for the straightforward reason that here, the stalls are run by local Omanis. Shia Area (Sur Al Lawatia)-- Like a lot of Shia neighborhoods around the Arab globe living in mainly Sunni nations, the Omani Shia population living in Sur Al Lawatia is paranoid about outsiders, as the tiny Shia districts have constantly been a target for terrorist teams such as ISIS, specifically in Lebanon. Moving around Muscat by normal taxi-- If you don't have a cars and truck, taxis are the method to go in Muscat. They don't have taximeters, nonetheless, and taxi motorists from Muscat are actually aggravating due to the fact that they always try to rip off vacationers.
