ON TOUR: Oman

Fancy a break seven hours from Heathrow with wonderful weather and a most hospitable welcome?  

At the IATA AGM and fast approaching his 80th birthday Malcolm Ginsberg, about to become the former Editor-in-Chief of Business Travel News, attended an Oman Air/oneworld press conference introducing the airline as a 2023 member of oneworld.

The sales pitch was perfect from the airline CEO Abdulaziz Al Raisi. “Oman Air's admittance into oneworld represents a defining moment in our journey to provide passengers with greater travel options through our developing partnerships and alliances. We look forward to welcoming oneworld members onboard Oman Air to experience the height of Omani hospitality and all that the Sultanate of Oman has to offer in terms of history, culture and natural beauty”.

Oman is on the Saudi peninsular, an overfly of the popular business and holiday destinations of Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, plus of course Saudi Arabia itself.  

Geographically it is somewhat unusual.  Salalah, in the south, and desert, close to Yemen.  Far to the north, and 1,000 miles away by road, is the Musandam Peninsula, surrounded by the UAE and bordering the Persian Gulf, described as “The Norway of Oman”.

Delving into history Oman has always been a major link on the trade routes from India with The Gulf, and Africa to the south. At its peak Omani influence extended across the Strait of Hormuz to modern-day Iran and Pakistan, and as far as Zanzibar.  After the removal of the Portuguese, Britain for over 300 years had much influence over the Sultanate, an absolute monarchy.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said became hereditary monarch in 1970, dying without issue after a highly successful reign.  He was succeeded by his cousin Haitham bin Tariq. Well known to the British Royal Family, Qaboos hosted Queen Elizabeth as recently as 2010, sharing their common interest in horses.

Oman is about one-and-a-third times the size of the United Kingdom but its population is only 3.6m v 67.2m for the UK, with a 50/50 split between nationals and expatriates from all over the Moslem world but in particular India.  Outside the capital, Muscat, Omanis and foreigners tend to live in separate townships.

Sultan Qaboos opened up the country, embarked on economic reforms, and followed a policy of modernisation marked by increased spending on health, education and welfare.  Tourism is now an important source of revenue for an oil-rich country.

First impressions count, a very modern airport (the terminal opened in 2018), a quick but proper inspection of paperwork, and then a 35-minute drive to the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort, a remarkable integrated complex of five-star hotel (Al Husn – no children), Al Bander (upmarket four-star), and Al Wanda (still four-star but with everything for youngsters).  Within the complex there are eight restaurants serving a variety of both Middle East and international food. Six swimming pools.  Pork is not available but the drinking rules are quite relaxed.  The Sultanah restaurant in Al Husn is considered one of the finest eateries in Oman, the five-star ‘tasting’ menu exceptional.  Light meals the next day. There is a shuttle bus service into Muscat, about 25 minutes away.

No potholes of course on the exceptionally well-built main roads but this is more than compensated by ‘sleeping policemen’ on lesser but important roads.  You try explaining that expression to a local driver whose English is not that good. The country is spotless and we were told that owners are fined for dirty cars!

In 1992 Sultan Qaboos directed that his country should have a Grand Mosque.  Construction commenced in 1995 and the building work took over six years.  The result is imposing and well worth a visit.  Ladies should be careful to cover up, (head, shoulders and knees – though the heat makes this sensible anyway).  The female wardens are helpful, and indeed experts in making the cover-up stylish. A major feature is the 70m × 60m carpet which covers the floor of the main prayer hall.  It contains 1,700,000 knots, weighs 21 tonnes and took four years to produce.  In various shades, 28 colours were used, the majority obtained from traditional vegetable dyes.  Produced by Iran Carpet Company it is the second largest single piece carpet in the world.  Equally striking is the main chandelier above the prayer hall.  It is 14m tall.

Not as large as the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul or Cairo's massive Khan el Khalili market, Muscat’s souk is still an intriguing place to wander about for an hour or two, looking at the ‘bargains’ and wondering whether they were made locally or in China.  Built in traditional style it offers silver jewellery, intricately hand-made ‘Khanjars’ and other handicrafts.  Shoes and sports equipment, carpets, clothes, lingerie, perfumes, leather goods, trinkets and Omani silver handicrafts are available.  Haggling is part of the sale.

If the ancient souk is not for you (and this one is not that ancient) Muscat has plenty of fully air-conditioned shopping malls, Bond Street in the desert, with the finest international cuisine close at hand.

Muscat has also found its niche as a cruise port on the regular run from Dubai and Qatar, and also Mumbai and the Maldives.  New facilities are being built.

Our short four-night stay allowed for a day out to the historic town of Nizwa, Oman’s cultural capital and its powerful fort topped by a massive circular cannon tower, one of the most impressive in Oman, bordered by a traditional souq. Then on to Jabrin castle, built in 17th century.  With magnificent plasterwork, the carved doors and the painted wooden beams of the ceilings makes this castle rather unique. Lunch was taken in what could only be described as a ‘workers café, perfectly clean and fine Middle Eastern food, but little style.  As noted Oman is working on building up its tourist infrastructure.

It was then up into the impressive mountains, brown barren limestone stretching up to 10,000ft.  Jabal Akdhar is famous for fruit orchards typically laid out in terraces along the mountain slopes and irrigated by ‘falaj’, traditional water systems. A wide variety of fruit including peaches, pomegranates, apricots, figs, grapes, apples, plums and pears are cultivated here from July to September and almonds and walnuts are included in the crop. The villages of Saiq, Wadi Bani Habib (a village of old houses carefully rebuilt with help from the State) and Al Ain dot the landscape and overlook a spectacular landscape of peaks, gorges and wadis. Our guide impressed us with his tales of leading groups along the ridges and steep pathways.  It’s a tourist attraction but not for us.  On a beautiful day with a clear blue sky we were told that it could rain, and torrential at that.  Hard to believe.

At Shangri-La our accommodation was an Al Bander balcony garden room and highly recommended, a few strides from one of the swimming pools and a café specialising in wood-fired pizzas and signature cocktails.  

With a visit to Oman Air HQ and the sightseeing, the four days were quickly gone.  Next time Musandam and Salalah will be in the itinerary.  Eight nights are recommended by Oman Tours for a holiday to the Sultanate.

www.omanair.com/gbl/en/oman-holiday-packages

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