Travelling to Oman with friends is a fantastic idea. It has numerous outdoors activities that mean you can enjoy the sultanate’s impressive nature, and plenty of cultural sights, heritage, shopping, and food to experience too.
Below are a handful of activities that we recommend when you travel to Oman with friends, and you’ll soon see why the country is quickly becoming such a popular destination in the booming Middle East.
- Enjoy its amazing beaches
- 4×4 desert trip
- Go shopping in the souks
- Enjoy the khareef in Salalah
- Visit Muscat, a city that has it all
- Hiking in Wadi Ash Shab and its ravines
- Whale watching
- Where to stay in Oman
Enjoy its amazing beaches
Oman lies on the Gulf of Oman, and going to the beach is definitely one of the best activities to do when you travel to Oman with friends. In fact, the sultanate has 1,700 km of coastline and many of its beaches have vast, practically untouched stretches of sand.
Mussanah is one of the most highly recommended areas; it has been developed for tourism and is around an hour by road from Muscat. Some of the most famous (and popular) beaches in Oman include Ras Al Jinz (particularly in turtle-spotting season), Al Jissah, Masirah Bay, Qantab, Qurum, and Bimmah. Beaches in Dhofar are also well worth visiting.
4×4 desert trip
When it comes to travelling in Oman, it is important to remember that a large part of the country is covered by desert. But don’t let that put you off travelling to Oman with friends ‒ in fact, it’s a huge incentive! After all, deserts mean exciting adventures… A highly recommended and fun way to explore the dunes is in a 4×4 vehicle.
Companies that specialise in these trips typically offer excursions to the Rub’ al Khali Desert, Wahiba Sands, and the Salalah area.
Go shopping in the souks
Visiting the souks isn’t just recommended when you travel to Oman with friends, it is an essential activity for anyone who visits the sultanate, whether they are travelling with friends, as a couple, with their family, or solo.
In the Arab and Islamic world, souks are much more than a place to shop for goods and services. They are one of the main places of social interaction, and are welcoming and fascinating to foreign visitors.
What’s more, seeing the huge variety of quality goods for sale in the beautifully decorated shops is the best way to understand one of the most important sides to Omani culture and local people’s way of life.
Enjoy the khareef in Salalah
The khareef is a particular weather phenomenon: the local monsoon, which arrives at the end of summer, bringing with it torrential rain that transforms the Dhofar and Salalah region into fertile land. The change to the landscape is so spectacular that many flock to the area to see the land turn green once more and to admire the waterfalls that form in many of the wadi (natural ravines).
The Khareef Festival is held in Dhofar in August to coincide with the monsoon. The festival is a wonderful opportunity to see expressions of popular culture, visit craft fairs, and to sample the country’s authentic and traditional food at the countless street food stalls.
Visit Muscat, a city that has it all
Muscat, the nation’s capital, is an excellent example of how fun and interesting a trip to Oman with friends can be. The city has something for everyone to enjoy, from the wealth displayed by its main monuments, such as Sultan Qaboos Mosque, Al Alam Palace (not open to the public, but can be admired from outside), and the modern Royal Opera House, to a stroll along enchanting Mutrah Corniche. And don’t forget the famous souk, as we mentioned above.
Muscat is also home to the best and most varied food in Oman, and it has numerous restaurants where you are guaranteed to enjoy a wonderful dinner with your friends.
If you would like to relax and enjoy beautiful views, head to Qurum Park, a popular spot at nightfall thanks to the gorgeous sight of its illuminated fountains.
Hiking in Wadi Ash Shab and its ravines
Wadi Ash Shab to the south of Muscat is one of the most spectacular places to go hiking in Oman. It is a fantastic way to enjoy the country’s nature and enjoy your trip to Oman with friends.
Wadi Ash Shab is a wadi (ravine) whose waters run straight into the sea. In fact, the best way to see it is to travel by boat to the little beach at its estuary and set off from there on foot. You follow the course of the river through canyons, mountains and palm tree groves, passing several pools where you can go swimming.
Whale watching
The Musandam Governate is the most northern region of Oman, separated from the rest of the country by a strip of land belonging to the United Arab Emirates. It is a peninsula opposite the Straight of Hormuz, between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. The area is typically visited by several whale and dolphin species on their annual migrations.
Several companies run whale watching trips from the main ports in the region and you can choose between travelling in a dhoni (a typical wooden boat) or a more modern craft to spot these fascinating animals.
Beaches in Musandam are also wonderful for swimming and the waters are rich in marine biodiversity ‒ you often need nothing more than a mask and snorkel to enjoy the teeming sea life beneath the waves.
Where to stay in Oman
The Barceló Mussanah Resort is a fantastic hotel in Oman with 234 rooms and 74 luxury apartments. It is set next to the Gulf of Oman and is just 45 minutes by road from the international airport and Muscat, the capital.
It has a private beach with sun loungers and wooden huts for shade, four outdoor pools, the Zayna spa, and a fully equipped fitness centre for all your exercise needs. It also has four wonderful restaurants and bars (Mydan, Azure, Compass Bat and The Deck Bar & Lounge) so guests will always find something to enjoy, and each one serves a wide variety of refreshing drinks.
