Pacific, friendly, and enchanting, Oman is unfamiliar to most American travelers. Which is a shame, because this country is rich in scenic and human charms. Omani bursts with attractions: the old pirate ports of the Arabian Sea; set-piece, date-palmed oases framed by mammoth dunes; unexpected wildlife (the rare desert oryx, gazelles, and wild camels, among others); superb white beaches; and welcoming, on-the-ball people.
Our trips explore Oman’s capital Muscat, surely the Persian Gulf’s most delightful city (its famed gold suq is perhaps the best in the Middle East.) We explore the turtle nesting sands of Ras al Hadd on the Arabian Sea and the intriguing walled town of Sur. We drive through forest-clad gorges nestled in the foothills of Jebel Akhdar (the Green Mountains) and wander its ancient cliff-top villages. And we go for a rollicking and grand drive to Wahiba Sands, whose majestic dunes form the eastern edge of the fabled Empty Quarter—a scene that feels conjured by Scheherazade herself.
The Sultanate of Oman and Dubai
Highlights: Muscat, Nizwa, Jebel Akhdar, Wahiba Sands, Empty Quarter, Musandam Peninsula, Dubai
