A practical guide to Oman with suggested itineraries, advice, addresses and good deals.
This sultanate is a well-kept secret, a barely opened jewel in a box. Yet it is perhaps the most attractive destination in the Arabian Peninsula. First and foremost, for its pure and flawless landscape. Ochre sand dunes, arid or fertile plains, white sand beaches, turquoise water, steep cliffs, lush wadis, palm trees, coconut trees, and more? Jagged mountains, deep gorges, hilltop villages. Its people are centuries-old hospitable, their history dating back to the times when Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Persia reigned supreme on earth, 3000 BC. Finally, for all the opportunities for discovery, encounters, and adventure the country offers. It is a booming state that has experienced centuries of economic progress in less than 30 years. A development controlled for three decades by a sultan who knew how to take advantage of the riches offered by black gold and provided the keys to unification: a name and a flag. The country has managed to retain all its authenticity, punctuated by the daily rhythm of prayers. An omnipresent but tolerant religion, Ibadism, a branch of Shiism, makes it the most stable, open, and secure country in the region.
