Middle East
Oman
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A promise of magic
Travel back in time, to a place so beautiful and unspoilt that it could only exist in legend or your imagination. Explore miles of undisturbed coastline. The shimmering blue ocean holds a wealth of marine life: exotic fish, dolphins, turtles to some of the best coral formations of the world. Drive a few hours from the city centre and find yourself transported into a different world: from rose gardens perched atop mountains, ancient ruins, blowholes, one of the largest subterranean chambers in the world, to misty mountains and the undulating splendour of the desert. The magic and mystique of Oman is impossible to resist.
Overview
Mountain villages clutched against canyon walls, clusters of dates weighing heavy in the plantation oases, a ribbon of sand blown across the dunes, a lone camel padding across the limitless interior - these are the kinds of images afforded by the beautiful and enigmatic country of Oman.
In years gone by, Oman was rich with copper and frankincense, and enjoyed an extensive East African empire. Then, in the early 20th century, a deeply conservative ruler, Sultan Said, chose deliberately to isolate the country from the modern world. His son, peace-loving Sultan Qaboos, assumed the throne in 1970 and that date now marks the beginning of the widely celebrated 'Renaissance' in which the country has been returned to an age of prosperity and progression.
What makes Oman's renaissance somewhat unique in the region is that the transformation has been conducted with great sensitivity towards traditional values - there are few high-rise buildings in the capital, Muscat; the country's heritage of forts (numbering over 2,000) are meticulously restored; ancient crafts like weaving are actively supported. Moreover, traditional Arabian values, such as hospitality and practical piety, are still in evidence making Oman somewhere to experience Islamic culture at its best.
