9. Take a sunset stroll along the Corniche
Muscat’s popular promenade winds from Sultan Qaboos Port east along the waterfront, following Al Bahri Road. One side of this picturesque path bypasses glittering shopfronts and sky-blue Al-Lawati Mosque. On the other, dhows (traditional sailing boats) sway in the Gulf of Oman.
Spot bulky sixteenth-century Mutrah Fort along the walk, and a lookout tower in the shape of a giant incense burner, towering over verdant Riyam Park. Strolling along the Corniche is spectacular around sunset when the sea glitters in hues of magenta and orange, and the Islamic call to prayer soars from minarets.
10. Muttrah Fort
High above the waters at the far eastern end of Muttrah harbour sits the modest Muttrah Fort. It’s more facade than fort these days: a single high wall with a round tower at either end, balanced precariously atop a craggy ridge.
It’s particularly dramatic when illuminated after dark. You can climb the rough concrete steps up to the top for sweeping harbour views and a closer look at the crumbling fortifications. Visiting the Muttrah Fort is one of the best things to do in Muscat — in fact, in the country of Oman.
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11. Jebel Shams — The Grand Canyon of Oman
Drive up the country’s highest peak for spectacular mountain scenery and stomach-turning views looking down into Wadi Nakhr – Oman’s “Grand Canyon”.
The mountains to the northwest of Nizwa are much less developed than those on the Saiq Plateau, which makes for more continuously spectacular scenery. The highpoint (in every sense) of a visit out here is the drive up the flanks of Jebel Shams (3009m), the highest mountain in Oman. This is one of the best tourist attractions of the arab world.
12. Qurum Beach
West of Qurum Heights stretches the attractive Shatti al Qurum (Qurum Beach), a fine swathe of golden sand which extends west to the neighbouring suburb of Hayy as Saruj and beyond, with views of the rocky Fahal Island (also known as Shark Island, one of the city’s leading dive sites) offshore.
If you want to sunbathe, you’re better off sticking to the areas of beach around the back of the InterContinental or Grand Hyatt hotels, where the number of other sun-worshipping Westerners on the sands guarantees relative anonymity and hassle-free relaxation; elsewhere on the beach, female visitors may attract unwanted attention.