Short break to Oman

I was looking for a quick getaway over the Eid holidays, I only had 3 days to take, so wherever I chose to go, it had to be close.

Oman was always on my list of places to see, but I just never came around to it. This was the perfect time to take advantage of how close it really is – a 1-hour flight to be exact.

Since this trip was a total last minute decision, it was very hard to find a hotel that wasn’t fully booked, but luckily I managed to get a room at the Intercontinental Muscat, located within the heart of the city and on the beachfront.

It took approximately 20 minutes to reach the hotel from the airport - it was late evening and I wanted to be able wake up early to start exploring, so I decided to just unpack and have dinner at the hotel. I dined at Musandam café and terrace at the hotel and I have to say, I wasn’t too impressed with how small the portions were and how little flavor the food had, but I am a fan of their breakfast buffet and the service. The hotel is also home to Trader Vic’s, which as usual, has great food and a great atmosphere!

The hotel itself didn’t impress me, mainly because it was quite old, but I have to say, one of the things I loved, was the pool area. The hotel's Palm Beach Club has a 25-metre Olympic size pool, a leisure pool, and easy access to the beach. This was perfect for me because a side from all the exploring I did, I was able to lie by the pool at the end of the day and just relax.

So since I only had 3 days to explore, here is what I got up to and would recommend:

1. Wadi Shaab:

One of the best things to do in Oman is to go deep into the Wadis. I went to Wadi Shaab, located in Sharqiyah - approximately a 1.5 hours drive from the hotel. This Wadi is quite popular, especially during weekends or public holidays (I would recommend avoiding public holidays because it gets crowded). This is a great place to experience the true nature of Oman and swim in the fresh water pools. You would have to fully prepare yourself for this trip because it’s around a 45- minute hike - walking along palm groves, rugged rocky cliffs and a swim through 2 to 3 natural pools to reach the main attraction, the Wadi waterfall in the cave. To enter the cave, you have to swim through a hole between the mountains. Sometimes the water level is too high that you have to dive under the water to pass through, so be careful! As great as this experience was, I would not recommend doing this in June because it was way too hot… but I made it!

Recommendations:

Dress code:

Wear something light that you would be comfortable swimming in. I wore a tank top, shorts and trainers, but I wasn’t comfortable enough to get into my swimming suit because it was crowded with quite a lot of men.

What to take:

Pack a light backpack containing sunscreen, snacks, towel (I just dried in the sun), waterproof shoes for when swimming through the pools (I swam with my trainers and they dried within a second), a lot of drinking water, waterproof bag and a camera.

Important note:

Remember, you are going to be swimming through 2 to 3 pools so you would need a waterproof bag. Also at some point you would need to leave your backpack on the rocks to swim into the cave. I was a bit worried about leaving my bag unattended because I was carrying quite a few valuables, so I hid it inside the rocks.

2. Bimmah Sinkhole

The Bimmah Sinkhole is a jaw-dropping beauty! Located in Hawiyat Najm Park, you can spend some time taking photos or go for a swim in the clear turquoise water. I didn’t get to swim because it was quite crowded and I was already exhausted from my hike through Wadi Shaab (I did a combined trip with a local tour guide which I booked through the hotel and it was approximately $320 for 2) quite an expensive trip but totally worth it!

3. Dolphin watching and snorkeling

The Dolphin watching trip is a must! Again, I booked this package through the hotel and it was approximately $80 for 2 – this was inclusive of a 1-hour dolphin watching tour, a 2-hour private snorkeling tour (with equipment) and hotel transfers. I was amazed by how beautiful and clear the waters were, combined with the amazing backdrop of the Omani coastline - I was in my element. It was such a soothing experience; I just wanted to stay there all day watching the dolphins swimming. I then went on a private snorkeling tour along the Omani coastline and I couldn’t wait to jump in to the water at this point because it was such a hot time of the year (July). Although the water is quite clear, you don’t get to see much of coral or colourful fish but it is a great cooling swim!

Overall it did turn out to be such an expensive trip, but Oman has one of the most breathtaking views in the Middle East and has many hidden gems. A lot of people travel to Oman expecting sand—of which there’s plenty, rest assured, but there is so much to do and so much to fall in love with – it is a haven for people who love to go off-roading and take on an adventure.

#holiday #vacation #oman #omantourism