Surprising Oman

As a Voyage Advisor I spend much of my time researching destinations to recommend to clients. Sometimes a place will get into your head in a particular way and intrigue you more than others. This was the case with Oman, a country that has stealthily found its way onto the tourist map and which still remains very authentic.

The beauty of it is that even in a few days you can visit both the desert and the sea and travel to cities that offer all the charm of an ancient culture. But the most interesting and perhaps least known discovery are the mountains.

We leave from Muscat, the capital, which can be reached by a direct flight in about 6 hours from Milan with Oman Air, the national airline that is no match for the better-known airlines of the Middle East.

You quickly perceive that the flashy glitz typical of the Emirates has not taken over in the city and that there are not the skyscrapers of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Instead, by order of Sultan Qaboos, the houses are low, white and traditional in style.

But tradition does not mean backward here. Qaboos has modernized the country with restraint, building, for example, a brand new network of highways that reaches even the most remote villages. One also penetrates the majestic mountains of Jabal Akhdar, a place offering extraordinary beauty and exciting adventures that lies off the classic routes.

The climb to Jabal Akhdar is a journey in itself. Winding roads lead high into the mountains offering  spectacular views that change at every turn. Along the way, you cross agricultural terraces clinging to the rocks, evidence of the ingenuity and heroism of local farmers who have managed to cultivate patches of land in an impervious landscape.

Wonderful resorts have been built in the mountains, such as the Alila Kabal Akhdar, immersed in the surrounding lunar landscape to the point of being an integral part of it. Here you can trek along on panoramic  trails overlooking deep gorges and green valleys and climb on barren rock.

It takes an hour or so to reach Nizwa, the ancient capital of Oman. It is a must-see for the still-intact and for the souk with its artisans’ stores and cattle auctions.

Omani people are reserved yet warm and hospitable at the same time. They love their land and respect their traditions and want to preserve them in spite of the risk from increasing tourism. Oman is a country of delightful, kind people, wide smiles, art and culture, transparent sea, endless desert and beautiful oases. Its authenticity makes it unique and very special. Let’s hope it never changes.