Sometimes a destination slowly works its way onto your travel radar.
You hear somebody talking about it, then somebody else returns full of enthusiasm and before long you start wondering why you’ve never seriously considered going there yourself.
That was Oman for me.
When the travel company I was working for at the time introduced holidays to Oman, I wanted to understand what was creating so much enthusiasm for this relatively unknown corner of the Middle East.
Fortunately, my colleague Jo Dickie knew the country extremely well. She visited Oman three times in 2019, exploring everything from Muscat and the mountains to the desert and tropical south, before returning with her boys for an Oman family holiday.
What she discovered was a country that continually surprised her.
This is Jo’s story of Oman.
Discovering a Different Side of the Middle East
Before my first visit, I confess I had completely the wrong impression of Oman.
Having previously travelled to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, I imagined more skyscrapers, glamorous hotels and modern cities.
How wrong I was.
Oman is incredibly diverse. There are ancient forts and traditional souks, abandoned villages and dramatic mountains, vast deserts, beautiful wadis and hundreds of miles of coastline.
Then there is the tropical south around Salalah and the spectacular Musandam Peninsula in the far north.
What struck me most, however, was that Oman still felt wonderfully authentic.
During my first trip we travelled from Muscat to Nizwa and the mountains of Jebel Akhdar before continuing into the desert and visiting Wadi Bani Khalid. Later, I travelled south to Salalah.
Our guide Ahmed was wonderful. He patiently answered my endless questions about Oman, its traditions and the Bedouin way of life. His pride in his country was infectious and added enormously to the experience.
🇴🇲 Why Oman? If your idea of a family holiday is about experiencing somewhere rather than simply sitting beside a swimming pool, Oman offers a fantastic combination of culture, adventure, beaches and extraordinary landscapes.
Nizwa – Forts, Souks and Old Oman
After our first night in Muscat, we travelled inland to Nizwa, one of Oman’s most historic cities.
Nizwa Fort immediately gives you a sense of the country’s past. Exploring its towers, rooms and defensive features brought the history to life, while the surrounding old town and souk offered a very different experience.
The souk was one of my favourite places.
Its little alleyways were filled with pottery, textiles, silverware, jewellery, dates, nuts and spices. There was plenty of friendly haggling and an atmosphere that felt a world away from the modern shopping malls I’d associated with other parts of the Gulf.
If you can time your visit appropriately, Nizwa’s famous livestock market provides another glimpse into traditional Omani life.
From Nizwa, the landscape changes dramatically as you begin climbing towards the mountains.
Jebel Akhdar – Oman’s Green Mountain
Jebel Akhdar, meaning Green Mountain, forms part of the Al Hajar mountain range and was one of the biggest surprises of the trip.
At more than 2,000 metres above sea level, the temperature and scenery can feel completely different from the coast.
Mountain villages cling to the slopes, while terraced farms and orchards provide splashes of green amongst the rugged landscape.
We wandered through villages where traditional houses and distinctive doorways added yet another dimension to the journey.
The views are spectacular.
Deep gorges carve their way through the mountains and walking trails connect some of the traditional settlements. It is the sort of place where you want to stop repeatedly just to take everything in.
There are also some extraordinary places to stay, including Alila Jabal Akhdar and Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, both occupying spectacular mountain settings.
For families who enjoy walking and the outdoors, spending a couple of nights in the mountains provides a wonderful contrast to Muscat and the coast.
Into the Omani Desert
Leaving the mountains behind and heading towards the desert brought another complete change of scenery.
Eventually the dunes appeared ahead of us.
Suddenly there was sand in every direction, camels wandering through the landscape and an overwhelming feeling of space.
We visited our guide’s family at their camp, where we were welcomed with coffee and dates. They subsequently invited us back for an Omani breakfast the following morning.
It was one of those simple travel experiences that stays with you.
There is something magical about being in the desert after dark too. Away from the lights of the towns and cities, the night sky can be extraordinary.
Then comes sunrise, when the changing light transforms the dunes from shadows into shades of gold and orange.
Don’t Rush the Desert: If your itinerary allows, stay overnight rather than treating the desert as a quick excursion. Sunset, the night sky and sunrise are all part of the experience.
Wadi Bani Khalid
Oman’s wadis were another revelation.
Wadi Bani Khalid is one of the country’s best known, with clear pools of water surrounded by palms and rocky mountains.
After the heat and dust of the desert, seeing those pools amongst the rugged landscape seems almost impossible.
This is one of the things I loved most about Oman. The scenery can change so dramatically within a relatively short journey.
One day you can be high in the mountains, the next surrounded by enormous desert dunes and then suddenly swimming in a natural pool beneath towering cliffs.
Salalah – Oman’s Tropical South
The final part of my first adventure took me south to Salalah.
This was another Oman I hadn’t expected.
The Dhofar region is known for frankincense and its annual khareef season, when the summer monsoon transforms the landscape.
Between roughly June and September, the region attracts visitors escaping the intense heat elsewhere in the Gulf, while the mountains and countryside become remarkably green.
There are also long sandy beaches and a noticeably slower pace of life.
After the mountains, desert and northern cities, Salalah almost felt like another country.
That diversity was one of the reasons I became so fascinated by Oman.
And it wasn’t long before I returned.
Returning to Oman With the Family
After my first trip, I couldn’t wait to share some of what I’d experienced with my boys.
For our family holiday we stayed at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, just outside Muscat.
This worked particularly well because we could combine the facilities of a family resort with days exploring Oman.
The boys loved having pools and activities at the hotel, while its location provided a comfortable base for discovering Muscat and venturing further along the coast.
And one of our best family adventures was Wadi Shab.
Exploring Wadi Shab
Wadi Shab is a dramatic gorge on Oman’s east coast and visiting it turned into a real adventure.
After making our way into the wadi, we followed the route deeper between the cliffs until eventually reaching the beautiful freshwater pools.
From there, you can swim through sections of the wadi, surrounded by towering rock walls.
For confident swimmers, the adventure continues towards a partially hidden cave and waterfall.
This isn’t simply somewhere you arrive, take a photograph and leave. Reaching the pools is part of the experience, which is precisely what made it so memorable for us.
We combined our day with a visit to Bimmah Sinkhole, another of Oman’s natural attractions.
Family Tip: Oman can be wonderfully adventurous for older children, but research individual wadis before visiting. Conditions, water levels and access can change, and some experiences involve hiking, scrambling or swimming.
Muscat – A Capital With Character
Muscat deserves time rather than simply being treated as the arrival point for an Oman road trip.
What I liked about the capital was that it didn’t feel dominated by skyscrapers.
Mountains form a dramatic backdrop to the city, while whitewashed buildings, mosques, forts and the waterfront give Muscat a character of its own.
The magnificent Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is one of the city’s highlights, while Mutrah Corniche and Mutrah Souq provide another enjoyable glimpse of the capital.
Wandering around the souk in the evening, surrounded by the smell of frankincense and spices, is another of those quintessential Omani experiences.
Oman is an Islamic country, so visitors should respect local customs and dress appropriately, particularly when visiting religious sites.
Musandam – Oman’s Spectacular North
My travels eventually took me to another completely different part of Oman – Musandam.
Separated geographically from the rest of the country by the United Arab Emirates, the Musandam Peninsula is known for its dramatic mountains, remote bays and spectacular coastline.
I stayed at Six Senses Zighy Bay, tucked between the mountains and the sea.
The setting is extraordinary.
My arrival was particularly memorable, descending towards the resort by paraglider from the mountains above. Fortunately, there are rather less adventurous ways of getting there!
But the memory I treasure most didn’t involve any adrenaline at all.
One morning I sat alone on the beach at around 5am and watched the sun slowly rise from the sea.
There was nobody around. Just the sound of the waves and, somewhere in the distance, the call to prayer drifting from a nearby mosque.
Travel has a habit of giving you moments like that when you least expect them.
I can still picture it now.
Is Oman Good for a Family Holiday?
For families who enjoy exploring, I think Oman can be a wonderful choice.
You can combine a comfortable beach resort with genuine adventures into the mountains, wadis and desert. There are forts and souks to explore, turtles and marine life along the coast, desert camps beneath the stars and some spectacular walking country.
It also provides older children with an opportunity to experience a culture and landscape very different from home.
The important thing is not to try to cram too much into the itinerary.
Oman deserves time.
Spend a few days around Muscat, travel inland towards Nizwa and the mountains, experience the desert and perhaps finish with some time beside the sea.
If you have longer, Salalah or Musandam can add yet another dimension.
Practical Tips for Visiting Oman
The best time for many visitors is during the cooler months, when exploring outdoors is considerably more comfortable. Conditions vary across the country, however, particularly in the mountains and around Salalah.
A hire car gives you considerable freedom, although some mountain and desert routes require a suitable 4×4. Alternatively, travelling with a knowledgeable local guide can add enormously to the experience.
Oman is a Muslim country and visitors should dress respectfully and be mindful of local customs. This is particularly important around mosques and during Ramadan.
For wadis and outdoor adventures, take appropriate footwear, plenty of water and sun protection, and always check local conditions before setting out.
Entry requirements and travel advice can change, so check the latest official guidance before travelling rather than relying on information in an older travel article.
An Oman Family Adventure to Remember
What started as a destination I knew very little about became somewhere I visited again and again.
Oman surprised me.
I loved the mountains and deserts, the wadis and beaches, the history and the hospitality. More importantly, when I returned with my family, I discovered that the experiences I’d enjoyed could be shared with my boys too.
There was adventure, but there was also time to relax.
There were luxury hotels, but some of my strongest memories came from drinking coffee and eating dates with an Omani family, swimming through a wadi and sitting quietly on a beach at sunrise.
Perhaps that is what makes Oman so special.
It isn’t just one type of holiday.
And for me, that’s exactly the attraction.
About This Oman Experience
This article is based on the travels of Jo Dickie, who visited Oman several times and subsequently returned with her family.
Her experiences originally appeared on Just One For The Road as a guest contribution and have been updated to provide useful inspiration for anyone considering their own Oman family adventure.
