A bustling port city, Muscat is the capital of the predominantly mountainous desert Oman. Offering shopping, scuba diving, hiking, kitesurfing, beaches, museums and numerous tours, combined with an extremely low crime rate, Muscat is deservedly an up and coming travel destination for the adventurous world wanderers.

Trade dominates the economy with major exports including dates, fish, petroleum and nacre. Port Sultan Qaboos, the main port of Oman, is a trading hub between the far east, the Persian Gulf and the southern region of Asia.

Safari tours, castle tours, shopping tours, whale and dolphin tours, grand canyon tours, and the tour list goes on and on. This is a place where there is no time to sit still!!! There are several scuba dive operations, shopping complexes and souks, and several beaches. Caution recommended with the beaches; be sure to follow the rules which are often posted, for example, some beaches are only for families. Respect the country you are in and dress appropriately, covered knees and shoulders is a good rule of thumb. When at the beach, slightly more conservative swimwear would be advisable.

There are 3 different hiking routes, offering varying difficulty; many tour companies offer guided trekking. World class kitesurfing is enjoyed here due to the daily sea winds; several kitesurfing centres are located throughout the area. Nine museums, turtle and dolphin watching, spectacular restaurants and juice bars round off this surprising destination.

More information:

Muscat, Oman – A few of my photos
Beaches – Comprehensive List and Info
Trekking Routes – Hiking
Oman Tourism – Official Government Site
Museums – As listed by Wikipedia