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Hajar Mountains

Mountain range in Oman and the United Arab Emirates

111km

23.1857.53

Nizwa

city in Ad Dakhiliyah Region, Oman

122km

22.933357.5333

Bahla

human settlement

143km

22.9666666757.3

Sur

city in Oman

155km

22.56666759.528889

Sohar

city

209km

24.34256.729889

Masirah Island

island in Oman

320km

20.4711111158.81527778

Musandam Peninsula

governorate of Oman

343km

25.9536556.27262
Sights (18)

Museum of Omani Heritage

This small museum has a good collection of archaeological exhibits, and is worth visiting for the excellent views.

5.4km

23.609858.4705

Oman Children's Museum

6.1km

23.615958.4808

Oman Natural History Museum

6.8km

23.5988888958.42305556

Oman Oil and Gas Exhibition Centre

This private museum has six permanent displays explaining the formation of, and modern extraction of oil and natural gas.

8.1km

23.625158.5086

Ruwi

human settlement in Oman

9.2km

23.6002777858.54333333

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

This is the third largest mosque in the world and mostly the entire complex is open to non-Muslim visitors; ladies are however expected to keep their heads, ankles and wrists covered while visiting the mosque. Must-sees in the mosque include the Swarovski crystal chandelier, the second largest hand made Persian carpet in the world, and the marble panelling.

9.4km

23.5838888958.38916667

Sultan's Armed Forces Museum

This excellent museum is housed in a building built in 1845 as a royal summer home. The lower level has displays on Oman's history, and the upper level examines Oman's international relations and military history. All visitors are given a mandatory military escort.

10.0km

23.609658.5459

Muttrah

city

12km

23.6166666758.56666667

Muscat Gate Museum

This museum marks the location of the old city wall, and has the original city gates which were used until the 1970s. The location offers good views of Old Muscat and the palace.

14km

23.617558.58694444

Fort Al-Mirani

Built at the same time as Al Jalali Fort which it faces across the harbour. This fort has also been converted to a museum which is closed to the general public, but it can be freely appreciated from the outside.

14km

23.6172222258.59305556

Al Alam Palace

This is the office of Sultan Qaboos, ruler of Oman. This beautiful palace stands on the head of a natural deep water harbour and is guarded on either side by the twin forts of Mirani and Jelali. Visitors are not allowed to visit the palace, but they are allowed to take photographs at the entrance of the palace.

15km

23.61658.5947

Qantab

human settlement in Oman

18km

23.5666666758.63333333

Nakhal Fort

A restored fortress with a history dating to the pre-Islamic era, scenically situated on a rocky outcropping at the base of the northern Hajar Mountains. The fort houses a museum of historic guns.

73km

23.39557.829

Rustaq

human settlement

117km

23.3908333357.42444444

Nizwa Fort

Built in 1668 by Imam Sultan bin Saif al Ya'rubi, this imposing fort is one of Oman's most-visited national monuments. In the early 1950s the large round tower of the fort was bombed by the British Royal Air Force during the revolt. It houses a museum, and from the tower there are good views of Nizwa and the surrounding date plantations.

122km

22.9333333357.53027778

Wadi Bani Awf

125km

23.2157.3865

Al Hamra, Oman

Set right at the base of the mountains, this town is notable for a number of Yemeni-style mud-brick buildings, some of which are among the oldest houses in Oman. They are in an older section of the town overlooking the newer town; in recent years many of the older houses have been abandoned as the inhabitants have chosen to move into more modern buildings.

138km

23.1166666757.29305556

Bahla Fort

fortress

143km

22.9641666757.30111111
Nature

we will see

Muscat

Oman
Someday we will visit Muscat or begin to dream about going there! However, for now its not on our radar. Let us know in the comments if you think that should change!

Muscat

Muscat has been inhabited since at least 1000 BCE and for centuries was an important trading port on the Maritime Silk Road. Today it is the capital of the Sultanate of Oman and its most important and populous city. It is home to a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society, and receives the largest number of foreign visitors to the country.

Outwardly, Oman shares many of the cultural characteristics of its Arab neighbours, particularly those in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Despite these similarities, important factors make Oman unique in the Middle East. These result as much from geography and history as from culture and economics. The relatively recent and artificial nature of the state in Oman makes it difficult to describe a national culture; however, sufficient cultural heterogeneity exists within its national boundaries to make Oman distinct from other Arab States of the Persian Gulf. Oman's cultural diversity is greater than that of its Arab neighbours, given its historical expansion to the Swahili Coast and the Indian Ocean.

The city has numerous mosques including the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Ruwi Mosque, Saeed bin Taimoor and Zawawi Mosque. A few Shi'ite mosques also exist here.

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Climate

Average temperatures

Jan

25.5°C17.3
Precipitation: 12.8 mm

Feb

26.1°C17.6
Precipitation: 24.5 mm

Mar

29.8°C20.7
Precipitation: 15.9 mm

Apr

34.7°C24.7
Precipitation: 17.1 mm

May

39.5°C29.1
Precipitation: 7 mm

Jun

40.4°C30.6
Precipitation: 0.9 mm

Jul

38.6°C30.4
Precipitation: 0.2 mm

Aug

36.2°C28.4
Precipitation: 0.8 mm

Sep

36.3°C27.5
Precipitation: 0 mm

Oct

35°C24.9
Precipitation: 1 mm

Nov

30.5°C20.9
Precipitation: 6.8 mm

Dec

27.1°C18.9
Precipitation: 13.3 mm