If you are in the process of planning your first trip to Oman and are not sure where to begin, this article is perfect for you. I spent a week road tripping around Oman, hopping from city to city, visiting some of the most impressive fortresses and canyons, and really getting to see just how beautiful Oman is.
Although Oman may not be considered a backpacking destination by most accounts, as it is impossible to travel there without renting a car, the country does have quite a lot to offer for those who are willing to pay a little more.
Without further ado, here are the 10 best places to visit in Oman. Let's begin with the capital city of Muscat, where you will likely start your journey in Oman.
1. Muscat
Muscat is the beautiful port capital city of Oman, perfectly situated along the gulf and surrounded by mountains. This is where your journey will likely begin in Oman, and I highly recommend you spend at least 3 days here as there is quite a lot to do. It is also a good place for you to get your bearings, prepare for your road trip, and start plotting out where you want to go in the country.
One of the most popular places to visit in Oman is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a colossal mosque complex full of stunning pieces of architecture and decor that rival any mosque out there.
Other than its impressive scale, you will also be able to witness one of the largest chandeliers in the world inside the main prayer hall, measuring a whopping 14 meters high, holding over 600,000 Swarovski crystals, 24-carat gold plating, and weighing a total of 8.5 tons. It was quite a sight to behold.
- Wadi Shab and Bimmah Sinkhole Group Full Day Tour (9 hours) 🏅 Top Pick
- Full-Day Wahiba Desert and Wadi Bani Khalid Group Tour (8 hours)
- Cruises to Daymaniyat & Snorkeling (5 hours)
Another impressive architecture worth seeing is the Royal Opera House, an Islamic-Italianate-style complex featuring shopping malls, restaurants, gardens, and opera concerts. The beauty of the structure is elevated even more at dusk when it is illuminated by artificial lights.
Further away from the city center, there is a beautiful waterfront area called Mutrah Corniche, where you can go for a nice stroll, enjoy a lovely dinner, and admire the ocean view.
If you haven't been to an Arabic market or a souk before, you can also do it at Mutrah Souq in Muscat, where you will find lines and lines of shops selling all kinds of items, from antique souvenirs to spices to Arabic-style lamps. There are also fewer touters here than in any other souks anywhere else, so you can enjoy the place peacefully.
There are other awesome tourist attractions to visit in Oman as well, such as Al Alam Palace, Al Mirani Fort, and Al Jalali Fort, which are all worth a visit if you have the time. Hence, why I recommend you stay at least 3 days here.
2. Nakhal
Only an hour away from Muscat, Nakhal is a small town where an impressive hilltop fortress called Nakhal Fort, dating back to the 9th century, is still standing.
The fortress is one of the smaller fortresses that you will see in Oman, but I like it a lot. There were fewer crowds when I was there, and you can really get a glimpse of Oman's historical importance and its colonial past.
You can also climb up to one of the fort's towers to get a panoramic view of the surrounding areas, which is definitely worth the climb. Since it is not a very big place, it should take you no more than an hour to explore before you move on to other places.
3. Rustaq
Rustaq is another small town just west of Nakhal, and it is home to Al Rustaq Fort, another impressive fort that is larger than Nakhal. There were even fewer crowds here than in Nakhal.
The fortress consists of many towers that are connected via crisscrossing hallways, with a path eventually leading up to the top of an 18-meter high wind tower. From there, you will be able to have an unobstructed panoramic view of the fort and the entire area.
Rustaq is especially fun to stroll around, as there are plenty of rooms and corners worth exploring. I felt almost like Indiana Jones, discovering long-lost civilizations when walking along these large and quiet halls. It should take you about an hour and a half to see the entire place, so be sure to spare some time there.
4. Bahla
Bahla is a small town located right before Jebel Shams, the highest mountain in the country, and it is home to the impressive Bahla Fort and Jibreen Castle, both of which are worth a visit.
Jibreen Castle is one of the first forts to be renovated by Oman, and it contains lots of history waiting for you to learn about. You can get an audio guide and walk from room to room as you learn about the story behind it, which is highly recommended.
Bahla Fort is another great place to explore. The fort is larger than any of the forts nearby, and you can spend hours discovering new sections, rooms, and towers. Unfortunately, there is no information available for you to read, so you will have to explore it yourself.
Do not worry, even without the information, the fort is still extremely impressive to explore. It is massive, and there is no shortage of hidden sections and rooms waiting for you to discover.
5. Misfat al Abriyyin
Right at the foothill of Jebel Shams, Misfat al Abriyyin is an ancient village, full of traditional mud houses, agricultural terraces, and stunning alleyways, giving it a drastic contrast to the hyper-modernity of Muscat and the people living outside it.
This Omani oasis village has a history of self-sustainability, relying on its own community and utilizing the ancient falaj irrigation techniques that have lasted for more than 2000 years.
Most of the places you will be visiting in Oman are often reconstructed and renovated to resemble their previous images of glory days, which can be quite inauthentic. Fortunately, that is not the case here at Misfat al Abriyyin.
Everything is left pretty much untouched in Misfat al Abriyyin, and you will be able to see both newly renovated buildings as well as old crumbling ones, all concentrated in this small mountain area. Strolling around the village is as close to a time machine as it gets.
6. Jebel Shams
Jebel Shams is one of my favorite places in Oman. From Misfat al Abriyyin, it is about an hour and a half drive up the mountains to the top where you can witness the impressive colossal rock formations or the Grand Canyon of Oman that will definitely take your breath away.
I'm usually quite skeptical when it comes to visiting places that are said to be like grander places in other countries, but Jebel Shams and its canyon definitely blew my skepticism away.
The sheer scale of the place and the perfect viewpoint that does the place justice really blew me away the moment I saw it. The viewpoint is just breathtaking and really worth a long drive up the steep mountain.
Since the elevation is much higher up here, the weather is also much cooler and way more manageable than the unbearable heat of the desert down the mountain, which is definitely a welcome change.
It is also a great place to camp, and since wild camping is legal in Oman and the weather is nice up here all year round, camping for a night here is a no-brainer. You can also do as I did and find a quiet spot and sleep in the car. I had a great time at Jebel Shams, and I highly recommend you make it all the way up here while you are in Oman.
7. Nizwa
Nizwa is another great place to visit, as it used to be the ancient capital city of Oman back in the 6th and 7th centuries, and there is quite a lot to see here. From the 17th-century Nizwa fortress to all the markets selling all kinds of souvenirs, you might want to buy back home.
Nizwa Fort is a huge fortress with massive walls that serve as a great reminder of the city's significance throughout turbulent periods in Oman's history. The formidable walls protected the place against all kinds of raiding forces that sought to take over Nizwa's abundant natural wealth and strategic location.
Once you are inside the fort, you will be given a brochure that will tell you the history of the place as you walk around all the structures within its walls. The imposing round tower and all its impressive cannons, in particular, are worth a visit in and of themselves.
Just outside the fort, you will also find the famous Nizwa Souk, where you will be able to find all kinds of antiques and handicrafts that you can buy as souvenirs for your friends and family at home.
8. Sur
Now that we have mentioned most of the places inland, it is time to move southeast from Muscat and visit Sur, a port city on Oman's eastern tip, home to many historical places like Sunaysilah Fort as well as the beautiful green turtle's nest at Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve.
There are also many tourist attractions near Sur that are worth visiting, like Wadi Shab and Bimmah Sinkhole, which we will discuss in the next section. All in all, it is a great place to base yourself to explore other surrounding attractions, which are best visited in the early mornings, and you will see why in a moment.
9. Wadi Shab
In order to enjoy the beautiful Wadi Shab in its entirety, you will have to be there as early as 7:30 AM to avoid the crowds coming from Muscat, which is why I highly recommend spending the night before in Sur. Plus, since you will be hiking and swimming, the weather will be much more manageable in the morning to do so.
Once you are there, you can take a local boat to the trailhead where you will be able to hike to Wadi Shab. The hike should take about 30 minutes before you arrive at a gorge where you can swim around and freshen up a bit.
While swimming, you can continue to swim along the gorge to find an almost submerged cave where you will have to dive for 2 seconds to get inside. Inside, you will find a stunning waterfall hidden within it.
It was a fun experience discovering this waterfall, and if you can swim and are looking for an adventure, you are going to love Wadi Shab. You can also go there for hiking as well if you prefer, as the trail continues on even further into the valley.
10. Bimmah Sinkhole
Last but not least, Bimmah Sinkhole is another awesome place to go swimming in Oman. It is located in a park off the highway between Muscat and Sur, making it a nice place to stop on your way back to Muscat before ending your trip in Oman.
The place is not very big, but it is a nice place to relax and a great place to escape the scorching heat of the desert and cool down. Fun fact, this is where Casey Neistat jumped into a pool in his Make it Count viral video 😉.
More Oman Activities
If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips:
- Wadi Shab and Bimmah Sinkhole Group Full Day Tour (9 hours) 🏅 Top Pick
- Full-Day Wahiba Desert and Wadi Bani Khalid Group Tour (8 hours)
- Cruises to Daymaniyat & Snorkeling (5 hours)
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Oman
I have plenty of articles to help you with your trip planning for Oman. Here is a selection of articles you might find useful:
- Looking for a complete itinerary for Oman? Check out: 7 Days Oman Itinerary.
- Wadi Shab is one of the most action-packed places and, hands down, my favorite place in Oman. Here's How To Hike To Wadi Shab Secret Cave In Oman Without A Guide.
- To see all articles about Oman, visit my Oman Travel Guide page.
- Looking for more travel guides for the Middle East? You can find more on my Middle East Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides, visit my Destinations page.
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