Natural Beauty

OMAN Holidays can include tours throughout Omans Nature which is is often dramatic, no more so than the backdrop of chocolate brown Ophiolite Mountains close to Muscat which are a geologist's paradise; these allow an insight to some of the fundamental geological processes on Earth. Spread out around much of northern Oman other ranges of magnificent mountains create a backdrop to the rest of Omans nature.

Birds Watching:

Over 480 species of birds have been recorded in Oman. During the winter months Oman hosts a remarkable variety of migratory birds. These create vast flocks of tern and gulls on the coasts and fewer but still numerous raptors, especially around Muscat and Salalah. During limited time windows flocks of White Stork pass through and European Rollers may rest for a few days on their own migrations. Many of OMAN Holidays tours take us through areas where the birdlife is worth watching and of course if your interest is a Bird Watching Tour then OMAN Holiday can create one especially to suit your time and interests.

Oman Larger Mammels:

Land based mammals are more elusive as they secret themselves during the heat of the day. We can visit areas where Arabian Oryx, Nubian Ibex and Arabian Gazelle may be found. Other species, more elusive, include the Arabian Leopard and Arabian Tahr (an endemic species). The largest land animal in Arabia the Camel (dromedary) is a face that you will see on your more extended tours with OMAN Holiday

Oman Unique Vegetation:

Vegetation in Oman may be sparse in places but include famed plants like Christ Thorn Tree, Date, Desert Rose, Dragons Blood and Frankincense. Throughout the country the medicinal use of plants continues alongside modern medicine and many obscure plants are treasured for their healing powers.

Oman seas Include sea Turtels, Dolphin & Coral:
The seas contain a remarkable variety of creatures including 5 types of sea turtles with major nesting sites of Green Turtle and Loggerhead species. If you would like to witness these special events ask OMAN Holiday to talk Turtle with you.
Oman has possibly the only resident population of Humpback Whale in the world. It's other Cetaceans range from Blue Whales to Dolphins. Dolphin sightings are almost guaranteed on OMAN Holidays Breakfast with the Dolphins tour while on some coasts in Oman Dolphin come to within a few meters of the beach.

Oman's coastal waters have a number of unique Coral species and a wide range of fish that delight Scuba diver and snorkeler alike. The seas around Salalah have a remarkable combination of cold water Kelp and tropical Coral - a pairing brought about by the changes in water temperature during the summer monsoon. Ask about the Sea based activities OMAN Holiday provides.

Photos

Why Travel To Oman?

Why Travel to Oman?

If you want to see a traditional Gulf country this is the one. Untainted by overdevelopement or money madness and ruled by an unusually sensible and respected Sultan [Qaboos], this kingdom offers great beaches, rocky mountains, a classic desert, forts and friendly, tolerant locals.And it's safe! British ex-SAS units still rumble around the rocks, looking for trouble but rarely finding it.
Downside:- If you're looking for wacky, wild Arabia, you're in the wrong place! Go next door to Yemen.- Sand is in short supply, rocks aren't. Rocks like marbles, rocks like houses, rocks around the clock.- The architectural sights are forts, forts and fortresses.- Outside hotels cuisine is limited, as is boozing.- Small budget travellers may have a tough time.

Oman's main attractions:

***Muscat. A small, tidy, unspoilt city with a calm atmosphere, some good museums, forts, public buildings, a traditional covered souk [market] and some hideous sculptures that lurch, perch and pour over rocky outcrops.

***Nizwa. A pleasant town with aging mud houses, a superb fortress, and a new antique souk. This is a good base to explore Jebel Akhdar mountains, wadis and Jabrin Fort.

***Wadi Bani Awf. A gorgeous [dried] river bed that can be driven [4WD] or walked [or ridden if you can get a horse]. 20/30km long it skirts pretty villages [esp. Bilad Sayt], pools and waterfalls. Terrific views. Camping sites available.

**Jebel Akhdar. A rocky mountain range with great views - including the 'Grand Canyon' of Oman, and plenty of climbing opportunities.

*Jabrin Fort. The best fort in a country famous for them.

**Sur. A couple of forts, some excellent beaches and an interesting dhow [traditional sailing ship] building yard. 3 or 4 hours from Muscat.
*Sohar. Home of Sinbad and an exceptional white fort.

***Wahiba Sands. A very accessible, traditionally rolling-dune desert, unlike most of this rocky country. Great for contemplation and chilling, though over chilled at night.
** Ras el Jinz. Various kinds of turtle nest here, and a ranger escorts travellers for night visits. Has a camping ground near the beach. Get a permit!

***Salalah. A totally different feel to Muscat, Salalah is a humid southern town of empty beaches and full coconut groves, squeezed onto a narrow, green coastal strip below a high plateau. Excellent for beach activities [particularly at Mughsail] or archeological expeditions, tho' a looong drive or short flight from Muscat. n.b. the 'lost city' of Ubar is disappointing and should stay lost, but 'Job's Tomb' - on a hilltop overlooking Salalah - is well worth a little travel. Wet June-Sept.

***Musandam Peninsula. Also known as the 'Norway of Arabia', this collection of barren rocky fjords and fertile valleys penetrates the Arabian Gulf at the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Musandam is separated from most of Oman by the United Arab Emirates, but is, nevertheless, a magnificent diversion if you have the time or money. You can drive there across UAE

Geography & history of Oman

Oman, officially Sultanate of Oman, formerly Muscat and Oman, independent sultanate (1995 est. pop. 2,125,000), 82,000 sq mi (212,380 sq km), SE Arabian peninsula, bounded by the Gulf of Oman (E), the Arabian Sea (S), Yemen and Saudi Arabia (W), and the United Arab Emirates (N), which separate the main portion of the country from an exclave that juts into the Strait of Hormuz. The capital is Muscat. Oman comprises a coastal plain and an interior region of hills and desert. Dates, limes, nuts, and vegetables are cultivated in the north and livestock are raised in the southwest, but the major product is oil. Natural gas production and copper mining were developed in the early 1980s to diversify the economy. The population is predominantly Muslim Arab, with Pakistani, Indian, and Zanzibari minorities.
History
Occupied by Portugal in 1508 and Turkey in 1659, Oman came under Ahmad ibn Said of Yemen, founder of the present royal line, in 1741. It has had close ties with Britain since the 19th cent. Qabus bin Said overthrew the strict regime of his father, Sultan Said bin Timur, in 1970, instituted a program of liberalization and modernization, and put down (1975) leftist guerrilla forces operating in Dhofar prov., in the south.

In 1980 the U.S. obtained the use of ports and airfields in Oman in exchange for economic and military aid. In 1981 Oman joined other Arab Persian Gulf nations in founding the Gulf Cooperation Council. The country opened its bases to international coalition forces against Iraq in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and to U.S. forces mounting strikes against Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden in 2001. In 1996 the sultan announced a new basic law that provided for a legislature with limited powers and guaranteed basic civil liberties for Omani citizens. In 2003 the lower house of the advisory council was freely elected for the first time.

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