Muscat Hotels

Not that the premier Omani city is bereft of modern developments. A slate of ambitious projects, from the usual malls and resorts to Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and the new home of the Oman National Museum, emphatically establish that Muscat is very much part of the new Arab renaissance. Yet the pervasive feel and texture of the capital city feels a lot more august than any telecommunications towers or spillover traces from the U.A.E.

In this regard, Muscat has more in common, perhaps, with enclaves across the Arabian Sea on the Indian subcontinent. The city of 1 million people, after all, is closer to Mumbai than Jeddah. Whatever the case, Muscat has a definable character; a patent byproduct of a history that exceeds 6,000 years. Traditional architecture is everywhere in the Omani capital, with overt nuances in even the sleekest new additions to the venerable cityscape. Geography plays a notable part in Muscat’s allure and, indeed, very existence as well, from the shelter of the Western Al Hajjar Mountains to the city’s two protective, natural harbours on the Gulf of Oman. All in all, Muscat is a foremost capital of culture that consistently captivates contemporary travellers.

Muscat’s Top 10

Muscat Local

The capital of Oman contains several districts of note.

Ruwi is the principal commercial and business node of Muscat. The old neighbourhood has made way for myriad new developments over the last decade and is a vital core precinct in the city.

Muttrah is technically a separate city of 150,000 people within Muscat province. Few make the distinction, however, as it resides a short distance from Ruwi and the capital proper. Before Oman’s oil boom, Muttrah was the de facto commercial nexus in the country. The seaport area is laden with scenic, corniche charm and exotic Incense Road aromas waft in the old suq and bazaar. Muttrah is Oman’s primary maritime hub and trade link with the Persian Gulf, South Asia and East Africa.

Other coastal suburbs of Muscat include Al Qurum Heights, Al Khuwair, Al Seeb. Darsait, Mina Al Fahal, and Ras Al Hamar.

Muscat Eat & Drink

The culinary landscape of Oman is a rich, spice-laden fusion of foods familiar to the Asian and Middle Eastern palate. Restaurants in the capital evince the best of Omani national cuisine and, indeed, continental European, South Asian and East African tastes as well.

Muscat Events

Muscat has a humble array of annual events above and beyond the holidays and festivals on the Islamic calendar.

The Muscat Festival dominates the cultural scene in the city and, indeed, in Oman as well. Held in January and February, the festival celebrates Omani culture, history and heritage. A parade of colourful events highlight the international showcase, from concerts to fashion shows, workshops to arts and crafts markets.

The Dubai-Muscat Regatta takes place in January and draws international competitors to the Straits of Hormuz.

Sinbad Classic is the premier sportfish event in the Arabian Peninsula. The IGFA Offshore World Championship qualifier lures some the best anglers in the world to Muscat’s Bandar Al Rowdha Marina every October.

A wide range of extreme, adrenaline rush competitions take place in rugged Oman throughout the year, from the cycle-run endurance test of Oman Adventures to the Oman Desert Express rally race.

In December, the Muscat sky is brilliantly illuminated courtesy of the Oman World Fireworks Championship. Held in the lush confines of Al Qurm Nature Reserve, the event features world class pyrotechnics choreography.

Eid al Fitr marks the end of Ramadan in the Muslim world and falls in either August or September.

On November 18, Oman celebrates National Day, which coincides with the birthday of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said.

Essential day trips outside of Muscat include a trio of superb Omani UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Bahla Fort and the Oasis of Bahla, the Land of Frankincense in Dhofar Province, and the Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn in the Al Dhahira region.

When To Go

With conditions that rarely permit temperatures of less than 60°F (17°C), climate-wise Muscat is easily one of the most punitive and ferocious national capitals on the planet. To call Muscat summers hot is a comical understatement. The city is the epitome of a torrid, arid urban environment, with token amounts of precipitation over the course of any given year. In fact, the annual average rainfall is in the 10 mm range, which makes Dubai look like London.

Protection from Muscat’s incessant, year round solar intensity is absolutely critical. The best counsel is to avoid the months of April, June, July, August, September and October altogether, when daytime highs of 93°F (34°C) to 104°F (40°C) are the norm.

There is a reason most state visits and major festivals in Muscat take place in December, January and February. With a temperature range of 63°F (17°C) to 81°F (27°C), conditions are downright balmy - by Oman’s furnace-like standards at least.

What To Miss

Aside from the worst effects of a merciless, inhospitable desert climate, visitors to Muscat need not worry too much about personal safety or security. On the whole, Oman is very hospitable as a tourism destination on the rise and evinces none of the infamous troubles or political volatility of neighbour Yemen, for example. As a nice balance between traditional and progressive, Muscat is a city where visitors who respect local culture and customs can feel comfortable and at home.

The Muttrah suq is a fun place to visit but, as is the case with any busy marketplace anywhere in the world, caveat emptor. Some of the goods on display may not be native-made Omani products. Be especially careful with handicrafts, frankincense and jewellery. When a particular item strikes your fancy, do not haggle for it in a rude, dishonest or arrogant fashion. Manners and decorum matter in Muscat, especially in business transactions. Another suq tip: the merchants within the deeper recesses of the market offer the best deals.

Many tourists stay in Muscat for a week or more and rent a vehicle to get outside the city and see Oman. If you do so, go with a local rental company in the capital and not one at the international airport. Visitors who forego a rental car in favour of a tour operator should be vigilant as well. Rates for popular, otherwise easy, do-it-yourself day trips can be borderline astronomical.

Getting Around

Muscat International Airport, formerly Seeb International Airport, is the only global hub in Oman and the headquarters of domestic carrier Oman Air. The airport is about 30 km from Muttrah and offers service to a host of major destinations in South Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa, in addition to London-Heathrow.

ONTC, the national bus company, provides regular and comfortable intercity transport within Oman, as well as to and from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, from the central station in Ruwi.

In Muscat, baisa buses/minivans offer affordable, omnipresent transport. Single female tourists should not, as a rule however, climb aboard, as it violates Omani social mores. Without any viable public transport system, taxis rule the road in the capital. Negotiate fares in advance but do so with respect in order to avoid total banishment (drivers tend to know each other and gossip about boorish traveller behaviour). As lunch is the main meal in Oman and because of the intense midday sun, the roads in Muscat clear out in the afternoon. It may be more difficult to hail a cab between 1pm and 4pm as a result. Furthermore, few taxis cruise the streets after 11pm.