A Holiday in Muscat, Oman

The UAE landscape shows us a stark contrast between the way the Arabian Desert was, for over 5,000 years, and the futuristic horizon of a nation that has seen some of the most rapid growth in history. What the UAE is lacking however, is an architectural history. I hadn’t noticed the significance of this gap until I visited Oman over the Eid holiday and was faced with architecture that tells the story of Oman, its sea-trade heritage, and an Empire not so long forgotten.

In our used, yellow “hummer” (we call it a hummer because it makes a “hummm” when it idles) we teamed up with some friends from the West toward the Omani border on a Saturday morning. On a side note, I have seen some dodgy borders, but the Hili Al Ain border takes the cake in the chaos department. We entered Oman, were told to turn left, exited Oman, re-entered the UAE, and stood puzzled in the same line again, only to wait another hour before we made it to customs??? In true Middle Eastern fashion, customs consisted of a queue where anyone could weasel in, shout a few things in Arabic and be on their way. Because Americans have a pre-disposition to saying “please,” “thank you,” and waiting in line for a turn, this perplexed us beyond belief. For the most painless border experience, try crossing from Al Ain at the Khatam Al Shukla  border post, park just through the first entrance to get your exit visa: 20 dirham, and then continue to Omani customs. Because we have UAE residency we pay only OR5 opposed to the 200 Dirham charge for non residents. If you are in need of a further breakdown on how to cross this border and others in the Arabian Peninsula, check out Wahyu In Qatar.

The scenery changed almost immediately as we drove into Oman through the Western Hajar Mountains. Craggy rocks towered over each side of our mini, magic school bus. It is a four hour trip from the Al Ain border to Muscat, with a few Al-Maha stations and snack stops along the way, and plenty of fantastic photo opts of farmers transporting camels from farm to market. With un-seasonable rains this month we had the exciting experience of driving through a desert flood, but given that we don’t ACTUALLY have a hummer, slow and steady we made our way. It is a surprise we didn’t endure the mandatory fine for driving a dirty car after it was painted in mud.

There are quite a few hotel and resort options in Muscat and with prices steeper than those in the UAE try browsing www.booking.com before settling on a room. We checked into the retro/flamboyant digs offered at Qurum Beach House with close proximity to the beach, restaurants, and plenty of night cap options including the Rock Bottom Café, which was host to a co-ed biker gang I never expected to see in the Middle East.

Muscat is filled with diverse scenes. You can see men in their traditional Kumma caps taking their goats for a stroll down a busy sidewalk, and antique khanjar knives sold next to Iranian love poems in the covered Mutrah Souq. Muscat encompasses a Middle East not yet overrun with modern buildings, tourists, and hummers (except ours). We spent our last day swimming in the cool blue waters of the Arabian Sea, admiring rows of mansions built into the cliffs that surround Qurum Beach. I felt a little guilty for neglecting the significant architecture alive in the Persian Gulf. This part of the world may not have cathedrals that monopolize entire city blocks, nor is the history of this region as “in your face” as it is throughout parts of the West, but it’s all still here. Oman’s history is literally built into the rocks, making it a fascinating place to explore, talk to friendly locals, shop for souvenirs with a story, and imagine the bustling port cities of the Dilmun Empire.