Oman

• Mutrah Corniche & Souk

  This is where Muscat really starts to show its history. You've got the old souk, the fish market, and forts overlooking the sea — sea on one side, mountains on the other, and old stone architecture holding it all together. The forts here were originally built by the Portuguese in the 16th century to control trade routes in the Indian Ocean, and walking through them you really feel that strategic past layered over the coastline. About the souk: I'd read that gold is "cheap" in Oman, but not a bargain. I didn't end up buying anything; the designs felt a bit too traditional for my taste. Still worth a wander.

• The mashrabiya balconies

  One detail I fell in love with: the wooden balconies everywhere. I later learned they're called mashrabiya — traditional carved wood structures designed to let air flow while keeping privacy inside. Functional, beautiful, and very "climate-smart" long before that was a trend.

• Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton property

  Even if you're not staying there, it's worth walking into the lobby. It feels almost unreal: huge ceilings, dramatic design, and a kind of quiet, theatrical luxury that's hard to describe.

• Al Alam Palace gardens

  Surrounded by mountains, the setting feels almost staged — like a film set that happens to be real. The architecture in this area surprised me, too. It's not what I had pictured for Oman — there's a slight Art Deco influence woven into the traditional Islamic style. Clean, elegant, and very distinctive.

• Royal Opera House

  We didn't make it, and it's now at the top of my list for next time. It's famous for both its architecture and its role as the cultural heart of the city. The late Sultan Qaboos, who ruled Oman for nearly 50 years, had a deep passion for music and culture, and you feel that influence everywhere here. His legacy is still very present — not just politically, but culturally. Muscat feels shaped by someone who genuinely cared about art, architecture, and identity.

• A sunset by the sea

  One of my strongest memories of the whole trip. Soft light, mountains fading into silhouette, and a calm that's almost impossible to put into words. If there's one thing I'll say clearly: Oman has some of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. Plan an evening just for this — no activities, no rushing. Just a spot by the water.

Day 1 — Arrival day, on purpose slow.

Day 2 — We went to Nabu Cafe, a small local spot for Breakfast , nothing touristy, just the kind of place I always look for. Then straight to Mutrah for the morning: corniche, souk, the forts overlooking the sea. In the afternoon we drove to Al Bustan Palace (walk into the lobby even if you're not staying — it's almost unreal) and then the Al Alam Palace gardens. We ended the day by the sea for sunset, and honestly, that's a memory I'll carry for a long time. Soft light, mountains fading into silhouette, total calm.

Day 3 — Day trip to the Daymaniyat Islands — full section on that just below, because they really do deserve their own chapter. We came back in the evening and headed to Al Mouj Marina, the modern side of Muscat: a lively waterfront with plenty of restaurants and cafés. A nice contrast to the slowness of the morning.

Day 4 — Morning at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque — the courtyard alone is worth the trip, and dressing modestly from your hotel is easier than wrestling with the pile at the entrance. From there, we made our way to Bandar Al Khayran for the rest of the day. The water is unreal.

Our journey began at Wadi Shab, probably the most famous wadi in Oman and one of the country's most photographed natural sites. The experience starts with a short boat crossing before reaching the hiking trail that follows the canyon for nearly 45 minutes. The path winds between steep rocky walls, palm groves, and a succession of turquoise pools that seem almost unreal against the dry mountain landscape.

Unlike many natural sites that lose their charm once they become popular, Wadi Shab still manages to feel spectacular. The combination of hiking, swimming, and climbing creates a real sense of adventure, especially as the canyon progressively narrows toward its hidden cave.

The final section is what makes the experience unforgettable. After swimming through a narrow opening between the rocks, you reach a hidden cavern with a waterfall inside. Dark, enclosed, and echoing with the sound of water, the atmosphere feels almost surreal.

After Wadi Shab, we stopped at Bimmah Sinkhole, another well-known attraction along Oman's coastal road. To be honest, this was probably the only site during the trip that felt slightly disappointing. Online photographs often create the impression of a dramatic natural formation similar to the cenotes of Mexico, but the reality feels less striking once on site.

The sinkhole itself is undeniably beautiful — clear turquoise water set inside a limestone crater — but much of its atmosphere has been altered by the surrounding infrastructure. Concrete staircases, viewing platforms, and the heavy tourist presence make the site feel more developed than natural. We stayed only briefly before continuing toward the mountains.

If Wadi Shab was the most famous stop of the trip, Wadi Al Arbeieen was undoubtedly the biggest surprise. Far less visited and much more isolated, the valley feels entirely different from the country's more touristic wadis. Reaching it is already part of the adventure — the road becomes increasingly rugged as it winds deeper into the mountains, crossing rocky terrain and narrow passages. A 4×4 is highly recommended, not only for comfort but because some sections can be difficult with a regular car.

What made the experience memorable was the setting itself: complete silence, almost no tourists, and the feeling of being immersed inside the mountains. We spent the night at Wadi Arbeieen Resort (full details below) and woke before sunrise to watch the first light slowly reach the canyon walls — one of the calmest moments of the entire trip.

Our final stop was Wadi Bani Khalid, one of the country's most accessible wadis. Unlike Wadi Shab or Wadi Al Arbeieen, reaching the pools requires almost no hiking, which explains its popularity among both tourists and local families. The water is beautiful, the setting pleasant, and the experience undeniably enjoyable.

That said, compared to the dramatic scenery of Wadi Shab or the untouched atmosphere of Wadi Al Arbeieen, it felt less memorable. The accessibility that makes it convenient also removes part of the sense of discovery that defined the previous wadis. For travellers with limited time in Oman, this is probably the easiest stop to skip.

Day 1 — Leave Muscat early and drive to Wadi Shab. Take the short boat crossing, then the 45-minute hike through the canyon to the pools and the hidden waterfall cave — plan a full half-day here. On the way back, a quick stop at Bimmah Sinkhole (30 minutes is plenty). From there, drive inland toward Wadi Al Arbeieen — the road gets rough toward the end, so allow time. Overnight at Wadi Arbeieen Resort, with dinner in the majlis.

Day 2 — Wake before sunrise to watch the first light reach the canyon walls. Slow morning at the resort — coffee by the water, maybe a kayak. Drive on to Wadi Bani Khalid for a swim in the main pools (easy access, no hiking needed). From there, continue toward the Wahiba Sands — the desert is roughly 1.5 hours further, so aim to arrive at camp before sunset.

• Dune bashing

  An adrenaline-filled drive across the dunes, organised by the camp, and one of the best ways to experience the scale of the desert.

• Camel rides

  Best done at dawn or dusk, when the changing light turns the dunes shades of deep red and orange.

• Arabic night music & outdoor cinema

  Traditional music under the stars, followed by an open-air cinema experience in the middle of the desert — surreal and unexpectedly atmospheric.

Before heading up the mountain to Misfat, we stopped at Old Al Hamra Village — and walking through it genuinely feels like stepping back in time. The town is around 400 years old and sits on the southern slopes of the Akhdar Mountains, built on a tilted rock slab so that the houses themselves rise in layers up the hillside. Some of the oldest preserved houses in Oman are here, two, three, even four storeys tall, with ceilings made of palm beams and fronds topped by mud and straw.

Many of the old houses are now empty — the families having moved to the newer part of town — which gives the lanes a slightly haunted, suspended-in-amber quality. Near the centre there's a small plaza and the old souq, where you can still watch a halwa maker at work in the only halwa shop still operating there. Allow an hour or so to wander; it pairs perfectly with the drive up to Misfat afterwards.

Perched on the side of the mountain at around 1,000 metres altitude, Misfat Al Abriyeen is, to my eyes, one of the most beautiful villages in Oman. You find terraced plantations watered by old falaj irrigation channels, small paved lanes climbing steeply between the houses, a huge palm grove spilling down into the wadi, and a few small modern cafés tucked into restored stone buildings.

It is one of those rare places where the old village is still alive — people still live here, the falaj is still running, the date palms are still farmed — and yet there is just enough of a welcome for travellers to feel they can stop and stay. Arriving in the late afternoon, with the light raking across the terraces, is the right way to do it.

We started with the W9 trail, the village's plantation circuit — a short loop of around an hour that runs through the terraced gardens below the houses. It's the gentlest possible introduction to the place: you walk alongside the falaj channels, under the date palms, past banana and mango trees, and back up into the village from the other side.

It is not a hike so much as a slow guided wander through someone's working farmland. Wear proper shoes — the stones get slick where the water runs — and try to do it either early morning or late afternoon when the light is on the terraces.

• Nizwa Fort

  The enormous round tower we wrote about above is the centrepiece, but the fort is much bigger than that one tower. Inside, twenty galleries walk you through Omani history, traditional crafts, and weaponry. Plan a full two hours.

• Nizwa Souk

  A maze of small shops selling silver jewellery, khanjars (curved daggers), frankincense, pottery, and dates. Friday mornings include a full livestock market that has been running on the same spot for hundreds of years.

• Bahla Fort

  A 30-minute drive west. UNESCO-listed, older and more atmospheric than Nizwa Fort itself, built out of mud-brick that has been weathered into something almost organic. Less polished than Nizwa, which is precisely the point.

• Jabrin Castle

  45 minutes from Nizwa, often combined with Bahla. The interior is the reason to come: hand-painted ceilings, intricate Quranic inscriptions, and beautifully restored period rooms. The most decorative of the Omani forts.

• Balcony Walk (W6 trail)

  A 4 km out-and-back along the canyon rim at around 1,900 m, passing the abandoned village of As Sab and old watchtowers built into the cliff. The drop to your left is constant and dramatic. About 3–5 hours depending on pace. Moderate fitness, no technical skills needed. Start at sunrise.

• Summit road at dawn

  A 4×4 drive to the top before sunrise. The canyon fills with shadow and light as the sun moves across it, and the rock walls turn through gold, rose, and amber in the space of about forty minutes. Bring something warm — it can be near freezing at the summit.

• Wadi Ghul viewpoint

  The main lookout, accessible by paved road. Even if you do nothing else here, stand at the edge for an hour. The silence is what stays with you.

• Rose gardens

  If you're travelling in spring (April–May), don't miss the rose water harvest on the slopes of Jebel Akhdar. The terraced fields turn pink and the whole mountain smells of damask roses. The water is distilled in small village stills and bottled on the spot.