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15 highly photogenic spots to check in, remember to save them! - P1. Nizwa Fort P2. Sur P3. Popular S Bay P4. Wahiba Desert Camp P5. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Oman P6. Wadi Shab P7. Muscat Old Town P8. Turtle Reserve P9. Bimmah Sinkhole P10. InterContinental Muscat Hotel P11. National Museum of Oman P12. Royal Palace of Oman P13. Matrah Souq P14. Matrah Fort P15. Dolphin Watching
Got up early to catch the Friday cattle and sheep market. At dawn, the bleating of sheep mixed with the bargaining voices of the uncles. The herders led the sheep in circles for display, their way of pinching bellies and checking teeth was quite amusing. After browsing, I headed next door to eat a freshly baked flatbread paired with a cup of hot ginger tea—so comforting! A few steps away is the thousand-year-old fortress, with yellow mud walls that look incredibly historic. Climbing to the top of the tower, you can see the entire old town’s white houses and lush green palm groves spread out before you. When the wind blows, it feels like even time slows down. The market is even more interesting. The spice stalls are packed with frankincense, and you can freely sample dates. You can also buy the locally famous Omani soft candy.
I specifically chose to visit Nizwa on a Friday to experience authentic Omani culture, hoping to see the sheep market there. However, considering it would be a waste to only visit the sheep market with my parents, I opted for two ancient villages near Nizwa. I highly recommend Mifusa Village, especially for a sunset view. ▫️Mifusa Village is 2 hours from Muscat and less than 1 hour from Nizwa. No 4WD vehicle is needed. The mountain scenery is beautiful; it's a hidden gem. ▫️Although there are some ups and downs in the village, the terrain isn't very steep or physically demanding, making it suitable for seniors and those who prefer a relaxed pace. ▫️Entrance to the village is free, and parking is unrestricted; just park properly. We chose a popular café and enjoyed a coffee with my parents as the sun set – very pleasant. ▫️There's no set route for exploring the village; you can wander around, have a coffee, and spend 1-2 hours there as you please. ▫️The nearby village of Altamira was just average; I highly recommend Misfat!
If you travel to Oman, be sure to set aside half a day for Nizwa. It was once the capital of Oman, and also the religious and cultural center of Oman, hidden among Oman's deserts, oases, and mountains. Strolling through the ancient city streets feels like wandering through a sandcastle maze, silverware, copper incense burners, frankincense, essential oils, charcoal, dates... It truly gives the illusion of stepping into "One Thousand and One Nights." · ✅Nizwa Fort Built during the 17th century under the Ya'aruba dynasty of Oman, the main tower is 24 meters high, and the top platform offers a 360-degree view of the ancient city and the Hajar Mountains. Inside the fort, there is a defensive maze, an ancient weapons exhibition hall, and a prison. 🈺️8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, 🎫Entrance fee: 5 Omani Rials 📷If time allows, don’t miss the sunset. The setting sun bathes the fort and surrounding mountains in golden light, adding a "One Thousand and One Nights" charm. The mottled shadows cast by the fort’s high walls, streets, and door frames also make for great photos. · ✅Nizwa Souq A very local market with few tourists and little commercialization. You can find local specialties like frankincense, dates, as well as silverware, pottery, coffee pots, teacups, and various handicrafts here. · ⭐️Travel Tips 1⃣️About a 2-hour drive from Oman's capital, Muscat. 2⃣️Opposite the fort, there are tea houses, cafes, and restaurants. Don’t miss Middle Eastern-style lamb rice, grilled meat, and hot Yikhan Guli fragrant tea. The rooftop offers a wide view, allowing you to enjoy delicious food and scenery at the same time—extremely pleasant. 3⃣️The market is very crowded with locals on Friday mornings, so try to avoid it if you don’t like crowds.
Wheels rolled over the red sand roads of Oman's interior, as the city's silhouette gradually disappeared behind the ochre-yellow mountains, arriving at the earth-yellow architectural complex of Misfat Al Abriyeen village. This journey, combining hiking exploration and cultural tracing, allowed me to touch upon millennia-old wisdom of life amidst Oman's deep mountains and ancient cities. Hiking through the streets and alleys of Misfat Al Abriyeen village, the flagstone paths underfoot were smoothed by time, the mud-brick houses on both sides were built into the mountainside, and white window frames shimmered softly in the sunlight. Most astonishing was the Falaj irrigation system hidden among the streets and alleys. This lifeline, listed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, consists of man-made underground channels and open ditches, directing melted snow and ice water from the mountains to every part of the village. It's hard to imagine that in this arid land, ancient people could, with their wisdom, construct such a precise irrigation network, turning the desert into an oasis. This is not only an engineering marvel but also a testament to the Omani people's philosophy of respecting and adapting to nature. Leaving the mountain village, we drove to Nizwa, a cultural hub in Oman's interior, which holds the most vibrant traditional memories. Nizwa Fort, one of Oman's most famous historical fortresses, stands majestically in the city center. From the highest point of the fort, the entire city of Nizwa unfolds before your eyes, with red-tiled roofs complementing green trees, and distant mountains stretching endlessly. Inside the fort's museum, ancient weapons, clothing, and household items are displayed, and yellowed photographs document Oman's historical changes. Once a barrier against foreign invaders, it now serves as a vessel for historical memory, witnessing Oman's transition from tribal conflicts to peaceful development. The wisdom of the Falaj irrigation system, the lively atmosphere of Nizwa Souq, and the profound history of the ancient fort collectively form Oman's unique charm. As a traveler constantly on the road, I have seen countless landscapes, but in Oman, I felt the warmth and depth of a different culture, encountering wisdom and beauty that time has not eroded, in the folds of time.
After browsing Pinterest, this itinerary looks very interesting. There isn’t much about Muscat, mostly around Sur and Nizwa. The farthest south goes a bit beyond Sur. Since I couldn’t find much information about Sur, I only allocated one day there, and one day for Nizwa as well. Finally, from Nizwa, I returned to Abu Dhabi, while he returned to Muscat. Day 1: Muscat to Sur 👉Wadi Dayqah Dam (optional)👉Bimmah Sinkhole (Hawiyat Najm Park)👉Wadi Shab👉Sur Day 2: Sur 〈Turtle Watching Route: Sur → Ras Al Hadd → Ras Al Jinz 〉 Day 3: Sur to Wahiba Sands 〈 Route: Ras Al Jinz → Wadi Bani Khalid → Wahiba Sands 〉 Day 4: Nizwa 〈 Route: Wahiba Sands → Nizwa 〉 Day 5: Nizwa to Misfat Al Abriyeen 〈 Route: Nizwa → Tanuf → Jabreen Castle, Bahla Fort → Al Hamra → ⭐️Misfat Al Abriyeen 〉 Day 6: Misfat Al Abriyeen to Jebel Shams 〈 Mountain Route: Nizwa/Misfat Al Abriyeen → Jebel Shams 〉 Day 7: Nizwa to Muscat 〈 Route: Nizwa → Wadi Qurai → Samail Castle → Muscat 〉 Google Maps points can be shared: Muscat 2-WD Road Trip https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1o3sqFxE-td_IO_ayj1Eh54uzZvT16Q8&usp=sharing Sur is a laid-back coastal town famous for its handcrafted Arabian dhow boats (traditional wooden Arab boats). The shipyards are a major highlight of the Sur trip, still building dhows using almost the same techniques from hundreds of years ago. The Sur Maritime Museum also offers some historical background. Sur also has beautiful seaside promenades, and you can visit the small Sur Fort (free entry). For desert clothing, try to wear light colors. Whether long skirts, short skirts, or white, they all photograph well, especially paired with a vibrant headscarf 🧕❤️
Oman is indeed the "Land of a Thousand Forts" This time, I drove to 🏰 Nizwa Fort, an ancient fort built in 1668 with its own unique charm. It took 12 years to build and was originally constructed by Sultan bin Saif of the Ya'aruba dynasty to defend against enemies. It is currently the largest and most intact fort in Oman, featuring a main 30-meter-high circular fortress divided into Fort and Castle sections. It rises 30 meters above ground, with foundations extending 30 meters underground, and has a diameter of 36 meters. The cylindrical tower offers a 360-degree panoramic view, and the entire structure is magnificent and imposing. 🕌 The market next to the fort 🏰 seems to have a different charm from the serious fort, with colorful piles of spices, earthenware, and copperware, creating a rich atmosphere of daily life. 📸 Photo Tips: ✅ Various vertical staircases and narrow gaps in the fort make for excellent shots ✅ The view overlooking the whole city from the top is very beautiful ✅ The gatekeepers will warmly invite you to take photos together 🎫 Ticket: 5 OMR
09:00 🚗 Check out from the Muscat hotel and head towards Nizwa along the mountain road, passing through the Hajar Mountains. 11. 00 🏰 Nizwa Fort – Step into the 17th-century military fortress built by the Yaruba dynasty, climb the 35-meter-high round main tower, and use a wide-angle lens to capture the 24 cannon openings alongside the sapphire blue mosque dome in one frame. Check in here at Oman’s version of Monument Valley. 🛍️ Nizwa Souq ▪️ The cattle and sheep market is only on Fridays, so we missed it. ▪️ When tasting the rose-flavored sweet Halwa with cardamom coffee, the stall owners enthusiastically offer refills. 12. 30 🌄 Head to Misfat Al Abriyeen village! The car winds along the cliff edge, overlooking the 3,000-year-old village that looks like a palm tree puzzle embedded in the mountains. 🍴 Lunch at Misfat ancient house – Sit on the terrace of a 400-year-old mud-brick house, enjoy spiced stewed chicken dipped in flatbread, with the Falaj water channel gently flowing beneath your feet. 14:30 🕌 Jabrin Castle Compared to the ruggedness of Nizwa Fort, here you’ll find painted domes and carved porches. 16. 00 🏛️ Oman Heritage Museum – Redefine your expectations of a museum. 17. 30 🌇 Return to Nizwa and check in at the Intercity Hotel. Useful TIPS Nizwa Friday cattle and sheep market starts at 7:00 AM. The museum stops admitting visitors one hour before closing; it’s recommended to allow 90 minutes. Wear non-slip shoes for hiking in Misfat village; some narrow alleys require sideways passage.
Compared to the hustle and bustle of Dubai, Oman is more like the Middle East's reclusive royalty, with both tranquility and dynamism. In this country surrounded by mountains and sea, choosing the right hotel is the key to a perfect vacation. 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊 [Muscat Seaside Edition] The Romantic Daily Life of City and Sea 1. The St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat The newest high-end resort in Oman, blending modern art with traditional Middle Eastern design, with the azure sea right outside the door. The rooms are very spacious, giving you a sense of relaxation as if "surrounded by space," plus a huge balcony where you can laze in the sun all day, watching the sea and daydreaming. The hotel's Greek-themed restaurant is also amazing and is a new benchmark for Muscat resorts in my mind. 2. Mandarin Oriental Muscat Located on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, the Mandarin Oriental quietly opened last June, with the bustling embassy district on one side and the vast sea on the other. The balcony overlooks the azure sea and golden beach, as well as Omanis riding horses, like a flowing oriental oil painting. Here, Omani tradition and modern aesthetics are perfectly integrated. I still remember the scene of an Omani woman in a black robe elegantly drinking tea in the lobby. 3. The Chedi Muscat A classic hotel in Muscat, the scent of frankincense and sea breeze greet you as you step into the lobby. Light and shadow spill into the Arabian arch corridor, making every frame look like a movie scene. The infinity pool, white courtyard, and understated luxurious room design, combined with the tranquil beach and Middle Eastern-style architecture, are perfect for those who want to "relax quietly." 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿 [Jabal Akhdar Green Mountain Edition] A Sense of High-End Seclusion in the Mountains 4. Alila Jabal Akhdar The secluded choice of Middle Eastern tycoons, built on a cliff more than 2,000m above sea level, Alila uses stone and wood to build this luxurious secret realm that blends into the mountains. Without superfluous decoration, every stone wall and every window reveals a sense of tranquility and powerful sophistication. The spa is built on the edge of a cliff, so quiet that you can only hear the wind and your own breathing. Here, every breath is filled with the purity of nature. 5. Hotel Indigo Jabal Akhdar Resort & Spa Also located in Jabal Akhdar, but with a more modern and light luxury style, bright colors, and a strong sense of design. The balcony faces the canyon, and a large expanse of texture greets you as soon as you open your eyes, perfect for taking pictures, lying flat, and slow living. The hotel's Mediterranean fusion restaurant is also worth a try. Chill by the pool during the day and watch the mountain breeze move the night, young people will love the rhythm here. If you want to avoid the crowds and find a high-end and tranquil vacation spot in the Middle East, then Oman, especially these hotels, is really worth a slow trip.
Nizwa is the largest city in the mountainous interior of Oman and the capital of the former Imam of Oman. In history, there were dynasties that established their own kingdoms here. And built his own castle. Oman is known as the country of a thousand castles. There are more than a dozen ancient castles in the entire ancient city of Nizwa. The ancient castle of Nizwa is the largest and the most complete one. · 【Ascend the fortress】 The fortress is the commanding point of the entire castle. There is an entrance that you can climb up. When you reach the top floor, you will reach the outdoor open-air area☁️ There are three different stairs. When you climb to the top, you can overlook the panoramic view of Nizwa city. The castle oasis is in front of you🐫 In ancient times, sentries would stand here to watch and defend their castle territory. · You can find a suitable location to take photos at the other end of the castle. It looks like the real version of Monument Valley, except the colors are not bright enough. It really feels like being in the game · 【Making pottery】 The pottery industry in Nizwa is also relatively developed. You can make your own pottery in the pottery workshop in the castle and take it home, leaving a wonderful memory. · 【Outdoor Market】 There is also a cultural and creative area inside the castle, which surprised me. The cultural and creative market has a variety of things, including local specialty clothes, Middle Eastern version of crepe pancakes, rings and silver jewelry, and Middle Eastern brown sugar production. Have afternoon tea on the Arabian style carpet, swing on the oasis and ride a camel Various interesting ways to play allow you to not only enjoy the scenery but also experience the local culture in the castle. · 📍NIzwa Fort
If you go in the evening, the scenery is very beautiful. I had a lot of fun watching the various events.
ishikoAvdiyivka, also known as Avdeyevka in Russian, is a city and administrative center of Avdiyivka Municipality in Pokrovsk District, Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. It is 22 kilometers away from the provincial capital Donetsk. It was founded in 1778 and covers an area of 29 square kilometers. It is 212 meters above sea level and has a total population of 31,392 in 2022.
Tree-LiThe design is very good, very good, and worth recommending.
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