This is the best place for an outdoor aficionado. The vast mountains and deserts will fill all of your heart’s desires for exploration and adventure. Start it off with the 4-wheel drive off experience in the Empty Quarter, which is the largest desert of the Arabian Peninsula. Or you may go rock climbing in the Wadi of the Al Haja Mountains and of course you may want to feel like a king and queen by completing the trip by riding a camel across the Sharqiya Sands in the Deserted Quarter and lay down underneath the stars and feel like the richest person in the world.
Oman– Important and interesting Facts
- Jebel Misht – Al Dakhiliyah or Ad Dhahirah Region. South-east face of this mountain (2090 m above the sea level) is abrupt, 850 – 900 m tall cliff. This is considered to be the tallest cliff in Arabian Peninsula.
- Grand Canyon of Wadi Ghul (Wadi Nekhar) – Ad Dakhilyah Region. Most impressive canyon in Oman, with cliff sides up to 1,000 m high. Ghul or Wadi Ghul is an abandoned village, located to the northwest of Al Hamra in Oman. The area is referred to as the “Omani grand canyon”
- Bimmah Sinkhole – Muscat Governorate. Some 30 m deep sinkhole with deep blue lake in it. Beloved place for swimming, best known sinkhole in Oman. The Hawiyat Najm Park is in Northern Oman. Bimmah Sink hole is located in The Hawiyat Najm Park (Bimmah Sinkhole is also known as Dibab Sinkhole since it is situated on the road between Dibab & Bimmah, it is slightly closer to Dibab). Sinkholes are found worldwide (like “Ik kil“, in Mexico) all happen due to the natural process of erosion.
- Majlis al Jinn (Khoshilat Maqandeli) – Ash Sharqiah Region. It is the 9th largest cave chamber in world in unique setting, available only by abseiling 118 – 158 metres from the ceiling through a comparatively small hole. People live on the top of this enormous chamber which has only 40 metres thick ceiling. Cave contains one of the largest cave chambers in the world – 340 m long and 228 m wide, 150 m tall, floor area is 58,000 m².
- Tawi Atair (Tawi Atayr) – Dhofar Governorate. Enormous collapse doline, 211 m deep, up to 150 m wide, with vertical walls around. Sinkhole is full with life: numerous birds and plants. Cave Lake contains endemic fish – the only freshwater fish in 600 km radius.
- Juniper woodland of Hayl Al Jawari – Al Dakhiliyah and Al Batinah Region. Unique montane woodland in the highest mountains of Oman, at the height above 2,200 m. Single species of trees are numerous very old Greek junipers (Juniperus excelsa M.Bieb. ssp. ). By some specialists this very isolated population of junipers is considered to be distinct, endemic species – Greek junipers in general grow further north, in Turkey, Greece.
- The country is famous for its ornamented doors. Doors in Oman are unique, colourful and embroidered. And no matter what the whole house looks like, even a simple house has truly stunning doors.
- Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab world. It has been ruled by the Al-Said family since 1744. It is true that most of the country’s citizens gained voting rights only in November of 2002 but Oman has a very interesting Foreign Policy which makes has changed an isolated and unstable Oman into a leader in Middle Eastern and global diplomacy.
- Oman is traditionally known for breeding Arab horses. Historically it has been famous for its purebred Arab horses. Omani people believe that the horse is an image of its master and a reflection of his courage, stamina and ability.
- Officially Oman was open to expensive package tours and business travelers only and it’s allowed tourists to enter its territory freely only starting in 1987 when Omani government decided to ease visa restrictions.
Oman – Cool, Fun, and Funny Facts
- At Aybut Al Auwal in the Dhofar region of Oman a site was discovered in 2011 containing more than 100 surface scatters of stone tools belonging to a regionally-specific lithic industry, the late Nubian Complex, known previously only from Northeast Africa. Two optically stimulated luminescence age estimates place the Arabian Nubian Complex at 106,000 years old. This provides evidence for a distinct Middle Stone Age technocomplex in southern Arabia around the earlier part of the Marine Isotope Stage 5
- There is a shrub in Oman, known as myrtus communis or yas. Its leaves are used for making perfume. Myrtus communis (True Myrtle) – This is a medium to large evergreen shrub that can reach up to 12 feet tall and wide but is usually kept smaller with pruning. Myrtus are evergreen shrubs or small trees with aromatic, leathery leaves and solitary, bowl-shaped white flowers followed by fleshy, often edible berries.
- Wadi Darbat Falls (Dharbat, Dirbat Falls) – Dhofar Governorate. Cliff face of Wadi Dharbat during the monsoon (Khareef) period in June – September becomes adorned with up to 150 m tall falls. Whole cliff face is more than 1 km wide, but waterfall does not take whole width. Waterfall deposits lime and there have formed impressive tufa formations.
- The highlands of Oman have raised irrigation system. Through it, water is carried from mountain streams. Known as the ‘ Aflaj Irrigation Systems’, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Omani men wear long robes known as dishdashas, while the womenfolk wear Omani burqa masks. Dishdasha a white long-sleeved collarless garment worn by Muslim men in the Arabian peninsula.
- Omani men can be found wearing the traditionally curved dagger, known as khanjar. Their national dress also includes the ‘turban’. A khanjar is a traditional dagger originating from Oman. Worn by men for ceremonial occasions, it is a short curved sword shaped like the letter “J” and resembles a hook. It can be made from a variety of different materials, depending on the quality of its craftsmanship.
- Falaj Daris in Nizwa, Ad Dakhiliyah Region is one of the oldest falaj which is sophisticated water supply system in Oman. Total length of three channels is 7,990 m. Falaj supplied the ancient city centre of Nizwa. Age of system in unknown but it is still working and governed by local people. This is just one example of more than 3,000 ancient and medieval water supply systems in Oman.
- Falaj Daris in Nizwa, Ad Dakhiliyah Region is one of the oldest falaj which is sophisticated water supply system in Oman. Total length of three channels is 7,990 m. Falaj supplied the ancient city centre of Nizwa. Age of system in unknown but it is still working and governed by local people. This is just one example of more than 3,000 ancient and medieval water supply systems in Oman.
- The Wadi is 76 Km from Qurayyat-Muscat. The road to the wadi dips as it crosses the bed of the ravine and rises steeply on the other side where the houses of Tiwi cling to the cliffs. At the mouth of the wadi is a single beach dotted with fishing boats.
- It is located approx 15 Kms from Al Hamra. Over here one can see an abandoned persian village perched on the sides of a steep cliff.Wadi ghul has a recharged dam built to stop floodwaters from washing into Al Hamra and to allow water to be stored and drained down into the Wadi bed.
Oman – History and Cultural Facts
- At Aybut Al Auwal in the Dhofar region of Oman a site was discovered in 2011 containing more than 100 surface scatters of stone tools belonging to a regionally-specific lithic industry, the late Nubian Complex, known previously only from Northeast Africa. Two optically stimulated luminescence age estimates place the Arabian Nubian Complex at 106,000 years old. This provides evidence for a distinct Middle Stone Age technocomplex in southern Arabia around the earlier part of the Marine Isotope Stage 5
- In Oman, Frankincense trees only grow in the wild. Frankincense growth in Wadi Dawkah, Dhofar Governorate. Ancient growth of of frankincense trees (Boswellia sacra Flueck.). Frankincense resin obtained in this dry wadi was considered to be of the highest quality and was extremely important item of international trade in prehistoric and ancient world. In total here grow some 1,230 ancient trees
- Ancient Shisr oasis (Ubar) – Dhofar Governorate. The legendary city was rediscovered in 1992. Neolithic settlement in ancient oasis, for many thousands of years served as station of transport of frankincense to north. Iron Age fortress was built here in 2nd century BC. It is largely abandoned in 3rd century AD.
- Al Balid (Old Dhofar, Al Blaid) – Dhofar Governorate. Ancient, once rich and significant city. Developed since Iron Age and flourished until 12th century AD. Nowadays remain only foundations of buildings including the remnants of Great Mosque.
- Ancient City of Galhat (Qalhat) – Ash Sharqiah Region. Once upon a time very important and prosperous port city, flourished in 13th – 14th centuries AD, declined in 16th century. Now only ruins and countless sherds of imported Persian and Chinese wares cover the area of this once enormous city.
- Old Town of Al Hamra – Ad Dakhilyah Region. The oldest part of city is located in picturesque setting and contains some of the oldest houses in Oman, more than 300 years old. Houses are built of mud, roofs are reinforced with palm trunks.
- Khor Rori – Dhofar Governorate. Remnants of enormous, ancient fortress from the end of 1st century BC. Ancient, once very rich port, used for transport of frankincense since Neolithic times. Legendary site.
- Opened in 1998, Port Salalah is the only port between Europe and Singapore that can accommodate the S-class ships, the world’s largest class of container vessel. It is now among the top 20 container ports in the world in terms of handling capacity, and among the top 10 in terms of efficiency.
- On 8 November 2002, the UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 1441, calling on Iraq to immediately disarm itself of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and WMD weapons capabilities, to allow the immediate return of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and UN weapons inspectors, and to comply with all previous UN resolutions regarding the country since the end of the Gulf War in 1991.
- The Necropolis of Al-Ayn – Ad Dhahirah Region. Well preserved necropolis from 3rd millenium BC. Group of 21 impressive dry stone tombs formed like beehives, placed in a row. Largest tombs are up to 4 m high.
