For the start of our Asia trip we did a 3-day stopover in Oman. Since this was really a short time for Oman, we planned exactly what we wanted to see in Germany. For about 80€ we booked a small rental car with which we could travel the country on our own. Our first stop was the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat. Women should bring long clothes, up to the ankles at arms and feet must be completely covered. If you don’t have anything, you can borrow a long robe for 5€. Here they are really very strict. But the sweating is even more worth it, because we had the mosque at about 42 degrees completely for us alone. It’s best to go there early in the morning when the sun is not so high yet.
At noon we had a typical Arabic lunch in the Kargeen and then we went to the Mutrah Souk. There you can find all kinds of arabic delicacies, from spices to dates but also clothes and jewellery.
On the 2nd day we went by car from Muskat to the south. After approx. 1 1/2 hours we arrived at the Bimmah Sinkhole. This can be imagined as a big hole with a blue lagoon where you can swim. The mixture of sweet and salty water makes it crystal clear and turquoise blue. In the water there are the small cleaning fishes, which one knows from the Thai foot baths. So this could be a little unpleasant for one or the other.
After the short cooling down we went on towards Wadi Shab, this is about 20min away from Bimmah Sinkhole. On the way you will surely meet some camels at the roadside. The starting point for the hike to Wadi Shab is the parking lot of the same name below the bridge. From there you walk for about 45 minutes through a beautiful gorge along an oasis and turquoise blue water to a small waterfall. Our last stop for the day was the desert in Wahiba Sands to spend the night in our desert camp. Maybe you should note that if you want to drive into the desert by car, you should rent an SUV directly. This way you can easily explore the desert on your own.
On the 3rd and last day in Oman we drove some kilometres back to Wadi Bani Khalid, also one of the most famous wadis in Oman. Many locals spend their free time on the weekend there. But if you walk a little deeper into the gorge, you will find great places with crystal clear and turquoise water. To go into the water as a woman can be a bit uncomfortable, as the women only watch their husbands and you won’t find many tourists going for a swim in a bikini. But here, it is worth to jump into the cold water, as with outside temperatures of up to 40 degrees, you are happy about the little refreshment.
Since on the same day our flight went even further to Asia, we had to go back to Muscat at noon. Of course we wanted to stop at the Nizwa Fort on the way back. The well-known castle is in the middle of the city Nizwa and has really a great flair. Also here we were as good as alone and could fully enjoy the place before we went back to the airport of Muscat in the evening.
