There are destinations, and then there are destinations that have the ability to inspire wonder, shaping unforgettable memories as you travel through them – with each element retaining its special integrity in the entire chorus. Oman, in the Middle East, is a little utopia that raises the bar for your bucket list. A perfect, year-round destination with a diverse canvas, that brings in everything: startling marine life, prima donnas in mountains, unending stretches of quiet dunes, and a hotbed of culinary whispers.
OF DIVES, DUNES, DESTINATION-DARLINGS
Muscat serves up the swanky, urban-chic Jumeirah Muscat Bay, with its private sugary-sand beach, strapped by two fishing villages (that serve up love letters from the ocean in a fantastic fresh catch basket at Jumeirah meals), a cool helipad and edgy groves for hosting dream weddings. Experience birdsong (yes!), magical sunsets here. The chefs – who have worked across different ethnicities (great pedigree) – bring in the best in global gourmet gospels.
A cool zip in the Land Cruiser brings you to Al Mauj Marina from where the speedboat rides foamy waves to reach Ad Damaniyat archipelago. Nine, uninhabited tropical islands off the coast of Oman, patrolled by seagulls, with no permission to dock at the beaches during the nesting season. Snorkelling here for hours easily tops my list of superb marine experiences in the Middle East. No crowds (a la South East Asia), endless bales of Green, and Hawksbill turtles gliding seamlessly through the jewelled water, delicately poised corals on the seabed, and colourful shoals of fishes including the Red Sea clownfish, and stingrays.
Just when you think you have experienced the best, another experience arrives to elevate the bar. That is the beauty of Oman. Wandering along the Mutrah Corniche, and the old Nizwa souq brings in a delicious dive into the local fabric of the desert sultanate. Silver bijouterie, stunning semi-precious stones, hand woven rugs by Bedouin tribes, incense burners, Omani halwa, and curious pottery splash out brightly.
The jaw dropping interiors of the palatial Royal Opera House, a visit to Al
Baleed UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Museum of the Land of Frank
Incense here traces the fascinating journey of frank incense from Oman to
Rome and beyond; glamping midst the dunes in Wahiba Sands, and wandering through the Swarovski-chandeliered Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque crafted in 30,000 tonnes of pink Indian sandstone are unmissable experiences.
But it is the flight from Muscat to Salah robs you of breath. The slo-mo (slow motion) transition from the bald dunes to the lush mountains fed by the monsoon, with gurgling waterfalls stuns. Alila Hinu Bay with 45 hectares of untouched beachfront by the Arabian Sea is the coastal postergirl of all luxury properties. Make way for dips into the lagoon and kayaking, indulge in flamingo-watching, drink in the splendid emerald green of Wadi Darbat to experience the magic of oases.
The more diva-esque Alila Jabal Akhdar perched on the edge of the deep
canyon in the Al Hajar mountains brings in that soul-cleansing experience. A communion with the peaks when the pale fingers of dawn light up the sky in sheer silence. My life-changing experience arrived in the surreal Via Ferrata mountain climbing challenge. Moving down precariously into the vertical spill, and then clambering back was a coup, in my mountain climbing debut. Hiking trails, butterfly walks, eating from the organic gardens, admiring cosmic darlings through giant telescopes at night, swimming in infinity pools by Omani moonlight, and luxuriating in the outdoor Spa Arbour at the edge of the canyon inside a wispy cabana compose sparkling moments.
Shilpi Madan for Upper Crust