Muscat

[dreamer75]

I know it's been done a few times (and I've even contributed) but we're off to Oman in a couple of weeks.

We're staying in Muscat (just outside - Chedi) where we've stayed before, but this time we are staying there the whole week instead of travelling around. We've got some day trips booked, but I would like to get out and explore Muscat and immediate area a bit.

Can anybody recommend things to go and see/do, and restaurants to eat in the evening/daytime?

Thanks

[z4chris99]

Chedi is lovely. The food is yummy (and expensive)

Wadi shab is the tourist favourite
White sands beach, fins, turtle beach
Bait Al-Zubair museum
Sinkhole
Scuba diving at Oman dive centre
Muttrah souk
Go sailing with Omansail
Fishing and dolphins with Arabian Sea safari,
Nizwa fort and souk
Green mountain villages
Grand mosque
HMs palace in old muscat, take the old road over from muttrah and you'll get a lovely view
Kargeens is nice for chilling and shisha
We used to have a great 1km kart track but its been closed for 6 years due to a nasty accident with a girls hair being caught

If your after some nice antiques to take home with you, (the stuff you see in bait Al-Zubair, which used to live in my house) then give me a pm

[dreamer75]

Thank you!

We've already been to a few of those, and some are out of the question this year due to me having had back surgery earlier this year (scuba, sailing) but will work down the rest of the list

[driverrob]

+1 Grand Mosque
Good restaurants at The Intercontinental.
A wander along the sea front in the evening is nice.

[z4chris99]

I'll be there early December to chill out, of your there same time happy to take you out

[dreamer75]

Unfortunately not We're flying out this Saturday for 8 days

The Grand Mosque is amazing - we went there last time, so probably try to find other places this time.

We've got a dolphin spotting/snorkeling trip booked (which we've done before and spotted turtles too), deep sea fishing, and dune bashing - pretty touristy but got to be done ! Last time we did a 3 day desert safari thing inc staying in a tent and going to the beach the turtles lay eggs at, and stopping at the sink hole and various other "lagoon" type places. Very cool !

Far trips are out of the question at the moment due to dodgy back (ditto scuba) but will check the others out

[Whitean3]

Some useful tips here, thanks- we're off to Oman on 12th November (staying at the Shangri-La resort) but most interesting activities are off the agenda as this will beour first holiday with our 6-month old son. Still, can't wait!

[z4chris99]

Not sure which of the 3 your staying in but the place is nice... good beach and pool.

A taxi into town will be expensive so be wary, might as well just stay in the resort.

[Comfortably Dumb]

I've been hearing good things about the performances at the opera house. Haven't been to muscat in about 3 years so haven't been to a show myself.

Green mountain village is stunning.

[z4chris99]

forgot about the opera, it's fantastic

the building is stunning

[Whitean3]

z4chris99 said:

Not sure which of the 3 your staying in but the place is nice... good beach and pool.

A taxi into town will be expensive so be wary, might as well just stay in the resort.

Cheers Chris- we're in the Al Waha (the child-friendly one!); I've read that there is a free shuttle bus to the souks etc., and we won't be overly mobile either. Staying in the resort won't be a hardship- although I do have the feeling that we're missing out on quite a lot of interesting stuff that would otherwise be on our to do list if we were just a couple!

[ChasW]

Useful information here. We have booked into Shangri-La week after next. Really looking forward to it.

[z4chris99]

Whitean3 said:

Cheers Chris- we're in the Al Waha (the child-friendly one!); I've read that there is a free shuttle bus to the souks etc., and we won't be overly mobile either. Staying in the resort won't be a hardship- although I do have the feeling that we're missing out on quite a lot of interesting stuff that would otherwise be on our to do list if we were just a couple!

the resort is nice youll have more than a good time just staying there. They do a few boat trips out from there so you can see the dolphins etc, im sure you can take a kid on those.

I know most people do, but it is an islamic country so be mindful of the fact when your outside the resort.