To the discerning traveler Oman conjures images of deserts, mountains, castles and picturesque coastline. This is not the only truth… the stunning country now offers offbeat tourism on the platter. Little wonder then, the Ministry of Tourism launched in London a unique global marketing campaign to woo tourists to Oman.
A new breed of tourists is born. It’s more about exploring and discovering offbeat experiences. And Oman promises a lot on this front. A big success is the development of cave projects in Oman.
Beneath Oman’s parched plateaus and ruggedly enchanting peaks lie some of the world’s spectacular caves. The Al Hoota caves (http://www.alhootacave.com/) at the foothills of Central Hajar range in the Dakhiliya region, some 250km from the capital Muscat, fully developed for tourists to see, these caves make for an amazing experience. A train from the visitor’s center takes you just inside the cave and then you walk down an illuminated pathway to feast on the wonders down below. Reservations are recommended before bounding on this adventure.
The cave, punctuated with dozens of splendid cave formations and intriguing ancillary chambers and offshoots, carves its way from north to south tapering through the flanks of a large mountain. Inside the cave, is an 840-meter walkway with railings, which has been laid for visitors to feel first-hand the magic of these caves.
Except for a few caves like Jirnan all others in Oman, like Al Kittan, Suhur, Majlize Jinn, Ayn Hamran, and Marnif, are comprised of limestone.
Plans for the development of yet another fascinating cave, the Majlis Al Jinn Cave and a cave park in the Selma Plateau in Sharqiyah region are being pursued with great zeal. Tenders have been floated for consultancy services for the design and the construction supervision of the touristic facilities at Majlis Al Jinn. It is a big challenge for the developers as the cave’s entrance is from the top and not from the side as is the normal case. The dimensions of Majlis Al Jinn (translated in English, it means ‘meeting place of the jinn’) are staggering. Some 340 meters long and 228 meters wide, with a ceiling height of 120 meters, it is roomy enough to encompass more than a dozen new Boeing 747’s, parked wingtip to wingtip. The chamber is about 120 meters high, 200 meters wide and 300 meters long, with a total volume in excess of 3 million cubic meters.
Besides the caves, Oman’s unique geological creations are natural works of art. Considering these amazing natural sculptures the Government of Oman is toying the idea of making these wonderful sites a place for tourists where they can marvel at the geology of Oman. Oman is a land with a history that can be traced back more than 800 million years. The country has a small yet fascinating geotouristic niche industry that caters mainly for special interest groups.
The work-under progress Rock Garden in Duqm, 600km from Muscat, and a new development region, is a treasure trove of geological heritage.
Geotourism is a rage these days in some countries. Dr. Mahmood Al Mahroqui, president of Geological Society of Oman, observes, ‘the geology of Oman is unique. Nowadays the rocks in Oman show a fascinating beauty, because they were formed over many millions of years, when the Sultanate was covered by the sea, salt lakes, scraped by glaciers, crushed by moving continents and carved by rivers.’
Through geotourism tourists will able to know how Oman evolved throughout time. Whether it is the outcrops of crystalline rocks at Jabal Qahwan, north of Bilad Bani Bu Ali, the brown crystalline rocks of the Samail ophiolites, huge piles of pillow lava in wadi Al-Jizzi, the Rock Garden at Duqm featuring naturally sculptured sandstone and limestone, or the beautiful layering of sedimentary beds at Jabal Samhan in Dhofar, these landmarks all narrate the stories of Oman’s geological history. Then there are artistic sculptures, mainly found in central Oman. Or, one can feast on a fantasy world of rock formations in Oman. Some of the interesting ones include a pillar of sandstone in Ramlat Al Wahayba sands, the totemic images sculpted at Fuhud, the hand-shaped rock at Ad Duqm, the mushroom-shaped rock at Ad Duqm, and the flying saucer at Ramlat Al Wahayba coast.
Dhow tourism
Oman has a maritime history of which the dhow has been an important component. During the last Eid, dhows were packed with tourists bobbing the waters of Gulf of Oman skirting the Oman coastline. Bestowed with a long coastline that is dotted with serene and scenic spots in the country, tourism operators believe dhow cruises in Oman have good tourism potential. A cruise in a dhow, a traditional boat, is likely to be an unforgettable experience.
There are many agencies, which operate dhow services. A variety of services are offered to tourists who want to savor the sea and its sights. The common three types of services offered here are chartered dhow cruises, dinner dhow cruises and the sunset dhow cruises. Besides, special services like anniversary parties, birthday parties, staff parties and picnics can be organized in the midst of the sea. Dolphin and whale watching are yet another activity, which can be combined with a dhow cruise.
There are many tourism agencies based in Marina Bander Al Rowdah near the capital Muscat that offer dhow cruising. With Musandum being promoted as a hot destination, dhow cruises in the region are gaining popularity. A full day dhow cruise in Musandum will take you through spectacular fjords, anchoring at several places. Surrounded by spectacular mountains and serene remote white sand beaches, the tourists will enjoy dolphin watching, swimming and snorkeling in pristine waters teeming with friendly colorful fish before being transported to their hotels at Khasab harbor.
Cannons galore
Nobody can deny the fact that Oman is packed with forts and castles. Cannons have been an intrinsic part of these forts. Many of these ancient weapons which are found at scores of places of importance guarding the entrances have been collected and housed in Al Hazm Castle, once the bastion of Oman’s fifth ruler of the Ya’ariba dynasty, Sultan bin Saif II. Cannons have evoked such a great amount of interest in this country that the Government deemed it important to collect these old pieces of artillery and showcase them at a museum housed in AL Hazm castle in the wilayat of Rustaq, even though today the cannons only perform a ceremonial function.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, the preserved cannons will constitute a collective record of how artillery developed in Oman. A cannon museum in the Al Hazm castle in the Wilayat of Rustaq is being established in the fort’s two towers, which will showcase a range of cannon collection from Oman, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, India, Britain, Spain, and Portugal with details of their history and importance from a military point of view. The museum, is sure to re-kindle interest in cannons which have been a part of Oman’s history. The carriages have been painstakingly reconstructed in their styles and forms with the assistance of experts from the United Kingdom and historic documents from the British, Portuguese and Spanish archives. Each cannon and cannon cart will be exhibited with its own little history.
So, come to Oman for a different kind of experience!
Oman’s new face of tourism
Oman’s new face of tourism
