Oman — Attractions
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a new yet architecturally classic building completed in 2001 after six years of construction making it the third largest mosque in the world. Equally impressive is the hand made Persian carpet on the prayer floor, also one of the largest in the world, weighing over 21 tons. This is a religious site rather than a tourist destination so visitors need to be respectful of some rules although English speaking guides are available to help navigate the visit. Women must be fully covered to walk in. Muslims can visit any time of the day but tourists of other faiths, while very welcomed, should only come during visiting hours.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Website
- www.omanet.om/english/Relegious/grandmosq.asp
- Hours
- 8am-11am daily except Fridays and religious holidays
- Admission
- Free
Old Muttrah Souk
Old Mutrah Souk is the most popular traditional bazaar in Muscat. The market is a small maze of narrow alleyways built by adjoining stalls. Tourists can bargain with stall clerks over the prices of gold and silver jewelry, antiques and other traditional goods. The market has a less forceful air than others so tourists are free to wander at their leisure without overy pressure from touts. Although the Old Muttrah Souk is popular with tourists, locals shop here as well giving authenticity to the market and mixing ornamental souvenirs in between household products and food.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Muttrah Souk
- Hours
- 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 9pm Saturday through Thursday; 9am to 1pm Friday
- Admission
- Free
Bait al Baranda
Even for those without an interest in Muscat's history the Bait Al Baranda Museum presents an fascinating if long (750 million years) story of the region. The interactive exhibitions take visitors through tectonic plate shifts to recent folk art with an adherence to detail and historical fact. Instead of housing artifacts the Bait Al Baranda's dynamic exhibits often require audience participation. The museum is situated in a remodeled historic building which also periodically features local contemporary art exhibits.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Phone Number
- 2471 4262
- Website
- www.omanet.om/english/tourism/entert/museums2.asp
- Hours
- 9am-1pm and 4pm-6pm daily except Friday
- Admission
- 3 rial
Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts
The Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts were built during the Portuguese colonial rule of Oman during the 16th century and now are beautiful windows into that era. They are situated on either side of a palace giving a fotified appearence to Muscat harbor. The forts are examples of traditional architecture; Al Jalali continues with traditional doors, rugs and pottery. Both Al Jalali and Al Mirani have ancient war memorabilia such as armour and weapons on display. Their strategic position on a mountain overlooking the harbor gives visiting tourists commanding views of the city and Arabian Sea below. Opening times can be fickle but many undeterred tourists enjoy the scenery from outside their walls.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Qasr Al Alam Street
- Hours
- Various
- Admission
- Free
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace is the working office for Sultan Qaboos. Built in 1972 it is flanked on each side by the ancient Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts making an impressive and well fortified greeting to ships entering the harbor. Tourists are not allowed inside the classic style building for obvious security reasons but it remains a popular area to walk next to and photograph.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace Old Town
- Hours
- Closed to public but always open to view from outside
Muttrah Fish Market
An attraction that offers visitors a wonderful taste of local produce is a trip to the Muttrah fish market. Here there is a vast selection of ocean-fresh fish, squid and crab to choose from. Visit the neighboring vegetable market for any other fresh produce required to put together a delicious feast!
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Muttrah (Old Muscat)
Bahla
Bahla is an ancient city in the northern part of Oman, not far from Muscat. It was founded at an oasis for caravans and travelers to stop and rest on their desert journey, and was the capital of Oman between the 12th and 17th centuries. The famous Bahla Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back to 1,000 BC, andremains the city's most popular attraction. Bahla has a rich tradition of pottery, and you can still see potters working at their kilns- and haggling over their wares!
Al Hajar Mountains
The Al Hajar Mountains stretch from Muscat, through northern Oman and into the United Arab Emirates. While they initially appear inhospitable and arid, they are becoming an increasingly popular destination for adventure travel. The picturesque range offers dramatic vistas of canyons, gorges and plateaus and the rich colors of the igneous rock formations make for unforgettable images.
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a new yet architecturally classic building completed in 2001 after six years of construction making it the third largest mosque in the world. Equally impressive is the hand made Persian carpet on the prayer floor, also one of the largest in the world, weighing over 21 tons. This is a religious site rather than a tourist destination so visitors need to be respectful of some rules although English speaking guides are available to help navigate the visit. Women must be fully covered to walk in. Muslims can visit any time of the day but tourists of other faiths, while very welcomed, should only come during visiting hours.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Website
- www.omanet.om/english/Relegious/grandmosq.asp
- Hours
- 8am-11am daily except Fridays and religious holidays
- Admission
- Free
Old Muttrah Souk
Old Mutrah Souk is the most popular traditional bazaar in Muscat. The market is a small maze of narrow alleyways built by adjoining stalls. Tourists can bargain with stall clerks over the prices of gold and silver jewelry, antiques and other traditional goods. The market has a less forceful air than others so tourists are free to wander at their leisure without overy pressure from touts. Although the Old Muttrah Souk is popular with tourists, locals shop here as well giving authenticity to the market and mixing ornamental souvenirs in between household products and food.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Muttrah Souk
- Hours
- 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 9pm Saturday through Thursday; 9am to 1pm Friday
- Admission
- Free
Bait al Baranda
Even for those without an interest in Muscat's history the Bait Al Baranda Museum presents an fascinating if long (750 million years) story of the region. The interactive exhibitions take visitors through tectonic plate shifts to recent folk art with an adherence to detail and historical fact. Instead of housing artifacts the Bait Al Baranda's dynamic exhibits often require audience participation. The museum is situated in a remodeled historic building which also periodically features local contemporary art exhibits.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Phone Number
- 2471 4262
- Website
- www.omanet.om/english/tourism/entert/museums2.asp
- Hours
- 9am-1pm and 4pm-6pm daily except Friday
- Admission
- 3 rial
Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts
The Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts were built during the Portuguese colonial rule of Oman during the 16th century and now are beautiful windows into that era. They are situated on either side of a palace giving a fotified appearence to Muscat harbor. The forts are examples of traditional architecture; Al Jalali continues with traditional doors, rugs and pottery. Both Al Jalali and Al Mirani have ancient war memorabilia such as armour and weapons on display. Their strategic position on a mountain overlooking the harbor gives visiting tourists commanding views of the city and Arabian Sea below. Opening times can be fickle but many undeterred tourists enjoy the scenery from outside their walls.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Qasr Al Alam Street
- Hours
- Various
- Admission
- Free
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace is the working office for Sultan Qaboos. Built in 1972 it is flanked on each side by the ancient Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts making an impressive and well fortified greeting to ships entering the harbor. Tourists are not allowed inside the classic style building for obvious security reasons but it remains a popular area to walk next to and photograph.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace Old Town
- Hours
- Closed to public but always open to view from outside
Muttrah Fish Market
An attraction that offers visitors a wonderful taste of local produce is a trip to the Muttrah fish market. Here there is a vast selection of ocean-fresh fish, squid and crab to choose from. Visit the neighboring vegetable market for any other fresh produce required to put together a delicious feast!
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Muttrah (Old Muscat)
Bahla
Bahla is an ancient city in the northern part of Oman, not far from Muscat. It was founded at an oasis for caravans and travelers to stop and rest on their desert journey, and was the capital of Oman between the 12th and 17th centuries. The famous Bahla Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back to 1,000 BC, andremains the city's most popular attraction. Bahla has a rich tradition of pottery, and you can still see potters working at their kilns- and haggling over their wares!
Al Hajar Mountains
The Al Hajar Mountains stretch from Muscat, through northern Oman and into the United Arab Emirates. While they initially appear inhospitable and arid, they are becoming an increasingly popular destination for adventure travel. The picturesque range offers dramatic vistas of canyons, gorges and plateaus and the rich colors of the igneous rock formations make for unforgettable images.
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a new yet architecturally classic building completed in 2001 after six years of construction making it the third largest mosque in the world. Equally impressive is the hand made Persian carpet on the prayer floor, also one of the largest in the world, weighing over 21 tons. This is a religious site rather than a tourist destination so visitors need to be respectful of some rules although English speaking guides are available to help navigate the visit. Women must be fully covered to walk in. Muslims can visit any time of the day but tourists of other faiths, while very welcomed, should only come during visiting hours.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Website
- www.omanet.om/english/Relegious/grandmosq.asp
- Hours
- 8am-11am daily except Fridays and religious holidays
- Admission
- Free
Old Muttrah Souk
Old Mutrah Souk is the most popular traditional bazaar in Muscat. The market is a small maze of narrow alleyways built by adjoining stalls. Tourists can bargain with stall clerks over the prices of gold and silver jewelry, antiques and other traditional goods. The market has a less forceful air than others so tourists are free to wander at their leisure without overy pressure from touts. Although the Old Muttrah Souk is popular with tourists, locals shop here as well giving authenticity to the market and mixing ornamental souvenirs in between household products and food.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Muttrah Souk
- Hours
- 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 9pm Saturday through Thursday; 9am to 1pm Friday
- Admission
- Free
Bait al Baranda
Even for those without an interest in Muscat's history the Bait Al Baranda Museum presents an fascinating if long (750 million years) story of the region. The interactive exhibitions take visitors through tectonic plate shifts to recent folk art with an adherence to detail and historical fact. Instead of housing artifacts the Bait Al Baranda's dynamic exhibits often require audience participation. The museum is situated in a remodeled historic building which also periodically features local contemporary art exhibits.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Phone Number
- 2471 4262
- Website
- www.omanet.om/english/tourism/entert/museums2.asp
- Hours
- 9am-1pm and 4pm-6pm daily except Friday
- Admission
- 3 rial
Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts
The Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts were built during the Portuguese colonial rule of Oman during the 16th century and now are beautiful windows into that era. They are situated on either side of a palace giving a fotified appearence to Muscat harbor. The forts are examples of traditional architecture; Al Jalali continues with traditional doors, rugs and pottery. Both Al Jalali and Al Mirani have ancient war memorabilia such as armour and weapons on display. Their strategic position on a mountain overlooking the harbor gives visiting tourists commanding views of the city and Arabian Sea below. Opening times can be fickle but many undeterred tourists enjoy the scenery from outside their walls.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Qasr Al Alam Street
- Hours
- Various
- Admission
- Free
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace is the working office for Sultan Qaboos. Built in 1972 it is flanked on each side by the ancient Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts making an impressive and well fortified greeting to ships entering the harbor. Tourists are not allowed inside the classic style building for obvious security reasons but it remains a popular area to walk next to and photograph.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace Old Town
- Hours
- Closed to public but always open to view from outside
Muttrah Fish Market
An attraction that offers visitors a wonderful taste of local produce is a trip to the Muttrah fish market. Here there is a vast selection of ocean-fresh fish, squid and crab to choose from. Visit the neighboring vegetable market for any other fresh produce required to put together a delicious feast!
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Muttrah (Old Muscat)
Bahla
Bahla is an ancient city in the northern part of Oman, not far from Muscat. It was founded at an oasis for caravans and travelers to stop and rest on their desert journey, and was the capital of Oman between the 12th and 17th centuries. The famous Bahla Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back to 1,000 BC, andremains the city's most popular attraction. Bahla has a rich tradition of pottery, and you can still see potters working at their kilns- and haggling over their wares!
Al Hajar Mountains
The Al Hajar Mountains stretch from Muscat, through northern Oman and into the United Arab Emirates. While they initially appear inhospitable and arid, they are becoming an increasingly popular destination for adventure travel. The picturesque range offers dramatic vistas of canyons, gorges and plateaus and the rich colors of the igneous rock formations make for unforgettable images.
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a new yet architecturally classic building completed in 2001 after six years of construction making it the third largest mosque in the world. Equally impressive is the hand made Persian carpet on the prayer floor, also one of the largest in the world, weighing over 21 tons. This is a religious site rather than a tourist destination so visitors need to be respectful of some rules although English speaking guides are available to help navigate the visit. Women must be fully covered to walk in. Muslims can visit any time of the day but tourists of other faiths, while very welcomed, should only come during visiting hours.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Website
- www.omanet.om/english/Relegious/grandmosq.asp
- Hours
- 8am-11am daily except Fridays and religious holidays
- Admission
- Free
Old Muttrah Souk
Old Mutrah Souk is the most popular traditional bazaar in Muscat. The market is a small maze of narrow alleyways built by adjoining stalls. Tourists can bargain with stall clerks over the prices of gold and silver jewelry, antiques and other traditional goods. The market has a less forceful air than others so tourists are free to wander at their leisure without overy pressure from touts. Although the Old Muttrah Souk is popular with tourists, locals shop here as well giving authenticity to the market and mixing ornamental souvenirs in between household products and food.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Muttrah Souk
- Hours
- 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 9pm Saturday through Thursday; 9am to 1pm Friday
- Admission
- Free
Bait al Baranda
Even for those without an interest in Muscat's history the Bait Al Baranda Museum presents an fascinating if long (750 million years) story of the region. The interactive exhibitions take visitors through tectonic plate shifts to recent folk art with an adherence to detail and historical fact. Instead of housing artifacts the Bait Al Baranda's dynamic exhibits often require audience participation. The museum is situated in a remodeled historic building which also periodically features local contemporary art exhibits.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Phone Number
- 2471 4262
- Website
- www.omanet.om/english/tourism/entert/museums2.asp
- Hours
- 9am-1pm and 4pm-6pm daily except Friday
- Admission
- 3 rial
Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts
The Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts were built during the Portuguese colonial rule of Oman during the 16th century and now are beautiful windows into that era. They are situated on either side of a palace giving a fotified appearence to Muscat harbor. The forts are examples of traditional architecture; Al Jalali continues with traditional doors, rugs and pottery. Both Al Jalali and Al Mirani have ancient war memorabilia such as armour and weapons on display. Their strategic position on a mountain overlooking the harbor gives visiting tourists commanding views of the city and Arabian Sea below. Opening times can be fickle but many undeterred tourists enjoy the scenery from outside their walls.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Qasr Al Alam Street
- Hours
- Various
- Admission
- Free
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace
Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace is the working office for Sultan Qaboos. Built in 1972 it is flanked on each side by the ancient Al Jalali and Al Mirani Forts making an impressive and well fortified greeting to ships entering the harbor. Tourists are not allowed inside the classic style building for obvious security reasons but it remains a popular area to walk next to and photograph.
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace Old Town
- Hours
- Closed to public but always open to view from outside
Muttrah Fish Market
An attraction that offers visitors a wonderful taste of local produce is a trip to the Muttrah fish market. Here there is a vast selection of ocean-fresh fish, squid and crab to choose from. Visit the neighboring vegetable market for any other fresh produce required to put together a delicious feast!
- Region/City Name
- Muscat
- Address
- Muttrah (Old Muscat)
Bahla
Bahla is an ancient city in the northern part of Oman, not far from Muscat. It was founded at an oasis for caravans and travelers to stop and rest on their desert journey, and was the capital of Oman between the 12th and 17th centuries. The famous Bahla Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back to 1,000 BC, andremains the city's most popular attraction. Bahla has a rich tradition of pottery, and you can still see potters working at their kilns- and haggling over their wares!
Al Hajar Mountains
The Al Hajar Mountains stretch from Muscat, through northern Oman and into the United Arab Emirates. While they initially appear inhospitable and arid, they are becoming an increasingly popular destination for adventure travel. The picturesque range offers dramatic vistas of canyons, gorges and plateaus and the rich colors of the igneous rock formations make for unforgettable images.
