Oman Muscat Tours

Capturing the essence of a beautiful country like the Sultanate of Oman in just a day is impossible, you need a good 10 to 15 days to see the magic and splendour it has to offer. For the thousands of visitors that come to Muscat for business, this is difficult. At the most they have a couple of days in the country and have meetings lined up every day of the stay. If you find yourself in such a situation and can’t seem to take time out of your busy business schedule but still do not want to miss out on the glimpses of Omani heritage and culture, a good option would be to book yourself one of the famous Oman Muscat tours. These are city tours that last four to six hours and showcase the best that the capital has to offer. You can book such a tour through your hotel or travel agency in a matter of minutes. All you need to do is pick a day and you are all set.

This tour covers most must-see places in and around the main city. A majority of city tours include a pick up and drop to your hotel, so rest assured that you won’t get lost or have to travel unaccompanied. Such tours are ideal for your family members that otherwise have to get bored in the hotel, while you are out on meetings or other business. It is a fun and interesting way to spend half a day driving through the amazingly scenic city of Muscat, visiting some of the main landmarks of the city, strolling along the ancient gullies of traditional markets, experiencing the unusual smells and hospitality of the locals, and learning about the historical and cultural aspects of the country. The guides that conduct these tours are professionals that hold expert knowledge about the city and country, making the tour more enjoyable and informative.

Oman Muscat tours are conducted privately too. If you want a private tour for your family or group, you can contact a reputable travel agency of the city and ask for details. In the common tours travel is conducted through luxury air-conditioned coaches or mini buses, while private tours can be undertaken in cars. All you have to be careful about is the dress code, as many religious places do not permit shorts, skirts, or short sleeves and sleeveless tops. Visitors should be dressed in clothes that cover all body parts including hands, and legs. Women have to cover their heads with a scarf or the like. The city tour usually covers the Grand Mosque, Bait Al Zubair Museum, Fish market, Mattrah Souq, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos’s Al Alam Palace, and the 16th century Portuguese forts Mirani and Jalali.

Spa Hotels in Oman

Some of the celebrated spa hotels in Oman are located in the capital city of Muscat. Being the commercial capital of the country the city welcomes an inflow of thousands of businessmen each year. The city also happens to be one of the major entry points for most tourists and visitors for the country, as it houses the Muscat International airport. With people from all over the world visiting this city known as Arabia’s Jewel, it comes as no surprise that is has the best of hotels and other modern amenities demanded by today’s avid traveler. The most well-known spa hotels in Muscat are The Chedi Muscat Hotel (The Spa), and the Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, which is a luxurious three-hotel resort village comprised of Al Husn (The Castle), The Al Bandar (The Town), and the Al Waha (The Oasis).

The Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa guarantees a holiday full of leisure, adventure, and rejuvenation amidst natural beauty. Their in-house spa named CHI – The Spa is the largest spa of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman. The place offers an enticingly wide array of luxury treatments designed to please and relax. Each treatment is carried out in one of the twelve private spa villas that are specifically designed to enhance the whole experience and allow the indulgence of all your senses in a spacious yet private and beautiful environment. The resort is located merely 15 minutes away from the centre of the city, along the bay of Al Jissah with clear pristine water on one side and a dramatic desert scene of rugged mountains on the other. All the rooms and suites at the resort are designed to reflect the Omani heritage and Arabian spirit, to make your stay all the more enjoyable and special.

The Chedi Muscat Hotel is a 20 minutes drive from the Muscat International Airport. This 5-star beachfront property is spread over twenty one acres and houses one of the best new spas in the country, The Spa. The spa and fitness centre is a state of the art facility that promises an indulgent and tranquil experience by the Gulf shores. The Spa offers personalized and discreet services from the region’s finest wellness professionals in addition to treatments including Balinese therapies, Indian Ayurvedic treatments and massages, indulgent oriental rituals, therapeutic massages, nurturing envelopment rituals, rejuvenating beauty rituals, romantic bathing ceremonies, etc. The treatments are endowed in the thirteen spa suites that are a blend of Omani architecture and Asian interior design.

If you are planning a leisure holiday to this amazing treasure in the Middle East, consider booking your accommodation at one of the above mentioned spa hotels in Oman. Rest assured that you will not be disappointed.

Oman Cruises

With a modern monarchy that welcomes tourists from all over the world, Oman is the place to see. It is a fact that a majority of the tourist inflow the country receives is through its international airports, especially the Muscat International Airport; but these days there is a new breed of explorers that discover the Sultanate’s beauty through its many harbours by embarking on Oman cruises. The country has quite a few luxury cruises and small ship cruises to offer and most halt at Khasab, Muscat and Salalah. There are a few cruises that also cover the whole of Musandam Peninsula, Khor Fakkan and Sur, but these usually small ship cruises. It is advisable to see Fjords of Musandam, Sur and Khor Fakkan aboard a traditional Omani Dhow.

Oman welcomes many international cruise ships to its shores all through the year. These visit the major ports of the Sultanate before carrying on their course. In fact, these days there are a lot of vacationers that book cruises and then additional shore excursions for the many ports, through local travel agencies. These travel agencies make tailor-made packages for big or small groups that disembark the big cruise ships, and show them the best of the city in about a few hours. This becomes a great way to explore the culture and architecture of a foreign land in a day or so, which would otherwise not be possible for an individual traveler. Many travel agencies also offer other services like arrangements for accommodation, day long tours, exclusive private activities, etc.

Most reputable and well-known travel agencies operate through the three major ports of Oman. These are Muscat, Salalah and Khasab. Each port is unique and exclusive in its own way, while also being an integral part of the great country. Muscat is the capital city of Oman and the commercial centre. The city is a unique blend of old and new. It is aesthetically beautiful with much architectural marvels, but also has every modern day amenity in store. There are many things to see in the city including the harbour, the famous Grand Mosque, the Sultan’s Al Alam Palace, the Bait Al Zubair Museum, the fish market, Mattrah Souq and the cornice.

On the other hand, Khasab is a small fishing village. Today the Capital of the Musandam Peninsula is best known across the world for the fjords. Things to do in this part of Oman include seeing the Khasab Fort, the pre-historical rock paintings at Wadi Tawi, see the fjords, and visit Birkhat Khalidiya Park. In Salalah one should not miss shopping for frankincense. So, the next time you are booking any Oman cruises, be sure to get in touch with a good travel agency and book other shore excursions as well.