[1]Ever had an epiphany? Of something that meanders through life and finds a resting place in your heart? Something that takes you by surprise, creeps up and chastens you for having preconceived ideas?
Visiting Oman and its warm people is such an experience. Today, we can pack our bags, traipse the world, jet-setting junta that we are. When you find a place relatively free of the gawdy lights of modernity, you gasp in sheer ecstasy. Oman, a land rich in oil and Muslim tradition, is opening up to the tourist but with a conscious and responsible agenda.
Clear blue callings
Bright and blue, Oman’s 3,165 km coastline allows you to revel in all that the shore has to offer, where you can embrace the picture-perfect setting. We went dolphin-spotting and snorkelling in Oman, and the beautiful marine world opened a luminous cornucopia of yellow-backed fish, corals and marine life.
In Muscat, the marina is a half-hour drive away. Hop onto a swanky yacht to witness the frolic of dolphin shoals. Unbelievable and amazing, Muscat and Musandam are favourites and we throttled across the waters to Bander Al Rowdha where we saw many of them. The jetty also offers dhow rides: to take in the wide expanse of the rugged sand mountains, sit on the deck, sipping chai, which is actually coffee, and fresh Omani dates as you witness the sunset.
Been there, Dune that!
Ever gone dune-bashing? We drove across Muscat, past Niswah and the old fort. And there it was, this wide expanse of gold, demanding the crunch of wheels, and away we went. One of the best camps in Oman, the 1000 Nights Camp was set amid the sand dunes, with basic but comfortable tents, and attached toilets. The morning sun was a scorcher even as we spotted a welcome swimming pool bang in the middle, as we straddled camels for a desert safari.
Our guide gave us a nod to do our own bit of dune bashing — I was in the driver’s seat, stepping on the gas, towering, swooping into deep valleys and as I rose up, I formed a bond with the sand, that seemed to stretch on peaks and lie in comfortable silence on inclines.
The desert is pretty much your own racing track. Our guide directed us, slowly but surely, till we got stuck on the highest of dunes, with a complete drop on the other side. This is not for the faint-hearted. So go do your damnedest… or dunest!
The adventure route
The starkness of Oman’s gorgeous stone and sand mountains are apparent if one were to drive on a less beaten path to Jebel Shams Resort, the highest peak in Oman where climbing and trekking is the call of the hour along what was most fondly referred to as the Grand Canyon, with its ravines, valleys, rock faces and sheer drops. From there you can reach Wahiba Sands and Wadi Bani Khalid. It’s a picturesque oasis in the midst of the silent stone, a place where you can have a dip in clear waters, go scuba diving and enjoy the bliss of nature as you swim, meandering through the rocks. It’s a place where all Omanis take a breather, all packed with their deghchis of biryani or khubs.
There are also cruises and boat rides into the Arabian Sea where one can go kayaking or snorkelling or even deep sea diving, as the Gulfs attract a plethora of marine life.
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