Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Oman’s great mosque, opened in 2001, with a vast hand-woven carpet, a glittering chandelier and serene marble courtyards. Open to non-Muslim visitors on weekday mornings, and the one sight no first visit should miss.
Oman
Muscat
Muscat is the gentlest of the Gulf capitals: a low, white city strung along a rocky coast between the Hajar Mountains and the Gulf of Oman, where forts still guard the old harbour and the call to prayer carries further than the traffic.
It has no skyline of glass towers, and that is the point. Instead you get the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, one of the most beautiful mosques in the Islamic world and open to visitors on weekday mornings; the Royal Opera House, a marble palace of music; the lanes of Mutrah Souq, scented with frankincense, on a corniche lined with dhows; and the quiet courtyards of Old Muscat, where the National Museum and Bait Al Zubair tell the story of a seafaring sultanate. Beyond the city, Oman opens up within a couple of hours: the turquoise pools of Wadi Shab, the red dunes of the A’Sharqiyah Sands, the great round tower of Nizwa Fort and dolphins in the bay off the capital. This guide points you to the sights that matter, the official places to book, the dress and visiting rules that catch people out, and the right hotel, from a beachfront splurge to a practical budget base.
Don't miss
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Oman’s great mosque, opened in 2001, with a vast hand-woven carpet, a glittering chandelier and serene marble courtyards. Open to non-Muslim visitors on weekday mornings, and the one sight no first visit should miss.
Mutrah Souq and Corniche
One of the oldest markets in the Arab world, a covered maze of frankincense, silver and pashminas on Muscat’s most atmospheric waterfront. Free to wander and best in the cool of the evening.
Wadi Shab Day Trip
Oman’s most famous canyon hike: a boat crossing, a walk between towering cliffs, turquoise pools to swim and a waterfall hidden inside a cave. The classic day trip from Muscat.
Royal Opera House Muscat
The Gulf’s first opera house, a palace of white stone, carved wood and gold leaf in Shati Al Qurum. Take the guided house tour by day or dress up for a performance by night.
Things to do in Muscat
Mutrah Souq and Corniche
One of the oldest markets in the Arab world, a covered maze of frankincense, silver and pashminas on Muscat’s most atmospheric waterfront. Free to wander and best in the cool of the evening.
2-3 hoursDetails →
Royal Opera House Muscat
The Gulf’s first opera house, a palace of white stone, carved wood and gold leaf in Shati Al Qurum. Take the guided house tour by day or dress up for a performance by night.
National Museum of Oman
Oman’s flagship museum in Old Muscat, facing Al Alam Palace, with more than 7,000 objects across 14 galleries telling the story of a seafaring nation. The best single introduction to the country.
Bait Al Zubair Museum
A private family museum in Old Muscat, open since 1998, with Omani daggers, silver jewellery, costumes and traditional houses set around a garden. Small, charming and full of character.
Big Bus Muscat City Tour
Muscat’s open-top sightseeing bus, starting at Mutrah Souq and linking the old town, the palace and the corniche with recorded commentary in six languages. An easy way to join the dots in a spread-out city.
Dolphin Watching Cruise from Muscat
A morning boat trip along Muscat’s rocky coastline to find the dolphins that gather offshore, often with a snorkelling stop. Oman’s waters are home to around 20 species of whales and dolphins.
Wadi Shab Day Trip
Oman’s most famous canyon hike: a boat crossing, a walk between towering cliffs, turquoise pools to swim and a waterfall hidden inside a cave. The classic day trip from Muscat.
Wahiba Sands Desert Safari
Oman’s great sand sea, officially the A’Sharqiyah Sands: some 10,000 square kilometres of red and gold dunes, Bedouin camps and starry skies, reached on a full-day or overnight trip from Muscat.
Nizwa Fort and Souq Day Trip
The great round tower of Nizwa, built in the 17th century, rising over the souq of Oman’s old inland capital. The best cultural day trip from Muscat, into the mountains of the interior.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
The Chedi Muscat
Al Ghubrah
Muscat’s most celebrated beach hotel: serene Omani-modern design, a 103-metre pool, a Balinese spa and a private stretch of the Gulf of Oman. The splurge for a calm, romantic stay.
Rates on Expedia →Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa
Barr Al Jissah
A self-contained beach resort in a mountain-ringed bay south of the city, with a 500-metre private beach, Muscat’s only lazy river and plenty for children. The family favourite.
Rates on Expedia →Sheraton Oman Hotel
Ruwi
A renovated landmark in Ruwi, Muscat’s business district, close to Mutrah Souq and the corniche, with indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and a South American steakhouse. Mid-range value near the old town.
Rates on Expedia →Crowne Plaza Muscat
Qurum
A clifftop hotel in Qurum Heights above Qurum Beach, with a double-deck infinity pool, a private beach and five restaurants. The best-value sea-view base in central Muscat.
Rates on Expedia →ibis Muscat
Al Khuwair
A simple, reliable budget hotel in Al Khuwair, close to the shopping and business district and the Grand Mosque, with compact modern rooms and secure underground parking.
Rates on Expedia →Muscat guides
First Time in Muscat: What to Book, How to Get Around & How Many Days
The practical primer for a first visit to Muscat: the mosque visiting rules that catch people out, what to book ahead, how to get around a spread-out city, and how to fit the sights and day trips into four or five days.
Where to Stay in Muscat: Al Ghubrah, Qurum, Ruwi, Barr Al Jissah or Al Khuwair
How to choose your base in Muscat, from a serene beach splurge near the Grand Mosque to a family resort in a private bay, a central sea-view hotel in Qurum, a city hotel near Mutrah and a budget base by the airport.
