67 Best Sights in Oman

Sitting on the eastern side of Muscat's old harbour, this fort dates from 1587. It was subsequently captured by Omani forces and gradually expanded and strengthened. There are two watchtowers and a long cannon wall. It can be viewed and photographed, but visits are not allowed.

On the western side of Muscat's old harbor, this fort was built by the Portuguese in 1588 on the ruins of an older fort that stood at the same site. Like Al-Jalali Fort, just accross the harbor, it can be viewed and photographed, but visits are not allowed.

The splendid palace has massive studded teak gates that protect the privacy of its imposing buildings, fountains, and gardens. Public entry is not permitted, but it's a sight to be seen, even if it’s just from the outside.

The Prophet Job, or Ayoub Nabi in Arabic, was laid to rest near Salalah. His tomb is 32 km (20 miles) from the city on a picturesque hillside.

About an hour's drive west of the city center, this long, white-sand beach is in a beautiful location. Although a long stretch of the beach backs up to a main road, there are rarely many people, and you can walk a long distance without seeing a soul. Waves are generally quite strong, depending on the season, and swimming is not advisable. The old-fashioned fishing village located nearby almost makes you feel as if you have stepped back in time. Seawater gushes out in powerful geysers through the blowholes dotting the shore. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking.

The closest of the northern fortresses to Muscat, about 100 km (60 miles) to the southwest, is the ancestral home of the Yaruba people, builders of some of the finest fortresses in Oman. The region is lushly green and has many soothing hot springs. The fort makes for an ideal picnic spot.

One of the most popular of Muscat's museums, the Natural History Museum is divided into four sections. Diverse Physical Features is a collection of aerial photographs and exhibits that show the vast geographic diversity found in the Sultanate, from mountains to desert to sea. Through the Geological Ages has 260-million-year-old tree fossils from Al Huquf, 270-million-year-old coral reefs from Wadi Aasahtan in Rustaq, and the teeth of prehistoric animals. The Varied Wildlife section houses taxidermied displays like a caracal lynx shown pouncing on a bird, the Arabian Oryx, Arabian Tahr, local leopard, and all manner of birds from the coastal areas and wetlands. Finally, Creatures of the Sea has a Whale Hall with bones, skeletons, and skulls belonging to the different whale types, and other displays explaining the bountiful sea life found off the coast. Informative descriptions accompany each display, and the staff is helpful and friendly.

Frankincense from the Negd Plateau near Salalah was once transported by sea and camel train all over the world, bringing Salalah and the Dhofar region fame and great wealth. Today the precious substance is no longer the mainstay of the economy that it was, but the trees from which the resin is extracted still grow in profusion, and frankincense is typically burnt as incense in households and used in heady Arabian perfumes in Oman and all over the Arabian peninsula. If you take a drive into the countryside, you can see what the trees look like.

The sprawling ruins of a giant 4th- to 6th-century palace, reputed to be that of the legendary Queen of Sheba, are found some distance outside Salalah. A drive here takes you 28 km (17 miles) toward Takah and Mirbat. A road sign on the way indicates the location, but it's easy to miss, so look carefully for the turn-off.

Before you get to the palace turn-off, you'll pass by a point of anti-gravity, also signposted. Here it’s said that you can shift your car into neutral and—presto—the car rolls back up the hill. It’s also said that if you take a ball and roll it up the slope instead of down, you'll see that the pull of the Earth is in a direction seemingly against the normal force of gravity. Finding someone who has actually experienced this, however, is another thing.

Across the freeway from Al Riyam Park, home to the iconic incense burner monument, just between the historic neighborhood of Mutrah and old Muscat, a restored Portuguese watchtower sits atop a towering cliff overlooking the sea and the two historic neighborhoods. The steep staircase leading up to the watchtower is accessible just behind Al-Inshirah Restaurant. It is a great place to get some exercise, as the climb is rigorous, and it offers one of the best views in the city.