The Sultanate of Oman is a Middle Eastern country located on the western edge of the Asian continent. It is the neighbor of Saudi Arabia and is located between India and Africa. The Sultanate of Oman is different from other Gulf countries and amaze tourists with its stunning coastline -1,700 kilometers of coast and the communion between the desert and the ocean, a real attraction for the divers who are looking for beautiful coral reefs. The country's ambient temperature and climate is hot and dry but wet at the seaside. The sultanate of Oman is also a very rich country, due to its oil fields. Its main economy is based on the extraction of its oil. Tourism in Oman is one of the priority areas of development, especially with its seafront, mountains, deserts, cultural heritage and so on. Indeed, the government authorities want to bring the contribution of tourism to GDP at 5% by 2020 and 6% by 2040. They also want to attract 1.8 billion OMR (4.5 billion euros) in investments by 2020 by privatizing the management of natural and protected sites and creating a development fund for the sector, financed by tourism taxes. The Sultanate of Oman has recently become a popular tourist destination. As a result, an extensive Omani training program has been launched by the Sultanate Government to better accommodate foreign visitors.

Oman Art, Heritage & Culture

The Sultanate of Oman has a very long tradition of craftsmanship. Omani craftsmen excel specifically in trades related to indigo dyeing, weaving and textiles but also pottery, perfume making or copper work. This skill is thus found in the making of Khanjar, this knife curve of Omani tradition, which has now become a fashion accessory rather than a weapon.

The places to visit in Oman

The country has many tourist sites including resorts near Muscat, equipped with modern tourist infrastructure and the northern beaches between Shinas and Barka, surrounded by awesome hotels. You can go to Seifa to enjoy the charm of the protected beaches. Oman also offers different landscapes including canyons, deserts, palm groves, dunes, green mountains in the Dhofar, wide beaches and wild bays, fjords, ancient villages and modern cities. There is also the largest concentration of green turtles in the world. A training on the observation of the turtle, its spawning and birth are offered by the Ras Al Jinz Research Center. You can also see whales, whale sharks and dolphins, panthers, hawks and a herd of wild oryx. The capital of the Sultanate of Oman, Muscat remains one of the must-see places to visit, where you can visit the Bait Al Zubair Museum in Old Muscat or the Portuguese forts of Mirani and Jalali. However, in Oman there are more than 500 forts, castles and watchtowers. Notable examples include the Nakhl Fort, built on top of a high rocky plateau overlooking a plain of green date palms, and Jabrin Castle with its secret passageways, painted ceilings, and pierced and carved wooden balconies

The Culinary diversity of the Omani Cuisine

You will discover that the Omani gastronomy is inspired by the Indian cuisine. Meats and fish are the bases of the traditional dishes of the sultanate. They are cooked especially in the tandoori way, or masala or tikka. The essential dishes in the sultanate are essentially very spicy rice dishes, called biryani, which are accompanied by chicken, lamb or fish. In addition to the influence of Indian cuisine, Omani cuisine is also inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine, and thus offers shawarma, mezze or falafels.

The UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Oman

Oman has had four sites recognized by UNESCO for its importance to history and the evolution of mankind. The Sultanate of Oman has taken great care in their preservation, with even limitations to tourist visits to maintain its conservation. UNESCO has classified many sites in Oman including the sites of the Land of Incense, the traditional irrigation system by falaj, the protohistoric sites of Bat, Al Khutm and Al Ayn the world's third-largest dwelling and necropolis complex, as well as the monumental fort of Bahla, the emblem of Oman's military architecture during the period of medieval Islam.

Omani tourism and legends

There are several legends in Oman including the legend of Sindbad reported by Scheherazade. Sindbad would have lived in Sohar in northern Oman, legend of the remains of Sumhuram in the south of the country, where is located the port of residence of the Queen of Sheba ruled over a vast territory of Arabia who seduced King Solomon, king of the nation of Israel. You will also discover the legend of the ruins of Shisr which are the ruins of Ubar, the famous lost city of the Thousand and One Nights, the gateway to ancient Atlantis. In the Sultanate of Oman, stories and legends have been intertwined since the dawn of time.