BLACKBOOK THE HANDBOOK
BLACKBOOK THE HANDBOOK Oh My, Oman Combining pristine beaches, surprisingly lush mountain terrain and endless deserts, the sultanate’s charms extend far beyond Muscat. NIGEL TISDALL on why to go, where to go and how to stay With its tremendous landscapes and rich heritage, the Sultanate of Oman is proving increasingly popular with experienced travellers seeking to mix winter sunshine Clockwise from left: the majestic courtyard of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque; a dive into the deep blue waters off Musandam Peninsula; lobster fettucini Al Baleed Resort Salalah’s Al Mina restaurant; cruising the Sharqiya Desert’s sunset-hued sand dunes with an engaging cultural adventure. “Our bookings are up 20 per cent this year,” reports Jarrod Kyte from Steppes Travel (steppestravel.com), an expert tour operator that has been sending discerning travellers here for more than a decade. “Oman has remained an oasis of peace and stability among its Middle Eastern neighbours,” he explains, with clients particularly attracted by its excellent hotels and the ease of combining coast, mountains and desert for a week or more of stimulating and quintessentially Arabian experiences. CAPITAL T REATS Muscat, the Omani capital, is a prosperous and unpretentious city of majestic mosques, multi-lane highways and roundabouts adorned with enormous coffee pots and water jugs. Spread along a dry, hilly coastline facing the Gulf of Oman, its key sights can be seen in a day – don’t » CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: MARK HARTMANN/GALLERY STOCK, © AL BALEED SALALAH RESORT BY ANANTARA, MARTIN SASSE/LAIF, LUTZ JAEKEL/LAIF 26 DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM
HANCOCKS • MANOLO BLAHNIK • RICHARD OGDEN • SOMLO ANTIQUES • SUSANNAH LOVIS BURLINGTON ARCADE • MAYFAIR • LONDON • W1 • BURLINGTONARCADE.COM
