It's a two-hour drive from Salalah—a circuitous road of picturesque landscape and beautiful cliffs leading into a barren desert landscape and, ultimately, an Instagram-worthy oasis.
It is an area that has yet to experience an explosion of visiting tourists, and this slow development is a blessing not just to nature but also to the simple lives of the Omanis who live in Hasik.
Visiting Hasik in the summer might not be a good idea. From Muscat, it's almost an 8-hour drive and much longer if you take the coastal roads, but we embarked on this journey because of whispers of beautiful falaj, virgin beaches, and a charming oasis not a lot of people know about.
For this particular trip, we passed through the coastal area of Al Shuwamiyyah—an eye-opening discovery that made us realize that when it comes to beautiful beaches in Oman, we've never really mapped out and fully understood the beauty of the beaches in Oman's remote places.
To get to Shuwamiyyah, we have to pass through mountains cut out in the middle to make way for paved, beautiful roads. We made a stop at one of the villages, which only has a couple of small, homey restaurants, only one of which is operational.
The villagers had to travel all the way to Mirbat or Salalah in order to buy their supplies, and it's an exhausting trip that required meticulous planning but looked fairly easy for the locals.
While the area doesn't have a fancy restaurant, they served the freshest of seafood and a samak biryani was definitely a welcome treat with a beautifully grilled lobster on the side.
People have only gotten familiar with Shuwamiyyah because of the couple of Smurf Houses which had now been abandoned — an ambitious project that was supposed to provide a great option for accommodation in the area.
A necessary stop, we discovered that the houses are already giving in to nature — their white-painted exterior was now covered in thick dust and the windows and doors already have given up on their own weight. It was rotting and while its charm and beauty remain and holds a lot of promise, it won't be long before it would be but a distant memory — a dream not realized and a total waste.
From the Smurf Houses, we drove another hour to finally reach our destination.
It is known to the locals as Khor Sanq, perhaps the end part of an even longer Wadi Nakheel in Hasik.
From the road, it was a beautiful sight to behold—a true oasis in the heart of the desert.
Entering the wadi, we were greeted by towering date palms that provided much-needed shade and relief from the scorching desert sun. There was no paved road; only a clear, white mark on the ground was an indication that cars had been passing through for, perhaps, years.
The vegetation is lushly growing, and in between these palms, it was easy to spot that this has been a great camping spot for many. There was burned wood left behind and some forgotten trash that really does need cleaning.
Once inside the wadi, about a two-minute drive later, the vegetation gives way to a clearing that beautifully shows the extent of the khor.
If you're looking for the best spot in Oman for kayaking, without a doubt, Khor Sanq will give other areas a run for their money.
In summer, the water of the khor is peaceful and calm, and it leads directly into the sea. What makes it memorable is that it forms a horseshoe-shaped waterway that allows you a good 360-degree view of its beautiful landscapes.
By the side of the cliffs, there are a few shallow caves that serve as a shield from the sun. The vegetation remains lush here because of the ample supply of water it gets.
We'd been told that there are different unmapped hiking trails in the area. In fact, a colleague followed one of the aflaj, and they found a cistern pool that looked perfect for swimming.
There is so much to discover about Hasik and Wadi Nakheel. Our visit was short, but it led to an amazing discovery. Nearby, there is a beautiful cascading waterfall opposite, which offers a beautiful view of the sea.
For those who want to discover more about Oman, this is definitely a place worth checking out. It is a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to Dhofar. Its stunning natural beauty, tranquil atmosphere, potential for outdoor adventure, and the calmness of the oasis on its own are enough to leave a lasting impression.
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