Oman's stunning landscape and beaches are topping the choice of both citizens and expatriates for their holiday plans during a 4-day-long weekend clubbed with two National Day holidays.
Museums are also on the list of holiday destinations. Over 11,800 people visited the Oman Across Ages Museum (OAAM) on Wednesday. “On the first day of the National Day holidays, Oman Across Ages Museum witnessed large numbers of visitors, as the number of visitors exceeded 11,800 from inside and outside the Sultanate," it tweeted.
Al Jabal Al Akhdhar, Jabal Shams, Qurayat and Al Musannah were packed with people.
Parks, beaches and other entertainment avenues in Muscat are filled with people in groups. While children tried their hands on rides and games, adults in the groups got busy networking and sharing foods and refreshments with each other.
"We explored Wadi Bani Khalid in Al Sharqiyah and it is really a piece of wonder for its large pools of emerald green water surrounded by tall palm trees," Ahmed al Galili, a government employee who was seen with his family at the Wadi Bani Khalid, told the Observer.
The roads are full of vehicles with camping gear as holiday-makers opt for domestic destinations instead of going abroad, according to the travel agencies.
"We received lukewarm response to the bookings as most of them seemed to opt for Omani touristic places. This happened despite the fares being kept average and highly favourable to the travellers," Aysha Houlath, a travel agent, admitted.
"We are a 24-member group from Muscat exploring Al Sharqiyah and we find the locations in this area are worth exploring including the Sink Hole," said an expatriate spotted at Hillat Nujum.
Hotels and resorts were well-prepared to meet demand for staycation options.
"Foreseeing the possible holidays clubbed with weekends, we were well-equipped with packages suiting all pockets and we are occupied with guests from across the country," a resort official said.
Some are also renting out farmhouses or homestays. Usually, three or four families or more hire a farmhouse for a day or two and there are custom-made packages available. On a holiday, an average farmhouse would cost around RO 180 to RO 200 irrespective of the number of guests.
(Photos by Shafeer VK)
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