Yeru Ebuen & Titash Chakraborty -
January
Take a hike
The weather in January is perfect for hiking and Oman has plenty of trails for you to explore. Jabal Al Akhdhar and Jabal Shams, of course, are always the scenic options but there are many underrated hiking trails not known to a lot of newbies yet.
The abandoned village of As Sab and the terraced garden of Bilayd Sayt are good starting point but if you’re looking for something close to Muscat, then you can never go wrong with the Trekking path in Muttrah or Riyam.
Check out https://bit.ly/2Ffb0av for five hiking trails to get you started
February
Taste the rose water of Jabal Akhdhar
In February, the damask roses of Jabal Akhdhar would already have started blooming. While the most fun and enjoyable time to visit is during the harvest season, we recommend you to visit in February and meet the people making the rose water. They will not be too busy so they would be able to show you how they convert the blooms into rose water.
For some background, read these two stories: https://bit.ly/2DAg5bV, https://bit.ly/2DimVlh
March
Watch The pink blossoms of Wakan
Wakan will always be a personal favourite. Ask anyone and they will describe it as a paradise hidden in the mountains. While Wakan can be visited any time of the year, in March is the loveliest time as the apricot trees will be in full bloom giving you a piece of Japan in Oman — at least the sakura bloom-feel of it.
Wondering what else you can do once in Wakan, read this https://bit.ly/2Cj6EZo
April
Plunge into underground caves
There are many caves in Oman, Al Hoota is the most popular because of the full attention paid to it by people working in the Ministry of Tourism. While its definitely worth a visit, we urge you to try abseiling and there’s no better place than the 8th hole —Tahiri. It’s quite a long drop and the chambers are very interesting to explore — maybe you can even take a dip in the cold pool inside.
For inspiration, read this https://bit.ly/2Fj4vni
MAY
Take a dip at world heritage site aflaj or wadi
Since Oman is starting to get hot by this month, nothing can get more eclectic than swimming or taking a dip in Oman’s popular falaj or one of its dozens of wadis. Did you know that Oman has five aflaj listed in the world heritage site list of Unesco? And did you know that the wadis in Oman are the fastest attractions growing in popularity?
Don’t know where to start, try Falaj Al Khatmayn https://bit.ly/2DhYJ3R
June
Get a good bargain at habta
If you don’t know what a habta is, then you’d been missing on something truly spectacular. Habta is a flourishing Eid tradition. Think of it as a pop-up market that can happen under the shades of date palms or in more traditional souqs.
During this time of the year, there will be plenty of habta markets popping up especially in the interior parts of the country. It would definitely work to your advantage if you know how to speak Arabic
You can get great bargains if you know where to look. Check out https://bit.ly/2B1LRMk
JULY
Surf the waves of Ashkarah and Al Jizar
Ashkarah, located about an hour from Sur and Al Jizar, located about an hour from Duqm, are underrated destinations in Oman. But for many years now, both have been preferred destinations by adventure lovers especially surfers and paragliders. In July, the water may get too cold in Ashkarah, but it also means that the wind is starting to pick up in this side of the Arabian Sea resulting in huge waves. Al Jizar always have strong winds so caution is needed at all times.
August
Bathe in the greenery of Khareef in Salalah
In August, all roads definitely lead to Salalah. Do a simple Google search and it will provide you with the reasons why. If you can afford to rent a camper van, you have to try it once. With the prices of accommodations during this time of the year, it will be a worthy and fun investment. There’s nothing like being able to camp anywhere you like in place embraced by fog almost every day for three or so months.
September
Watch the hatchlings in Ras al Jins
Watching sea turtles create a nest for their eggs is a truly memorable experience, one that residents of Oman are fortunate to have plenty of opportunities to do. But one thing you can’t miss as well is when these eggs become hatchlings. If you like watching National Geographic, this will give you a real thrill. A fox running after an itsy-bitsy turtle is just one of the things you’ll see.
For what it’s like, read this https://bit.ly/2DeD5M
October
Go pomegranate and plum picking
Pomegranates are very interesting fruits. Not to say they make up for a very healthy drink and food. In October, Wadi Mistal and Jabal Akhdhar will be buzzing with farmers harvesting their fruit crops, not just pomegranates. We’re really looking forward to ‘pomegranates picking’ to pick up in the country the same way that apple picking is a great outdoor activity in some parts of the world. You don’t mind to get your hands dirty, don’t you?
November
Bask in the dunes of Rimal al Sharqiya
November is the perfect time to go to the desert. It’s not too hot and not too cold. We tested this recently and suffice to say, with not so many people flocking to the desert yet, we enjoyed stargazing and dune bashing as we had the desert all to ourselves. When headed to Rimal al Sharqiya, don’t forget to stop by Jami al Hamoda Mosque in Ibra. The reason? It’s one of the most interesting mosques in the country because instead of just having one dome, this one has many.
December
Trace the frankincense routes
Oman is blessed with many historical sites. Qalhat has recently been listed as a Unesco World Heritage site and if you haven’t paid a visit to Bibi Maryam’s mausoleum yet, December is the best time to go. We’d recommend you, however, to take the less travelled route and visit Ubar — the Atlantis of the Desert which is about two hours drive from Salalah at least once. Don’t forget to stop by Sumhuram and if you want a little bit of Biblical or Quranic importance, then visiting Prophet Ayoub’s tomb will make for a great side trip.
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