Exploring ancient Oman

Oman surprised me. I thought I’d be visiting a smaller version of the UAE, all glass towers and luxury hotels. Instead, I found a country that’s maintained its culture while modernizing, where ancient forts still stand and the desert feels wild and endless.

I started in Muscat, the capital. The Grand Mosque is stunning - white marble and soaring arches and a prayer carpet that took years to weave. What I appreciated was that it’s open to non-Muslims. They give you a tour, explain the significance of different elements, and welcome questions.

The Mutrah Souq felt authentically old rather than staged for tourists. Narrow covered alleys, the smell of frankincense and spices, vendors selling everything from silver khanjars (traditional daggers) to dried limes used in Omani cooking. I got lost in there for hours, eventually emerging with a bag of dates and some frankincense resin I had no idea what to do with.

The real adventure was heading inland to the desert. I hired a guide with a 4x4 - necessary for the terrain - and we drove into the Wahiba Sands. Endless rolling dunes that change color as the sun moves, from pale gold to deep orange to almost red at sunset.

We stopped at a Bedouin camp where a family still lives traditionally, though they now have solar panels and a pickup truck parked nearby. They served kahwa, Omani coffee flavored with cardamom, and dates. We sat on carpets under a tent while they told stories about life in the desert, how they move with the seasons, where they find water.

The next day we drove to Wadi Bani Khalid, an oasis with crystal-clear pools in a limestone canyon. Swimming there after the heat of the desert was incredible. The water was cool and so clear you could see fish darting around. Omani families were picnicking by the water, kids jumping off rocks.

The mountain villages in the Jebel Akhdar range were another highlight. These settlements cling to terraced mountainsides where they grow roses, pomegranates, and walnuts. The air is cooler up here, and the views across the canyons are spectacular. I stayed in a small guesthouse run by a local family, ate traditional Omani food - slow-cooked meat with rice, flatbreads, sweet halwa for dessert.

What struck me most was the hospitality. Omanis are incredibly welcoming. Strangers would invite us for coffee, shopkeepers would insist on giving small gifts. The culture here emphasizes generosity to guests, and you feel it constantly.

Oman is proof that development doesn’t have to mean losing your identity. The country has built modern infrastructure but kept its soul. It’s a place where you can visit ancient forts in the morning, drive through empty desert in the afternoon, and sleep in a comfortable hotel at night. Not many countries manage that balance.