How surprising this Sultanate of Oman is (page 3 of 8)

If I liked cheap stereotypes, I could tell you I don’t like the cold or vodka 😄 but it’s really that I loooove losing my bearings on other continents

And now, I can already hear you saying, "Yeah, the sea, the desert, the wadis, the people, and the old stones are all well and good, but where are the mountains?"



Well, as usual, they’re right next door—just 2 hours from Nizwa, where we’re going to spend a night on the roof of JEBEL SHAMS (which translates to "the mountain of the sun").



It’s the country’s highest mountain (3,000 meters), sometimes called "the Grand Canyon of Arabia," one of Oman’s top attractions.



Here, even more than elsewhere, every hour has its own scenery. So we did it all: Jebel Shams in the morning, Jebel Shams at noon, and Jebel Shams in the evening (or rather, sunset at 5 PM, sunrise at 6 AM, and a little goodbye at 10 AM), wandering around with the queens of the site—long-haired goats I’m totally obsessed with 🤩



As usual, the place is hard to describe. It’s *huge*, and every 50 meters, the view changes completely. But mostly, it’s breathtaking!!



Forget the hyper-safety we’re used to back home: no railings, no barriers, no guardrails, no safety nets—you get the idea! And beyond that, no signs, no restrictions—everyone goes where they want and parks wherever they want… preferably right at the edge of their car.



Here, the "road-tripper" is more like a "four-by-four enthusiast," and it’s a way of life that’s totally local (or even Middle Eastern, I imagine). Whenever possible, people pack up and head into nature to spend the night around a campfire (which is how *you* feel like an archaeologist when you stumble upon dozens of extinguished fire pits dotting Jebel Shams in the morning).

And maybe you’re thinking, "Okay, but if everyone does what they want, what a mess!" But no, not at all—because Omanis are incredibly well-mannered (with a few exceptions, but you won’t find a single piece of trash anywhere in this country!). It’s totally contradictory for us, but while they practically worship their cars (and preferably *big* ones—they won’t take a single step without them!), they’re also huge nature lovers. Environmental preservation was actually one of the top priorities of the former sultan, who ruled here from 1970 to 2020: creating nature reserves, banning hunting nationwide, managing coastal areas and coral reefs, and enforcing strict urbanization rules. Here, everything blends perfectly into the environment, and no building exceeds 8 floors—even in the capital/urban area of a million people. I *love* it.



Speaking of which, who sees the hotel there 🤔?

But okay, rocks can get old after a while—time to go green now 😄😍

Ah, finally the mountains! I was wondering when they’d show up!

I got a little worried when I saw the 4x4 with its roof tent—thought Christelle had gone full camping mode! But phew, the hotel’s actually here! A hotel made of rocks, apparently 😄

Photo 2: the sunset, perfect timing. Photo of the goat: perfect fur

No doubt, Christelle, you're the queen of the popular travel journal!

If I’d imagined the temperature up there, I would’ve gone camping instead of hitting the pool, Bruno 😄

Not sure about this, Joel, but let's go wild—I'll take it as a compliment! 😄

What if it rushes at you and throws you off balance? 🏴‍☠️

Oh wow 🤯!! You’ve got more imagination than me, Kate. I’d thought it was the perfect spot to end it all, but not that I could’ve ended up blown to bits at the bottom of a canyon because of an Angora goat—at least it would’ve been original 😂. I found them really peaceful, and I know ruminants well since I have some at home. But anything’s possible in this crazy world, and you might be right—I could’ve narrowly escaped death. We’ll never know!

Oh 🤯!! You’ve got more imagination than me! But anything’s possible in this crazy world, and for all we know you might be right—I could’ve narrowly escaped death. We’ll never know for sure!

Well, actually, we *do* know: You’re here!

Can you believe it—I was just thinking yesterday, looking at some of the new travel journals being posted, that we’re still getting such great stuff. All those years of inactivity on VF haven’t dulled the people sharing these journals at all. Either way, I’m loving it.

PS Your reply had me cracking up!! 🙂

Good for you, good for you if you're laughing, Joël, but still, I can hear you from here: "Yeah, sure, the sea, the desert, the wadis, the people, the old stones, and the mountains are all great, but where are the oases?".

Well, oases can be found just about everywhere, but we stopped at the one in Misfah Al Abriyeen (bless you! 😄).



This village is renowned as the most beautiful in the country, so we were a bit worried about an atmosphere like Mont Saint-Michel with its buses and crowds of visitors! But while it’s just as stunning as Mont Saint-Michel in its own very different way, in terms of crowds, it felt like we were back in April 2020 when the whole planet was in lockdown. And that’s pretty much the case everywhere, even though we’re in peak tourist season!! Pure bliss!

Anyway, Misfat was built into the side of hills facing what looks like a canyon.



It’s made entirely of earth and stone, and it’s super well-maintained.



Its oasis was built in terraces with a falaj system that’s been around in this country for 4,500 years to share water fairly among villagers.



It’s one of the local specialties—there are over 3,000 still functioning in the country. And to save you from being as confused as I was at first, we call it a FALAJ and plural AFLAJ.



As usual, it’s gorgeous, and the temperature underneath is perfect with a gentle breeze... but obviously, given the setting, it’s also quite the workout (by the end, you won’t recognize us! 😄).



After a 2-hour walk, we hit the road to Muscat, which is just stunning the whole way, with massive mountains plunging down to the tarmac (though just behind them are the millions of power lines that line every highway). We made a quick stop at an authentic Indian truck stop we love, with an excellent chicken tandoori.



Then, while I was snoring in the car, Lulu spotted a gorgeous palm grove. A quick glance at Google Maps, and I discovered an abandoned, partially restored village called Hart Al-Ain-Imti. Hmm, that sounds promising—a break was definitely in order. And sure enough, it was truly enchanting, and like everything in this country, it was done with great taste.



You can even do some urban exploring here if you want—some abandoned houses are wide open to the elements.



Plus, the vibe was just right—so peaceful, really quiet, despite the presence of a cute little coffee shop. But of course, it was closed (ah, it’s been a while since I’ve seen that! 😅).

We arrived in Muscat at a hotel chosen for its proximity to our meet-up tomorrow morning. It’s a huge hotel that didn’t really excite us since we always prefer tiny guesthouses whenever possible. But then we walked in and were greeted by a monumental bouquet of fresh, fragrant lilies, plush carpets so soft you’re afraid to lose your flip-flop in them, massive, colorful light fixtures, and a heated Olympic-sized pool lined with bright red loungers!!



I’ll admit, after the Indian dive we’d just left, my head was spinning a little! 😄 And then I had a moment of doubt: did I accidentally add an extra zero to the Omani Rials? Nope, not even close: 70 € per night for a 31 m² room with a pool view!!

Beyond this surprising luxury for us, the most interesting thing here is undoubtedly the human diversity: Western women in bikinis, Indian women in saris, Muslim women in chadors, and many in burkas. Among the men, it’s the same: Emiratis with red keffiyehs draped over their shoulders, French explorers, English traders, and, of course, mostly Omanis, all in their dishdashas. And all these people cross paths everywhere in the hotel, frequenting the same places (like a mom in a black chador watching her kid in the wading pool while a blonde in a bikini swims just a few steps away).

The icing on the cake at dinner that evening: behind us, a reception with people in formal attire—an African man in a long white robe with fringed epaulettes, another with a green sash across his red shirt, and several Omanis with their kandjars gleaming at their belts! And they were all seated with the women present, whether veiled or not (in this culture, they usually eat separately).

You see, Franck, I think this is probably where I understood why you haven’t left the Middle East in over two years. And if I’m right, that’s a big revelation for me: Are there really countries where such different people can live in harmony?

This oasis and the palm grove are truly magnificent. The aflaj remind me of the irrigation system you see in Petra.

You see, Franck, I think this is probably where I understood why you haven’t left the Middle East in over two years. And if I’m right, this is a big revelation for me: So there are countries where such different people can live in harmony?

Well, I didn’t stay long, but Oman—a land of harmony and mutual respect? Nope, I didn’t see that.

That said, it doesn’t take away from the warmth of the people or the beauty of the country 😊

Okay, I can tell you're gonna burst my tourist bubble, Bruno—you’ve been there for work—but go on, I’m all ears! 😄.

Alright, I can tell you're about to burst my tourist bubble, Bruno—you who’ve been there for work—but do tell, I’m all ears! 😄.

Not sure this is the right place to chat about life in Oman, but I was able to have some pretty long conversations during my stay with the French-speaking guides who were with us. After some initial hesitation due to their roles, they ended up shedding some light on things.

I haven’t been to Jordan yet, Régis, but I imagine it shares some similarities with Oman!

It’s this mix of such different people in the same place that blew my mind, Bruno, because I’d never seen anything like it anywhere else. I never imagined that women in burkas could frequent a hotel where there were Western women practically in their birthday suits… but I found it so "cool" 😄

It’s this mix of such different people in the same place that blew my mind, Bruno, because I’d never seen anything like it elsewhere. I never imagined women in burkas could hang out in a hotel where there were Western women practically in their underwear… but I found it so "cool" 😄

Needs more photos to illustrate, don’t you think? Okay, I’m out…

May your wish come true, Bruno, whatever it is 😅... did I get your request right? 🤔

Gotta decode that photo! 😳 Looks like the priestesses in Denis Villeneuve’s *Dune*.