How surprising this Sultanate of Oman is (page 1 of 8)

Hey fellow travelers,

We’re a couple in our fifties who’ve been traveling independently for ages—mostly in Asia, a bit in Africa, very little in the Americas, and never ever in West Asia until November 2023, when we discovered the Sultanate of Oman.



If we waited so long to explore this part of the world, it’s because a few questions were nagging at us, like: Can two Landais party lovers like us survive 15 days without apéro 😄? Or, more seriously: Can a feminist like me enjoy traveling in such a conservative country?

That is the question (and I feel your pain with this unbearable suspense 😅).

Ready to dive in?

PS: Apologies in advance for the casual tone of this travel journal—it’s the one I shared with our loved ones in real time, which explains everything.

Hi Christelle

PS: I apologize in advance for the informality of this travel journal, but it’s the one I shared with our loved ones live, which explains that.

What interests me is authenticity. And especially people who don’t take themselves too seriously! (For the apéro, we survive. The first few days are the hardest )

Well, Kate, make yourself comfortable—you’ve got the whole plane to yourself! 😄

But to kick off this travel journal, I won’t go on about our journey to Muscat with a first delayed flight and a second one we missed! But, as we all know, in 2024, when your flights go smoothly, it’s basically like winning the lottery! So, we arrived in the capital 18 hours late—no big deal, right? 😄

Needless to say, our visit was *super* quick. But it worked out since we still haven’t planned anything for the second week. So, it’s just a see-you-later for now.

Today, we’re heading to TIWI: a tiny village right on the Gulf of Oman... where I spotted 3 or 4 turtles splashing around right under our noses first thing in the morning!!

I was on the fence about a snorkeling trip, but now I’m sold!

But the real reason we’re here is for Wadi Shab, one of the most popular wadis in the country. And yes, as usual, we’re learning new words. A *wadi* is basically a small river, often emerald green, lined with lush greenery, and here, two massive cliffs plunge straight down—yep, a canyon. But a *real* one, huge and breathtaking!!

The hike was pretty sporty and adventurous (we saw 4 people wipe out in 4 hours!!), but the scenery was absolutely magical, with such contrasting colors.

And of course, a final splash—fish pedicure included! 😂

For November, the weather’s not bad at all: 32°C in the air and 28°C in the water! 🤿🍹

HELP friends, I urgently need a medical prescription, please! After 48 hours in Oman, my jaw is already hurting from all the "Wahoooo"s 😂

Today’s plan is to have lunch in the town of Sur before heading to the famous Wahiba Sands desert, stopping for a dip at Wadi Bani Khalid along the way.

Sounds like a great itinerary, but since I just found out Wadi Tiwi is right next to our digs, we’re making a little detour.

And wow, what an insane country: after admiring a tiny fishing port drowning in blues,



you find yourself just 10 minutes later in the greenery of a palm grove bordered by ochre mountains!!



But of course, such a beautiful setting comes at a price. Franck had warned me: "it climbs hard sometimes," but from my Landais couch, I didn’t quite grasp what he meant.

Lulu, ever the daredevil, let me take the wheel! After that, it was smooth sailing... except when he said we were going to blow the engine.



Anyway, after 4 or 5 steep slopes, when the road suddenly plunged down a thread-like path, I threw in the towel. No need to be *too* reckless—just a little is enough.

We turned around, and to top it off, on a super narrow road, we came face-to-face with a big pickup truck packed with 4 turbaned guys, 2 of them standing in the back 😱. And I know what you’re thinking, friends—because a Muslim in a turban *must* be a fan of Daesh, Hamas, or the Taliban!

But forget all that: Omanis are *reeeeally* nice.

When they realized it would take me about 3 hours to reverse 20 meters, they waved us off like "it’s all good, don’t sweat it" and reversed 200 meters like Alain Prost (sorry, younger folks, my references are a bit dated).

We gave them a big *shoukran* as we left, and they responded with their brightest smiles. And honestly, it’s like that everywhere: if you approach them, they’re super friendly and always up for a laugh.

Next up: lunch in Sur. And let me tell you... we were blown away. (Yes, even Lulu!)



What a palette of colors!! The blue of the sky merging with the sea, and between them, magnificent wooden boats sailing at the foot of the white city 🤩.



This place deserves way more than a few hours, especially since it’s home to the restaurant of our dreams!



We might even come back next week!

Yeah, because now we’ve got to hit the road to meet our desert taxi driver.

But before a sand bath, we’re stopping for a Khalid bath.



More "wow" moments, but I won’t go into details—I don’t want to bore you to death 😅.

Hi Christelle,

This sultanate is really charming.

We’re really hitting our stride now—the forum is full of travel journals! 👍

I’m definitely jumping into this one. My 5-day trip in 2022 left me wanting more (and, uh, a COVID souvenir on the way back 😅).

As for alcohol, I’ve got a couple of local tricks to quench your thirst 😏 (DM me for details).

Oh yes, Régis, and this is just the beginning—there’s so much to see in this country! 😄

Aaah, I was wondering where you’d disappeared to, Bruno! 😄 No worries, though—like I was telling Régis, this country has *everything*… even the most unexpected apéro! 😆 Looking forward to the next part in the desert you know so well

So, friends, are you ready to join me in my very first *real* desert?!



Because while Lulu might have seen one in his younger years, for me, it’s a first—despite a few missed opportunities.

That’s what Cricri was thinking until now: "Okay, it’s probably beautiful, but you must get *so* bored in the middle of nowhere." Yeah, well—completely wrong!

I never imagined that as soon as we entered the desert, our 4x4 taxi driver would start rallying through the sand with his buddies. Oh my god!!! It goes up, it goes down, it skids a little while the engine roars… and yet, no fear at all because those guys are total pros!

I never imagined that stepping into that sand for the first time would feel like walking on flour—it’s *that* soft.



I never imagined how much the landscape changes hour by hour with the light.

I never imagined we’d have a bathroom with a view of the stars—missing nothing.



I never imagined the sun would set so early here (around 5:15 PM!) that we almost missed the sunset.



I never imagined that riding down the dune like I was 10 years old could hurt so much 🤕😂

I never imagined being happy to see the city lights in the distance because that vast, dark emptiness—so quiet it’s almost loud—can be a little scary at night.

I never imagined that, sitting on the bed in our Bedouin tent, a gerbil would come tickle my foot just to say hello.

I never imagined so much nocturnal wildlife, proven the next morning by the tracks sculpted into the pristine sand.



I never imagined my feet would freeze in the sand at 6 AM… only to be boiling hot two hours later.

And finally, I never imagined meeting up around a campfire with people from 3 continents and 8 different countries (Omanis, South Africans, Indians, Singaporeans, Hongkongers, Italians, Austrians, and Czechs)!



In short, you’ve probably figured it out—the desert vibe isn’t something you can imagine; you *have* to live it… especially when you’re welcomed by Salim and his super-friendly team 😊

I see you’ve sorted out the photo issue 😉 The first one is really cool—it makes you want to hit the desert! !

Yes Kate. Apparently I’m not doing anything right at all, but it’ll be fine anyway 😅😆

The car chase with colleagues in the 4x4 (I was driving!), The silence of the night, The vastness of the stars in a sky free of light pollution, The sunrise over the endless sand …

The desert is something you experience but can’t really describe. And I still haven’t met Salim!

But I’m surprised that with all your trips to India, you’ve never spent a night in a desert?

It’s just that India is soooo big, Bruno! We discovered Rajasthan for the first time this year and focused on the southern part of the state. The north and Jaisalmer will be for another time ;) By the way, I don’t know if there are any other deserts in India besides that one 🤔

It’s just that India is sooo huge, Bruno!! We discovered Rajasthan for the first time this year and focused on the south of the state. The north and Jaisalmer will be for another trip

Anyway, that’s the one where I also spent a night. But it didn’t have the vastness you feel in Oman

Hello Solene, So I’m from Soustons. And you, the Chalossaise? Where from? Back to our topic, here’s a copy of a post I left on Le Routard. It’ll give you an idea of our trip.

We spent a day in Muscat when we arrived, in the Mutrah district. The next day, we visited the Grand Mosque—absolutely stunning, not to be missed under any circumstances—then headed toward the Bimmah Sinkhole. We camped on the beach at Fins before reaching Sur. Magical!! The next day, Wadi Shab and then off to Sur. From there, we headed toward Bidiya to venture into the Sharqiya Sands desert. After passing the area with the organized camps, we continued south. The first day went really well, and the night in the dunes was incredible. We left France with a tent, inflatable mattresses, sleeping bags, etc… It was on the second day that things got complicated. We got stuck in the sand twice. The first time, some Bedouins nearby helped us out. The second time, I was really scared because there was no one around, and I was sure we were on a secondary track—no one would pass by, I thought. My wife climbed the nearby dunes and came back convinced we were on the main track and that if someone did pass by, they’d definitely find us. I was sure she was wrong. And after an hour or two—I’m not sure—MIRACLE, a 4x4 showed up and pulled us out. And off we went south again, toward Shana’a. But the dunes were getting taller, the track narrower, and harder to follow. To avoid getting stuck a third time, we decided to turn back and head the other way until we found a Bedouin family and asked if they’d accompany us to the end. There were about 30 km left, and they agreed. We still covered around 200 km in the desert. After that, we went to Masirah Island, then drove back up to Sur via the coastal road, passing through Ibra, Nizwa, and Al Hamra, Wadi Bani Khalid before heading to the Jebel Shams mountain range. The Balcony Walk is totally worth it—10 km, 4 to 5 hours of hiking. Very spectacular, but you’ve got to be careful. Third night camping on the plateau by the canyon. Slept terribly because of the cold. Then we headed back down to Muscat to treat ourselves to a 4-star hotel and go diving near the Daymaniyat Islands.

Anyway, it’s an incredible country. The Omani people are exemplary toward foreign tourists, and the country exudes serenity.

Hey Xavier, Actually, I’m at the gates of Chalosse, not far from Montfort, and this evening I passed by your place to watch the sunset over Vieux Boucau 😊. Hats off for your Omani adventure. I don’t even understand how you can navigate in a desert—where we were, there wasn’t even a track!! Otherwise, we did pretty much the same route except for Masirah Island. I hesitated for a long time, but in the end, we didn’t have time to go. Did you like it?

Well, folks, it's all chatter, chatter, but this travel journal isn't moving forward very fast! 🥰😂😊

Well, the folks from Landes sure do chatter, but this travel journal isn’t moving forward fast! 🤔😄😆

She’s trying to download her photos

I can't do it all, folks—I just enjoyed a sunset from Jaizkibel 😲 and yeah, I had to resize the photo again, Kate 😅 But the Omani adventure is coming soon

No worries, the view is stunning. That said, my little stroll along the banks of the Lez was really pleasant this late afternoon 😊