“The city is also famous for its ancient history, which is clearly visible in its many museums, most notably the Omani National Museum, which documents the features of the country’s cultural development, as it includes more than 6,000 artifacts that reflect the ancient history of the Sultanate of Oman," ’the report said.
“The city is filled with picturesque landscapes, gardens, parks and many tourist places such as a diving club that takes tourists on cruises to discover the beauty of the depths of the Omani beaches,” the report added.
Some of Muscat's attractions:-
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.
In 1992, the then Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said al Said, directed that his country should have a Grand Mosque. In 1993, a competition for the design of the proposed masque took place. The building contract was awarded to Carillion Alawi LLC. Construction commenced in December 1994, after a site was chosen at Bausher, and it took six years and seven months to build the mosque. The mosque is made of stone, with doors, windows and embellishments made of wood and glass. Around 300,000 tons of Indian sandstone was imported for the building. Five minarets have been built around the premises of the mosque: the main minaret (90 meters (300 ft)) in height, and the four flanking minarets (45.5 meters (149 ft)) are the mosque’s chief visual features from the exterior. In the interior, the main musalla is the focus of both prayer and tourism. The prayer hall is square in shape and 74.4 by 74.4 meters (244 by 244 feet) has a central dome rising to a height of 50 meters (160 ft) above the floor. The dome is embellished spectacularly from the inside and it is a major tourist attraction in itself. The main musalla can hold over 6500 worshippers, while the women's musalla can accommodate 750 worshipers. The outer paved ground can hold 8000 worshipers and there is additional space available in the interior courtyard and the passageways, making a total capacity of up to 20,000 worshipers. The mosque is built on a site occupying 416,000 m2 (4,480,000 sq ft)and the complex extends to cover an area of 40,000 m2 (430,000 sq ft). The newly built Grand Mosque was inaugurated by Sultan of Oman on May 4, 2001, to celebrate 30 years of his reign.
Muscat Royal Opera House.
The architectural beauty and hidden secrets of the Royal Opera House Muscat are revealed through fascinating guided tours. You will discover the history and genesis of Oman's premier venue for arts and culture in all its structural boldness, technical innovation; and perhaps most inspiring of all, View first hand ROHM’s breathtaking decorative artistry with motifs derived from Islamic, Mughal, Oriental and European art. You will also learn about the amazing mechanisms that change the Auditorium from Theatre to Concert Mode, literally with the flick of a switch. One of the highlights is viewing the very fine collection of rare instruments here on display.
Al Zubair Museum.
The Bait Al Zubair Museum is a historic and cultural center of Muscat that opened to the public in 1998.
Funded by its founders, the Zubair family. The center displays the Oman family’s collection of artifacts, one of the most refined and complete in the country.The complex consists of six separate buildings as well as a garden (where there is a wonderful miniature village of Oman), an aflaj system and a selection of native plants and trees.Inside the buildings there are thousands of objects, constantly evolving, belonging to the Zaubair family.Bait Al Baranda Museum.
Housed in a renovated 1930s residence, this museum traces the history – and prehistory – of Muscat through imaginative, interactive displays and exhibits. A ‘cut-and-paste’ dinosaur, using bones found in Al Khoud area of Muscat and topped up with borrowed bones from international collections, is worth a look. The ethnographic displays help set not just Muscat but the whole of Oman in a regional, commercial and cultural context. The ground floor of the museum is used as an exhibition space.
Muttrah Souq.
Many people come to Mutrah Corniche just to visit the souq, which retains the chaotic interest of a traditional Arab market albeit housed under modern timber roofing. Shops selling Omani and Indian artefacts together with a few antiques jostle among more traditional textile, hardware and jewellery stores. Bargaining is expected although discounts tend to be small. Cards are generally accepted in most shops, but bring cash for better deals. The main entry is via the Corniche, opposite the pedestrian traffic lights.
Al Jalali Fort.
Al Jalali Fort, or Ash Sharqiya Fort, is a fort in the harbor of Old Muscat, Oman. The fort was built by the Portuguese under Philip I of Portugal in the 1580s on an earlier Omani fortress to protect the harbor after Muscat had twice been sacked by Ottoman forces. It fell to Omani forces in 1650. During the civil wars between 1718 and 1747, the fort was twice captured by Persians who had been invited to assist one of the rival Imams. The fort was extensively rebuilt later.
Al Mirani Fort.
Al Mirani Fort has a special place in history as it contributed to the fall of the Portuguese. This came about through a curious affair of the heart: legend has it that the Portuguese commander fell for the daughter of a Hindu supplier, who refused the match on religious grounds. On being threatened with ruin, the supplier spent a year apparently preparing for the wedding during which time he worked an elaborate trick on the commander, convincing him that the fort’s supplies needed a complete overhaul. Bit by bit he removed all the fort's gunpowder and grain, and when the fort was left completely defenceless, he gave the nod to the Omani imam, Sultan Bin Saif, who succeeded in retaking the fort in 1649. The Portuguese were ousted from Muscat soon after, and the wedding never took place.
Muttrah Fort.
Built by the Portuguese in the 1580s, this fort dominates the eastern end of Muttrah harbour. Used for military purposes, it has at long last reopened to visitors. There's not much to see inside although the three-tower structure may be of interest to military buffs. Even if you have fort fatigue, it's fun to scale the flank of the building for a good view of Muttrah and the ocean.
Old Muscat Gates.
Straddling the road between the Corniche and the old walled city, this museum, with the original gates used until the 1970s to keep land-bound marauders out, marks the position of the old city wall and introduces Muscat proper. Though the museum's exhibits are of limited interest, the site provides a vantage point for the Corniche and the diwan.
Wadi Sireen Reserve.
Approximately 45 kilometres away from Muscat, lies the Wadi Sireen Nature Reserve known for being an animal sanctuary. From the rare Arabian Tahr to gazelles, mules, wolves, birds, and rare wild animals, the reserve is home to many animals. The Arabian Tahr with its short body, hooked horns along with a dark that extends along the back is known to be the most timid mammal.
These animals make their homes in tough habitats, on steep cliffs at high altitude, between 800 metres and 1,800 metres. They can survive long periods without drinking water and mainly feed on leaves, fruits, and seeds from a range of trees, shrubs, and grasses in the high mountains. The reserve borders three wilayats: Amerat, Quriyat, and Dima Wa Taeen and and the two entry points are tJebel Aswad “The Black Mountain” and Jebel Abyad “The White Mountain”.
Bawshar Sandy Dunes Hills.
Bawshar Sandy Dunes Hills This is the only sandy dunes hills located in Muscat, walking distance of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in the heart of the capital.
Bandar Al Khairan.
Beyond Muttrah, the headland close to Muscat shatters into a series of khors (inlets) and bandars (natural harbours), the most extensive of which is Bandar Khairan. It’s possible to reach the bandar from the Yiti–Jebel Seifa road, but the mangrove-fringed lagoon is more usually visited by boat from Bandar Jissah or Bandar Al Rowdha. It's a popular spot for snorkelling, and at sunset the sandstone and its reflection in the water seemingly vibrate with colour.
Qantab Beach.
Qantab Beach tucked away in a small bay, the picturesque village of Qantab is at its most beautiful at sunset. The small village is just a few minutes east of Muscat by car and very easy to find because it is well signposted.
Al Qurm Beach
Al Qurm beach lies in Al Qurm Area in the heart of Muscat and extends over a large area. A number of large hotel chains are built next to it, such as Hotel Muscat InterContinental and Crowne Plaza.
