Muscat
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Muscat - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Al Bustan Beach
Tucked behind the small village of Al Bustan, this beach shares the same stretch of sand as the opulent Ritz-Carlton Al Bustan Palace Hotel. After a short stroll through the cobblestone alleys of the village past groups of old Oman women sitting and chatting together in the shade, steps will lead you directly onto the beach, where fishermen will look up from their nets to eye you, and children will likely be playing football. Move beyond the makeshift football field towards the hotel grounds. Just before the private section beach, at the base of towering rock formations, you can lay out your towels and coolers and spend the day swimming and taking in the happy sounds of the buzzing strand. In the village is a small barbecue restaurant and tea shop, but there are no formal facilities at this lovely beach. Amenities: parking (free). Best for: sunrise; sunset.
Masqat, Oman -
2. Bait Al Zubair
One of the best museums in Oman, Bait al Zubair was formerly the home of the Zubair family, as the name would suggest. It houses a fascinating collection of traditional Omani weaponry, jewelry, and costumes, as well as contemporary Omani artwork. There is a hall for special collections, which change regularly, and outside there is a tiny replica of Muscat, complete with a falaj (irrigation system) and wadi (dry riverbed). The gift shop has a nice coffee shop and a seating area to relax in after strolling through the museum halls.
View Tours and ActivitiesAl Saidiyah St., Muscat, Masqat, 100, Oman2208 4700Sight Details
Rate Includes: 2 rials, Closed Fri., Sat.–Thurs. 9:30–6:30 -
3. Capital Area Yacht Club Beach
For a small price you are granted access to the quiet, clean beach at the Capital Yacht Club in Sidab, about 25 minutes from most hotels in Muscat. You'll find picnic tables, lounge chairs, and umbrellas already set up, and you are welcome to bring your own food and drinks. There is often a snack shop set up on the beach offering fresh juices, water, and light snacks. The beach itself is tucked between towering rock mountains, with crystal clear, warm water that is perfect for swimming and snorkling. This is one of the best options in Oman, and it comes totally stress-free. Just remember to bring a towel, as they are not provided. Amenities: food and drink; parking (included with entrance fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.
Al Saidiya St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman2473–7712Sight Details
Rate Includes: 2 rials weekdays, 3 rials weekends -
4. Mutrah Corniche
MutrahOne of the few places to walk in Muscat, the beautiful corniche runs along the sea from the top of the hill overlooking old Muscat, across from the incense burner monument at Al Riyam Park, to the fish market and shipping port just past the famous Mutrah Souq. Along the route, there are plenty of photo ops of the iconic waterfront buildings of Old Muscat, including the beautiful old blue-domed Shia mosque. Each evening, as the weather cools, the sidewalk fills with locals and expats enjoying a stroll. It is a great place to head to around sunset.
Al Bahri St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman -
5. Mutrah Souq
MutrahThe main corridor of the Mutrah souq, the oldest marketplace in Muscat, is lined with shops selling mussars (the local turban wraps), pashmina shawls, "I Love Oman" T-shirts, frankincense, and other souvenirs. Turning up the first alleyways off of the souk takes you to the more subdued gold souk, wonderful small perfumeries, and the tailoring shops and spice grinders beyond that. The covered souq opens up onto the labyrinth of shop-lined streets that make up the old Mutrah neighborhood, an especially good place to find cooking gadgets, spices, and custom-tailored clothing. Walking down the main hall, you will be pestered with offers to look and try and buy, so feel free to negotiate hard, especially considering that a few shops down, you are likely to find the same goods. In the evening the souq is full of local Omani customers who still patronize the old market for everything from traditional clothing to incense and jewelry. Thursday nights are an especially interesting time to go.
Al Bahri St., Muscat, Masqat, OmanSight Details
Rate Includes: Sat.–Thurs. 8–12 and 4:30–10; Fri. 5–9 -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Completed in 2001, Muscat's Grand Mosque took six years to build, not to mention 300,000 tons of Indian sandstone and an army of Persian weavers to assemble the 1.7 million–knot Persian rug that adorns the main prayer hall, the second-largest Persian rug in the world behind the one at the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Covering more than 430,000 square feet, the complex can welcome up to 20,000 worshipers under its central dome and in adjacent chambers and courtyards. Though the exterior is subdued, with sandstone arches and no more sparkle than the subtle gold beneath the latticed stone of the dome, once inside, the spotlessly buffed white marble, intricate, colorful tilework, and eight-ton, gold-plated Swarovski crystal chandelier, provide immense drama. The manicured gardens surrounding the prayer halls are a wonderful, serene place to spend a few reflective hours. Non-Muslims can visit every morning but Friday. All visitors are asked to dress modestly, covered to ankles and wrists, and women must cover their hair with a scarf. There are abayas available to rent at the visitor center for those who forget the dress code.
View Tours and Activities3781 Way, Muscat, Masqat, OmanSight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Sat.–Thurs. 8:30–11 am -
7. Al Alam Royal Palace
The ceremonial palace of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos was built in 1972, just after his ascension to the throne in 1971. The iconic structure, with its vibrant gold and blue pillars, is right in center of Old Muscat, in the shadows of the 16th-century Portuguese forts Al Mirani and Al Jalali. Entrance is forbidden, but you can take photographs from the sprawling pedestrian boulevard out front.
Way 8621, Muscat, Masqat, Oman -
8. Al Qurum Natural Park
QurmThe largest park in Oman, Qurum Natural Park is a lush, green oasis that provides a cool refuge even from the summer heat thanks to its tall shade trees and large lake. The park's 400 acres offer ample space to wander, with rose gardens, dancing fountains, a boating lake, playgrounds, picnic areas, and even a small amusement park that opens daily after 4:30 pm. Small coffee shops and restaurants are open all day, and there are restroom facilities throughout the park, making it a great place to spend an afternoon and evening. It is most popular in the late afternoons and into the night, when the weather is cool and the fountains are lit. In addition to families and children playing, as the night falls many couples, strolling hand-in-hand, join the lively scene.
Al Qurm St., Muscat, Masqat, OmanSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
9. Amouage Factory and Visitor Center
Al MawalehOman is rich with luxurious scents, from frankincense smoke to the woodsy aroma of bakhoor incense to spicy, exotic perfumes. In the early 1980s, Amouage perfume, the most costly perfume in the world, was added to the Sultanate's roster of signature smells. The headquarters and factory are outside Muscat, just past the airport going towards Barka. Producing 25,000 bottles per week, the two-story facility doubles as a museum where guests can see demonstrations of the various stages of perfume production, from macerating the raw ingredients to final packaging. Naturally, you can purchase your own bottle directly from the source here as well.
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10. Atheiba Beach
This large public beach is a great place to take a jog, have a picnic or swim and is popular with families during the day. There are Jet Ski rentals and kite-surfing lessons available from small shops at either end of the beach as well. At night, it is a favorite spot for young Omanis and expats to barbecue. Locals either park in the large lot and lug their gear onto a prime patch of sand, or those with SUVs drive directly onto the beach, where woven plastic mats (available at any of the hypermarkets) and grills are set up. On the weekends the night air is filled with the smell of grilling and the sounds of music and people laughing. It is an especially nice place for a midnight swim. There are sometimes grillers serving barbecue called mishkak from the main parking lot, but it is best to bring your own provisions. Amenities: parking (free); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.
36 Way, Muscat, Masqat, Oman9238-4580 -
11. Bait Adam
QurmAn engaging privately run museum in Qurm, Bait Adam has a collection of currency, art, postal records, and libraries of books and treaties narrating Omani history, dating to pre-Islamic times.
2333 Way, Muscat, Masqat, Oman2460–5033Sight Details
Rate Includes: 1 rial, Sat.–Wed. 9–1:30 and 4–7 -
12. Bait Al Baranda
MutrahThis small history museum in the historic Mutrah neighborhood displays a few peices of contemporary art on the first floor, while upstairs are interactive dioramas depicting the history of Oman from ancient times of shifting tectonic plates to the frankincense trade routes to the history of Islam in the Sultanate, and a breakdown of the history of the current Al Busaid dynasty. Exploring the entire museum will take less than an hour, so it is a great place for a quick history lesson to better appreciate the context of Oman as a destination. The museum also has a nice café and shop.
Al Bahri St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman2471–4262Sight Details
Rate Includes: 1 rial, Sat.–Thurs. 9–1 and 4–6 -
13. Barka Halwa Factory
Oman is famous for its Halwa, a confection made from sugar, butter, saffron, and cornstarch. The Oman Halwa Factory in the town of Barka, about 40 minutes from Muscat, has been making the signature sweet for 50 years and is the supplier of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. They usually don't let visitors inside the factory itself, but you can sample the various flavors of halwa that they make and buy some to take home.
Barka Street, Al Batinah South, Oman9074-9972 -
14. Fort Al-Jalali
Sitting on the eastern side of Muscat's old harbour, this fort dates from 1587. It was subsequently captured by Omani forces and gradually expanded and strengthened. There are two watchtowers and a long cannon wall. It can be viewed and photographed, but visits are not allowed.
Muscat, Masqat, Oman -
15. Fort Al-Mirani
On the western side of Muscat's old harbor, this fort was built by the Portuguese in 1588 on the ruins of an older fort that stood at the same site. Like Al-Jalali Fort, just accross the harbor, it can be viewed and photographed, but visits are not allowed.
Muscat, Masqat, Oman -
16. Muscat Gate Museum
On the coastal road between the old Mutrah neighborhood and the old city of Muscat, there is a large archway that houses the Muscat Gate. The small museum here displays photographs and information on the history of this once-walled city, whose gates were once locked before sundown every night—supposedly as a safety precaution, but also as a way to impose a strict curfew during the Portuguese occupation. The three main gates—the Mathaib Gate, Al Bab Al Saghir (the little door), and Al Bab Al Kabir (the big door)—still stand. The museum is a great place to learn their histories before hiking down to see them. The staff at the hotel are helpful and informative, and even if you aren't interested in the historic gates, the structure itself offers one of the best vantage points for taking photographs of the old towns.
Al Bahri Rd., Muscat, Masqat, Oman9932–8754Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Fri. & Sat., Sat.–Thurs. 9:30–11:30 and 4:30–7 -
17. Mutrah Fish Market
MutrahFrom dawn until around 9 am, the fish market echos with the sound of haggling and piles of fresh fish and shellfish being hauled in, cut, and cleaned. Though you might not be looking to purchase fresh seafood, the market is a wonderful place to take pictures and to gain an appreciation for the incredible bounty of the Sea of Oman.
Fish Roundabout, Muscat, Masqat, OmanSight Details
Rate Includes: Dawn–10 am -
18. Nakhal Fort
The closest of the northern fortresses to Muscat, about 100 km (60 miles) to the southwest, is the ancestral home of the Yaruba people, builders of some of the finest fortresses in Oman. The region is lushly green and has many soothing hot springs. The fort makes for an ideal picnic spot.
Nakhal, Al Batinah South, OmanSight Details
Rate Includes: 0.5 rial, Sat.–Thurs. 9–4, Fri. 8–11 am -
19. Natural History Museum
Al KhuwairOne of the most popular of Muscat's museums, the Natural History Museum is divided into four sections. Diverse Physical Features is a collection of aerial photographs and exhibits that show the vast geographic diversity found in the Sultanate, from mountains to desert to sea. Through the Geological Ages has 260-million-year-old tree fossils from Al Huquf, 270-million-year-old coral reefs from Wadi Aasahtan in Rustaq, and the teeth of prehistoric animals. The Varied Wildlife section houses taxidermied displays like a caracal lynx shown pouncing on a bird, the Arabian Oryx, Arabian Tahr, local leopard, and all manner of birds from the coastal areas and wetlands. Finally, Creatures of the Sea has a Whale Hall with bones, skeletons, and skulls belonging to the different whale types, and other displays explaining the bountiful sea life found off the coast. Informative descriptions accompany each display, and the staff is helpful and friendly.
Thaqafah St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman2464–1300Sight Details
Rate Includes: 0.5 rial, Sat.–Thurs. 8:30–1:30 -
20. Oil and Gas Exhibition Centre and Planetarium
QurmHis Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said opened the museum and plantarium as gifts to the nation for the 25th and 30th anniversary, respectively, of the reign. Both are wonderful, free exhibits that appeal to both locals and visitor. The museum explains the process of converting oil and gas to their usable state—from the underground formation of layers of organic matter deposited in oceans and lakes millions of years ago, to how they are brought to the surface, and then how they are processed—in a series of six interactive displays. The planetarium features a full-Dome digital system in which several projectors create spectacular panoramas of space, stars, galaxies, and comets with integrated lasers, videos, and sound. The shows are free but must be requested ahead of time and are not offered on Fridays and Saturdays. Stargazing events are also held monthly.
Seih Al Maleh St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman2467 5542Sight Details
Rate Includes: Sat.–Wed. 7–noon and 1–4, Thurs. 7–noon
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