Fodor's Expert Review Seeb Central Market

Grittier than the historic old Mutrah Souq, this is where local Omani residents from the surrounding suburbs come to shop for spices, fresh vegetables, meat and fish, clothing, and furniture. Thus, it's a wonderful place to get a taste of the local culture. All manner of dried spices are available along with good dried dates and date syrup. If you have room in your luggage, you can take home a jar of oily shuwa spices, the signature marinade for their pit-roasted celebration dish. There is a nice Omani halwa shop behind the souq, where you can sample the popular dessert, and just in front, there are grillers serving skewers of spicy squid, beef, and lamb called mishkak. The beautiful beachfront location makes it a great place to wander before taking a stroll along the water. In the early mornings you can visit and see the shopkeepers setting up and playfully heckling each other, but the evenings are the best time to people-watch, as this is when most locals come to do their daily shopping. READ LESS