It would be a shame to let the string of unrests affecting the Middle East overshadow the entire region as there are so many beautiful and unique jewels to explore in total safety. While everyone is familiar with ritzy Dubai, few have ventured to its neighbor, the Sultanate of Oman, a rapidly-developing nation widely considered the Middle East’s best kept secret.
Any visit to Oman starts in its bustling capital, Muscat, which has been experiencing a booming modernization since 1970 when Sultan Qaboos came into power and started spending Oman’s oil wealth. While much of the city is unequivocally modern, the Sultan’s respect for tradition has steered the construction away from the excesses and high-rise heavy architecture of its neighbors, resulting in an attractive and uniform city with a strong Arabic identity.
Visitors to Oman get a rare chance to engage with the modern Arab world while still sensing its old ways and customs, that is if they get out of their hotel for a bit! Muscat, with its pretty coastline, warm temperatures year-round and up-market beach hotels has been mostly marketing itself as a high-end beach destination to wealthy European tourists, offering all the usual comforts for city slickers and luxury lovers.
