In Muscat there is much to do. In this blog I will give 14 things that you must do in the capital of Oman:
- Beautiful views at Sultan Qaboos Port
- Get lost in Muttrah Souq
- Learn history of Muttrah fort
- Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
- The Royal Opera House
- Al Alam Palace
- Hike C38 in Muscat
- Go spot dolphins and go snorkeling
- Diving at Dimaniyat islands
- Stunning views at an undiscovered place
- Discover the many malls
- Relax at Qurum beach
- The National Museum of Oman
- Daytrip to Bimmah Sinkhole and Wadi Shab
To learn more about Oman read the blog What to know about Oman. If you are planning to do a road trip in Oman you should read my blog Road trip in Oman.
Beautiful views at Sultan Qaboos Port
The Sultan Qaboos port is the largest port in Muscat and is located in the Gulf of Oman. You can park your car around here and enjoy the nice views from here. Walk around and explore the area.
Get lost in Muttrah Souq
Muttrah souq is a beautiful market that you can visit. From the outside it doesn’t seem big but it stretches deep within the city. It’s also one of the oldest markets of Oman.
On Friday most stalls are closed. The majority of Omanis are Muslim so on Friday most of the shops are closed because they go to the mosque to pray.
Learn history of Muttrah fort
This fort is located on a mountain, so it overlooks the city and the bay of Muttrah. It was said to have been built around 1507 AD and was later modified by the Portuguese. It’s the perfect location to protect Muttrah from attacks from the sea and inland. From the fort you will have some amazing views.
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Some mosques you cannot visit if you’re not a Muslim. This mosque is accessible for non-Muslims. Non-Muslim visiting time: 8 am – 11 am from Saturday to Thursday.
Tip: make sure you are fully covered. Wear shoes that you can take on and off easily.
In some countries you can borrow something you can wear over your clothing for free. However, here you need to buy it if you are not covered enough before entering the mosque. You can spend more than an hour here if you would like to see the whole complex and gardens.
The Royal Opera House
It is a nice building where they do many performances. Opening hours are from Saturday to Thursday from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm. You pay an entrance fee if you want to visit the Opera House. More about visiting this place you can read on their website.
Al Alam Palace
This palace was used by the Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said as a ceremonial palace. This is one of the six residences of the sultan, and it has a long history.
Hike C38 in Muscat
There are some amazing hikes in Muscat with beautiful views. A nice hike to do is the hike C38 which takes around 2 hours.
Tip: wear decent shoes because it’s rocky. You also need to know that your shoes can get wet during this hike so be prepared.
You can find many hikes from easy to difficult. There are many trekking routes.
Go spot dolphins and go snorkeling
An amazing thing to do while you visit Muscat is going to spot some dolphins. After dolphin spotting you can snorkel to discover the underwater world. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot dolphins, but we spotted sharks and during snorkeling we saw many fish and a turtle.
Diving at Dimaniyat islands
If you’re a diver or you want to dive, then Oman is the perfect place to dive. The Dimaniyat islands are located in the Gulf of Oman which is in the North-Western part of the Arabian Sea.
During the dive we saw a shark, turtle, a lot of moray eels, lionfish, clown fish, puffer fish, etc. To read more about our dive read the blog Diving in the beauty of Oman.
Stunning views at an undiscovered place
With the 4×4 car we drove off-road on an amazing place with some stunning views near Muscat. You can hike around and enjoy nature. The location is Yenkit and its name is Muscat’s Fjord. You can drive on the West flank of the fjord for the best views! For the best viewpoint, go to this spot.
Discover the many malls
In Oman there are many malls that you can visit. Some of the malls you can visit if you want to go shopping are:
- Muscat Grand Mall
- Lulu Mall Muscat that has a theme park and even a cinema
- Oman Avenues Mall
- Salalah Gardens Mall
- Markaz Al Bahja
Relax at Qurum beach
If you want to relax and enjoy the beach you should visit Qurum beach. It’s the perfect place to get away from the busy capital of Muscat.
The National Museum of Oman
This museum is the perfect place to learn about the history of Oman. While you visit this place you will learn everything about this country’s history. Read more about this museum on their website.
Daytrip to Bimmah Sinkhole and Wadi Shab
From Muscat there are many daytrips that you can do. One of the places you can visit is Bimmah Sinkhole and Wadi Shab. These are two scenic places in nature that you simply must visit. If you want to learn more about these places you can read about them in the blog Road trip in Oman.
