The charming nature of the Sultanate of Oman

Have you ever rode the roller coaster or so-called death train on your amusement park visit? It pulls you in sharp turns from top to bottom as the scenery changes so quickly around you that you feel like you are in several places at the same time while you are still in your place. Perhaps this is the closest description of nature in the Sultanate of Oman, it is enough to know that it includes 27 nature reserves on its land and has 6 sites registered in the World Heritage List, it is really a hidden gem from the eyes.

The diversity of nature and terrain in Oman arouses wonder and contemplation at the same time. If you are the one who loves the mountains, you will stand in awe in front of the mountains in Oman, embracing its lands with a hand from the north, where the Green Mountain region, and another from the south, where the Dhofar Mountains, and if you are a fan of vegetation, you will be dazzled by the beauty of the plains and valleys in the Batinah coast region. On your trip to nature, the Sultanate of Oman, you will find the dense green cover, and after a few moments you are in front of a desert landscape where soft yellow sand floods the surface of the earth, which will make you wonder if you are still in the same place or moved momentarily to another country. If you are a beach lover, you will be dazzled by the beaches of Oman, and you will feel the joy of the sight of the mountains embracing the waters of the beach and wandering among the palms sprawling on the sand of the beach in a view very similar to the beaches of the islands of Southeast Asia, where palm-like coconut trees are carefully stacked on the sand of the beach without any human intervention. If you like adventure and experience dangerous activities, you will not miss the magnificent rocky cliffs overlooking the blue ocean color shining in the sunlight.

Oman is the first country to receive sunrise and the last sunset in the entire Middle East. Its neighbors are the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen and is fully embraced by the Arabian Sea, part of the Indian Ocean, along with the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Gulf Sea. The Sultanate of Oman was once called the Copper Mountain because of the abundance of copper metal in it. The capital of the Sultanate of Oman is Muscat and is a coastal strip with rocky beaches. Oman is the oldest independent Arab state and takes a politically neutral approach to maintain its independence and avoid wars.

A unique mountain experience that characterizes the nature of the Sultanate of Oman

Omani nature offers a unique experience of diverse mountainous areas. Starting with the Hajar mountain ranges in the north, which includes the western and eastern Hajar Mountains and the Musandam Mountains, they are in the form of a curved arc along the Sea of Oman and Wadi Samail divides the mountain chain.

The Green Mountain has a dazzling view with mountain villages, farms and winding roads that carry you to charming valleys. It has a green cover studded with pomegranate, peach and apricot trees next to rare flowers not found anywhere else in the world, making you clearly aware of the name of the mountain. When you reach the top of the mountain, you will see a breathtaking panoramic view with large green spaces, which is breathtaking and psychologically comfortable. The limestone in Jabal Akhdar is called petrified waterfalls because of the deposits of the raft stone descending as a waterfall. Located on the Green Mountain, one of the phenomena of mass extinction, where traces have been found that have resulted in excavations from the Permian period, where 50 percent of the animals on earth have become extinct.

The southern mountainous region of the Dhofar Mountains is divided into three sections: Jabal Samhan, Jabal al-Qurab and Jabal al-Qamar. The mountains are located along the Arabian Sea and on the top of Mount Samhan you can see a fantasy view of the clouds hugging with the top of the mountain. Jabal Samhan is one of the most important mountains in the Dhofar Governorate and the coastal city of Salalah in the south. The mountain includes plains cut through deep and narrow passages, some of which reach a depth of 1000 meters, it is the best location to feel yourself above the clouds. Camping on the top of Samhan is one of the best activities where you can witness the magical moment at sunrise that makes you think that the sun is coming from under your feet. The mountain is rich in frankincense and Samar trees and is inhabited by Arabian gazelles, foxes, Nubian ibex and some Arabian tigers.

Many Omani citizens as well as mountaineering celebrities from all over the world practice the sport of climbing in the mountains of Oman, and despite its danger, choosing the optimal time for climbing is the key to a unique experience, for example, autumn is optimal for climbing the mountains of Salalah in terms of the spread of green cover and moderate temperatures.

The cities hiding in the lap of the mountain are one of the most beautiful natural phenomena in the Sultanate of Oman, such as the village of Kumzar, which you can only reach by boat and its houses are almost adjacent to narrow corridors, and the mountain embraces it completely except for the façade and has its own language that no one from outside understands and it is a language used for speech only and not written.

Color diversity in the desert of Oman

Many believe that the deserts are all vast areas of yellow sand, but the nature of the Sultanate of Oman excites you and you are impressed by the diversity of nature and the colors ranging from red to brown in its deserts as well as the diversity of its wildlife. The Omani desert accounts for more than 80% of its area as its Gulf neighbors. The desert in Oman varies between a sandy desert and a stone desert. Omani deserts are bordered to the north by the Hajar Mountains and to the south by the Dhofar Mountains, so deserts are located in the rain shadow zone where the mountains border them and receive the load of wind before they reach them, causing a scarcity of rain on them. Imagine the mountains as a solar and the desert as one standing in the shade of the sun sheltering from the rain.

The largest desert in Oman is the Empty Quarter, with its famous star sand dunes that are formed due to winds blowing from several directions at the same time. Have you ever seen a girl walking alone in a vast area and the wind blows from all sides, so that her hair flies in every direction and is difficult to control, so it is a sight and an irregular mass, this is how stellar sand dunes are formed in what looks like a multi-arm star.

The rocky deserts are located in the south and center of Oman, such as Jeddah Al-Harasis, and are famous for being home to the largest scattered meteorite field. It is also home to more than 160 species of birds, oryx, Arabian gazelles, the rare Arabian wolf and many other animals and birds, some of which are endangered. It is also worth mentioning the pillow lava, which are rock formations and represent the upper part of the ophiolite rocks, a lava that cooled after meeting the waters of the seafloor and these rocks and the entire region are a paradise for geology and earth science as they are very rare to see their counterparts elsewhere.

If you are thinking about what the Omani desert will offer away from beautiful scenery and sand riding, desert sports are very popular, including riding sand biking, sand skiing next to the safari with four-wheel drive vehicles, camping, joining excursion caravans and other sports activities.

Mountainous beaches and islands rich in marine life in Oman

Beaches and islands are among the biggest attractions in all countries of the world, although nature in the Sultanate of Oman is rich in mountains, hills, plains and deserts, so its nature has not deprived it of beautiful beaches and rich in marine life as well. We mention some of them, such as the beaches of Qurum, Al Bustan, Muttrah Al Bahri and Al Jissah in northern Oman, where distinguished tourist and hotel services are rich in various mountain rock shapes.

The beaches of Matrouh and Al Jissah are characterized parallel to the mountains that repel them from the wind, so they look like a quiet lake, so they are ideal beaches for those who fear the waves and prefer still beaches. As for the beaches of the central region, such as Ras Al Hadd, it is a green sea turtle paradise where they resort with up to 13,000 turtles to lay their eggs, putting them on the list of nature reserves. The beach is characterized by bays and rock formations that attract a large number of different birds to it.

As for the beaches of Al Wusta Governorate, they are characterized by rock clusters that resemble natural umbrellas, and others have soft white sand and completely lack rocks. In the south of Oman, where Dhofar Governorate is located, you will be impressed by flamingoes, caves and winding entrances, the most important of which are the beaches of Mughsail, Resort, Al-Haffa and other beaches, which are the ideal destination for diving and water skiing.

When talking about the Omani beaches, you will certainly hear about the beaches of Salalah, which was called the pearl of the Arabian Sea, Salalah is a state in the southern Dhofar Governorate, and what distinguishes it is its tropical atmosphere, which is the ideal atmosphere for beach tourism, and autumn is the best to visit. Salalah's beaches not only enjoy turquoise water, white sand, and bright sun throughout the year, but also dazzling waterfalls, the most famous of which is the breathtaking Al Houta Falls. The most distinctive feature of Salalah's beaches is that they are family beaches with most of their family visitors and have all the marine sports activities in addition to high-quality facilities such as hotels, bathrooms and beach services. For all this, Salalah is the tourist capital of the Sultanate of Oman and the most visited by tourists.

Whether you are a fan of marine life, turtles, dolphins and various fish will attract you, and if you are a practitioner of diving and enjoying coral reefs or other water sports and floating, the Omani beaches will offer you all this and more on its coastline, which extends for three thousand kilometers.

As for the islands on the Omani lands, they are also diverse in nature, including Masira, which abounds in the eyes, where turtles nest, and in addition to marine life, it also combines plains and mountainous nature, and it looks from afar as a jewel in the middle of the Blue Sea. There are also the Hallaniyat Islands in the south, which are 5 islands, one of which is Al-Halaniyat, which has archaeological sites and its nature varies between deserts, highlands, springs, bays and sea heads, as well as turtles and birds.

As for the Daymaniyat Islands between Muscat and South Al Batinah, it is considered a natural heritage reserve, rich in rare coral reefs, dotted with green sea turtles, clear waters, beaches distinguished by soft white sand, a huge number of migratory birds visit annually, 22 famous diving sites, and a destination for camping lovers.

The rich nature of the Sultanate of Oman is not limited to what we mentioned only, as there are many other natural phenomena such as plains, valleys, oases, sabkhas, canyons and caves that distinguish the Sultanate of Oman and make it a destination for geological tourism for lovers of discovering nature and its secrets, as well as adventurers looking for sports activities of all kinds. It is a country of geographical richness and natural beauty.