| Coming quietly into focus as a fascinating and | | | | city of Nizwa, with its arts and crafts market |
| rewarding Middle East holiday alternative to the | | | | where bargains can be negotiated. |
| altogether more commercial, thrusting destination | | | | But further afield, visitors can enjoy longer trips |
| of Dubai is Oman - not a long drive from its more | | | | into the Jebel Akhdar Mountains including the |
| highly-promoted neighbour in the bordering | | | | extraordinary "Grand Canyon" of the Middle East, |
| Emirates, but a quite different, authentic holiday | | | | and its villages unchanged for centuries. Also not |
| experience. | | | | to be missed are the vast deserts landscapes of |
| In the upcoming November World Travel Market | | | | the Wahiba Sands, where groupings of Bedouins |
| 2009, the Oman Ministry of Tourism is set to | | | | can be seen with their 4 x 4s and their camels, |
| launch a higher profile for the country for UK | | | | leading lives of inscrutable interest. |
| tourist visitors. In particular, tourism chiefs are | | | | A quite different microclimate can be found in the |
| looking forward to the 2010 Asia Beach Games, | | | | south of Oman in the Dhofar region, known as |
| but they are also showcasing a myriad of | | | | the Lake District of the Middle East. Here after |
| attractions offered by this desert Sultanate. | | | | the July monsoons known as the Khareef, the |
| The country is one of contrasts. Instead of using | | | | landscape changes into lush greenery, will hills and |
| the occasionally disconcerting border crossings | | | | valleys to explore for natural wildlife, Here also are |
| from the Emirates, travellers can of course arrive | | | | pristine white sandy beaches and an ideal |
| by air to the capital Muscat. Here they will find an | | | | environment for diving and water-borne activities. |
| increasingly cosmopolitan city on Oman's | | | | Meantime in the north of Oman, another change |
| north-western coast. Here there are fabulous | | | | of landscape can be found in the Musandam |
| beaches with calm waters - ideal beach holiday | | | | Peninsula, with its fjords and mountains offering |
| territory to complement the array of museums, | | | | walking country, diving and overnight lake trips by |
| souks and forts which give Muscat its unique | | | | traditional dhow. This area is earning a reputation |
| character. A highlight is the Grand Mosque with its | | | | as the Norway of the Middle East. |
| 600,000 crystal chandelier and a fine example of | | | | Oman is not a country for a fleeting visit, such as |
| Omani architecture. | | | | often touted by operators who see Dubai as a |
| International-standard hotels proliferate including | | | | stopover destination to the Far East. This is more |
| the Chedi, the Al Bustan Palace and Shangri-La | | | | a country to savour, to spend time and enjoy life |
| Barr Al Jissah resort, all of which have international | | | | at an altogether more peaceful pace in scenes |
| cuisine to complement local delicacies. | | | | untouched by time - always with the busy Muscat |
| For those basing themselves on Muscat, there are | | | | on hand for those who need to keep a foothold |
| day and - preferably - overnight excursions to | | | | on modern living, and with developing activity |
| some of the quite breathtaking geography only a | | | | hotspots for those looking for diving, golf, walking |
| couple of hours from the city. Excursions include | | | | and watersports. |
| to the impressive forts, especially the one at the | | | | |