Issue 73 / Taking In The Full Magic And Majesty Of Muscat, Oman

by Aparna Pednekar

Taking In The Full Magic And Majesty Of Muscat, Oman

Jun 29, 2017

Take In The Full Magic And Majesty Of Muscat

A 900-year old walled city fringed by rugged desert landscapes and sparkling azure seas, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman is part sunny, breezy Middle Eastern charm and part gilded luxury. We take in the full magic and majesty of Muscat, Oman.

Muscat is under a five-hour drive from Dubai, but the difference between the two is vast, something that the distinctly laid back Omanis will genially have you know at every available opportunity. Unlike its neighbour’s sky-scraping glitz and gloss, Muscat — one of the cleanest cities in the world – places great importance on preserving its heritage.

Under Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s 46-year-old benevolent rule, there’s consistency to the city structure itself. Buildings can’t be constructed over seven stories and have to adhere to a pastel colour palette, which leaves whitewashed homes tucked into rugged mountains looking out at a postcard-perfect coast.

The Full Magic And Majesty Of Muscat — **The Full Magic And Majesty of Muscat: Sunset view of Muscat City.** Photo Credit: Aparna Pednekar

Grand Design

Don’t let Muscat’s laid back vibe fool you though. The city hides much jaw-dropping grandeur, even if it isn’t soaring towards the sky or in your face. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a thing of great beauty, both physical and spiritual.

Though the lady attendant almost puts me in an abaya thanks to the three-fourth length sleeves of my top — I borrow a men’s jacket and get in, peeved to spot a Western photographer wandering around in a short sleeved shirt — all annoyance melts at the sight of the main prayer hall. The hall can accommodate 6,500 people at a time and bears a gorgeous 40-foot chandelier on the roof and a stunning hand-loomed Persian carpet on one wall, with the second largest of its kind in the world, on one wall.

Two Lunches and a Museum

Outside of worship, I trawl the terrific Mutrah Souq, walking up and down the lovely Corniche area munching on samboosas, gawk at the Sultan’s two super-yachts docked at the port, and top it all with a grand buffet lunch at the Sheraton Oman.

The property reopened last year after a 10-year hiatus and is Oman’s tallest hotel. Delightfully decorated with blushing cherry-blossom trees, the poolside Courtyard serves a buffet guaranteed to woo a business client or delight the family. If you’re looking for an a la carte option, Asado is an elegant South American steakhouse.

Another meal, this one at The Chedi, is equally memorable. The iconic hotel’s (simply named) Restaurant is a crystal chandelier space with a patio and four open kitchens that whip up a smorgasbord of Arabic, Indian, Oriental and Western cuisines.

The desserts — macaroons, oui! — are particularly addictive, and I have to resist the impulse for round two, to be able to sustain a post-meal stroll on one of the hotel’s coolest attractions, a 103-meter long swimming pool – one of three on the entire property – set on the beach, overlooking the Gulf of Oman and the formidable Al Hajar Mountains.

A museum visit following any lunch – let alone a coma inducing feast – sounds like a snooze, but the Bait Al Zubair in the old city, is compact and engaging. It’s next to the more swish and high tech National Museum, but if you’re not much of a museum-connoisseur the Bait Al Zubair should suffice. It’s set in a beautifully restored Omani mansion and has some wonderful selections of traditional jewellery, art and handicrafts alongside a pictorial history of the sultanate.

Stay, Shop, Stare

While Muscat is far from being a sparkling shrine to consumerism, there’s much retail therapy to soak in. I’m staying at the Grand Millenium Muscat — another relative newbie to the city’s hospitality scene — located in Bausher, the city’s “mall district.”

Tucked inside the Tilal Complex, the hotel is seamlessly connected to the mighty Muscat Grand Mall. Should that be less entertaining, the Grand Mosque and Royal Opera House are a five-minute drive away. If you’re looking for a self-sufficient luxury accommodation for a bachelorette or wedding party, the Millennium Executive Apartments are just right.

But even at the hotel, after a quick couple of laps in the rooftop swimming pool affords a luxury that retail therapy can’t substitute — a mesmerizing, panoramic city view. One that’ll bring you back for seconds and thirds.

Main Image Photo Credit: Forbes.com

Aparna Pednekar

Author

Aparna is an India - based travel writer for leading lifestyle and fashion publications. She's also a gemologist and jewelry designer. New cities, new food, cats, dogs, snakes, hours of walking and driving fuel her incurable ADD.