This was my second time to Oman but altogether different from my first trip. The first experience was literally a ‘fly and flop’ holiday 3 years ago where we stayed at the Chedi in Muscat for 7 nights but having done another trip to Muscat and Salalah recently this month, I thoroughly recommend going out and about to visit this beautiful country which is steeped in history and diversity.

The thing that struck me most about Oman was its people. Omani’s live gracious and gentle lives but they’re also very warm and friendly. Everywhere we went we were greeted with great smiles and welcomes and all hotels, mostly 4* or 5* take pride in giving you the best experience possible.

Oman has only opened up to tourism within the last 10 years but the current Sultan Qaboos Bin Said is very keen to lead the country forward in the 21st Century.  The international airports and seaports are flourishing with a new airport currently being constructed in Muscat and an extension to the port in Salalah due to start soon.  The road network is growing daily and the hotels are growing rapidly with the big names such as Marriott, Millennium, Hilton etc due to expand in the next few years.

I’m sure most people would view Oman as being in a desert – not completely true!  We flew the 1 hour 40 minutes from Muscat to Salalah in the South and here we found lush green mountains of Dhofar overlooking the city and this is due to the Khareef season which brings mist and rain to the area during the monsoon season between June and October. In Salalah you’ll find that the fertile plains produce coconut groves and banana plantations, drive along the roads and you’ll see stall after stall of local vendors. Beyond the mountains there is desert with Bedouin camps, and after a 3 hour drive you will arrive at the sand dunes of the Empty Quarter which borders Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen. Ask a local and they will say the best time to visit the Dhofar region is November to April and even the locals in Muscat fly to Salalah to escape the high summer temperatures of Muscat in June, July and August.

Frankincense is big business in the Dhofar region and it comes from a resin scraped from the Boswellia Tree which has been in the area for thousands of years and was known as white gold to the Romans. If you visit any of the bustling souks (a traditional market) in Oman you can purchase the Frankincense along with charcoal and the decorative containers in which to burn it. It’s an aromatic experience that will, undoubtedly, have you reaching for your wallet for use at home. Local handicrafts also include leather work, textiles, basketry, pottery, gold, silver and copper-ware.

Oman is shrouded in history with many watchtowers, forts and castles which act as memories of a bygone age and local tribes.  The oldest fort is in Nizwa and was built in the 17th Century.  It was one of the first cities to embrace Islam and became a recognised entre for Islamic and scientific scholarship, agriculture and trade.

Coming back to the 21st Century, Muscat is due to open its very own Opera House in November 2011 and the complex will also feature a souq, museum, shops, cafes and a village square.

Golf has also come to Oman with the Muscat Hills Golf and Country Club which opened in 2010 and only 10 minutes from the International Airport.  It was designed by Paul Thomas of La Manga Fame and also features private villas and a 150 room boutique hotel.

I love Oman and would love to go back in a couple of years time to see the new Marina project in Salalah up and running and the expansion of the hotels in Muscat especially the Millennium Musanah which has recently opened.  It’s part of a major development plan sited 1 hour north of Muscat. At the time we were there the 4 swimming pools were being constructed – including a ladies only pool with an aqua park and golf course are due for completion by the end of 2012.  It’s going to be a great family resort.

Another interesting fact is that Muscat is only a 3 hour drive from Dubai and the roads are straight and smooth making driving very easy, not like here in the UK.