Landscapes of Oman

The Sultanate of Oman occupies 309,500 square kilometers with varied and striking terrains along with the coastline of 1,700 km which spans from the Strait of Hormuz in the north to the borders of the Republic of Yemen overseeing the view of the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

The landscape is formed by different landforms mainly dominated by the jagged mountains, rugged cliffs rising from the deep blue sea and green palm groves spread across the mountain valley. The land form of the country ranges from fjord-like Musandam Peninsula that inclines to the Strait of Hormuz, to the fertile Batinah plain in the south-east towards Muscat and from the vast, sandy edge of the Rub al-Khali to the lush plain of Salalah in the south.

An uninterrupted belt of palm groves is formed along the plain of Batinah where you can see coastal town with the ancient forts. A drive through the palm groves along the Seeb Fish Souq and Nakhl fort, you can explore the beauty of Wakan Village known for its terrace farming and Wadi Abhyad, where you can see large patches of white sedimentation.

The Wahiba Sands, about three hours from Muscat, is home to a variety of flora and fauna with 16,000 invertebrates and 200 species of other wildlife along with150 species of native flora. The desert is a great expanse of red and white sand with several dunes rising up to 200 m. The sand dunes with the frequently changed patterns are the great attraction to the photographers. The sands actually contain quite a variety of terrain and vegetation and you would find Bedouin herders with their camps scattered around.

The Dhofar mountains which lie in the far south envelop in the lush greenery during the summer monsoon. The mountains have played a vital role in shaping the history of the land, character of the people and their destiny. The region attracts thousands of tourists throughout the year with popular places like Salalah which is the largest city in Dhofar, Kamar mountain range where you can see different species of flora and fauna and Mirbat, known for a fishing village and Mirbat Castle. Dhofar is also important agricultural area of Oman where you can also spot the beautiful agricultural fields of coconuts, alfalfa, sorghum, bananas and vegetables.

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