Destinations

Ancient travellers such as Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo knew the trading town and its port as Dhofar / Zafar, the name now used for the entire southern region of Oman. The impressive southern sea walls of Al Baleed (previous page) form part of the fortifications of the town. Protected by the walls were the citadel and grand mosque. Both of these impressive buildings were originally approached by a bridge over the surrounding lagoon.

Standard opening hours are: 08:00 – 2:00 with a modest entrance charge (please check for timings before you visit).

Situated between the extraordinary escarpment jobel Samhan the Arabian Sea, Mirbat is a charming coastal town. Historically it traded in horses and frankincense, more recently in abalone and from its fishing harbor, fish. Overlooking the harbor entrance is Mirbat fort which, in origin, is an early 19th century fortification. Separated from Mirbat Fort by a small hill is the whitewashed tomb of Mohammed bin Ali, a respected religious leader who died in 556H (1161AD). Beyond Mirbat the coastline becomes more rugged as the road winds through outcrops of granite rock on its way to sadh, with its small fort, and Hasik, set on a vast sweeping bay.

The town of Taqah’s charming coastal setting to the east of Salalah makes it an attentive town to visit or stay in. To the west of the town is khor Taqah, a lagoon edged with natural reeds and a section landscaped to enjoy the views. From the lagoon, a long walk or drive along the beachfront will take you past coconut plantations towards the older part of town. Here is the Sheikh Afif Mosque, which is located next to Taqah Fort. The fort is built around an open courtyard offering its residents privacy and security and, from

Its upper story, allows visitors views of the town, mountains and sea. From the fort it’s possible to take a short walk through the Back streets of the town, where visitors will see several old buildings in traditional Dhofar Governorate style.

The tomb known within the region as that of Prophet Job (Nabi Ayoub (PBUH) has a magnificent location set high in the mountains overlooking the sea and coastal plain around Salalah. The drive from Salalah is full of interest as it passes close to Ain Jarziz, the water spring, and then rises steeply upwards with valleys appearing to the right and left. Picnic places allow families to enjoy the Atmosphere and enjoy the views around.

The southern side of the Dhofar Mountains is blessed with many springs. Some are sporadic others, like the flow at Ain Razat, are continuous. Set just north of Saadah, the spring at Ain Sahnawt (opposite) is located at the end of a beautiful wooded valley. The road which winds up to the plateau is bordered by dense woodland which remains in leaf well after the Khareef. Set deep within two valleys between Salalah and Taqah are the twin springs of Ain Tabruk and Ain Athum (this page). Hidden within well wooded hillsides, these seasonal springs are at either end of a very attractive valley and during the Khareef the open grasslands in the valley’s centre are ideal for picnics.

Just south of Salalah Airport is the extremely long tomb believed to be that of Prophet Imran (PBUH), set within a small garden with ornamental plants. Close to this location is the site of the Prophet Saleh’s [PBUH] camel’s footprint and beyond that is a charming

Drive through coconut plantations. The Governorate of Dhofar has a number of tombs, thought by many people to be those of other respected religious leaders including Prophet Hood’s (PBUH) tomb near Zayk and Prophet Saleh’s (PBUH) tomb before Hasik.

The most unexpected site in Dhofar is Wadi Darbat. The wadi is secreted in the mountains overlooking the site of Khor Rori, just after Taqah on the coast. At its southern end a natural Tufa dam described by mid-19th century travellers as ‘one of the most stupendous natural phenomena we have ever seen’ allows views over wide areas of the coast. Within the wadi are a ribbon of small lakes overlooked by undulating hillsides. During the Khareef the water is replenished, and some may remain throughout the year. The grasslands formed during the Khareef offer grazing for camels, cows, goats and donkeys, as well as a spacious picnic area for visitors.

To the far east of Salalah, beyond the Dhofar Mountains, lies the town of Ash Shuwaymiyyah. Set on the coast at the end of a kilometer-long beach where beautiful Wadi Ash Shuwaymiyyah meets the sea, the town is a centre for fishing and lobster harvesting. In a few homes skilled ladies create baskets woven from palm and leather, a link between the necessities of the past and souvenirs of today.

Though usually associated with the Afrotropic region The Governorate of Dhofar’s avifauna receives migrants from the Palearctic and an increasing number from the Indomalaya region. To the north of the Dhofar Mountains isolated areas of vegetation provide critical places of recuperation for migrants like Hume’s Leaf Warbler, while the more fertile mountains and valleys host not only migrants such as White Stork but permanent residents including the Rüppell’s Weaver and Grey-headed Kingfisher. The coast line has innumerable seabirds and waders, including Socotra Cormorant and Greater Flamingo.

Throughout the Governorate of Dhofar land mammals inhabit the mountains and coastal plains, where they enjoy protection from hunting under Oman’s law. The most iconic is the Arabian Leopard, one of the smallest Leopard species and these mountains are critical to its survival. The Arabian Gazelle can most readily be seen in the valleys either side of the main mountain ranges. In these valleys Rock Hyrax are also found, while in remoter areas Striped Hyaena, Nubian Ibex and Arabian Wolf live.

The Dhofar Mountains are by far the major natural feature in the Governorate of Dhofar. They extend from the farthest west of the region near Dalkut to Ash Shuwaymiyyah in the east. Each of the three main ranges has a unique appearance, which helps create added interest for those visitors who wish to explore them. The thousand-meter-high cliffs of Jabal Al Qamar (The Moon Mountains), which face the Arabian Sea in the west, catch the moisture from clouds formed during the Khareef (Monsoon) season from June to September, creating the ‘cloud forest’, which develops a green blanket of vegetation on those slopes which drop towards the sea. The central arc of the Dhofar Mountains is known as Jabal Al Qara. The slopes of these undulating hills are covered by the ‘cloud forest’, while the plateau is an extensive seasonal grassland. Between the Arabian Sea and these mountains, the coastal plain enables animal pastoralists to bring their animals away from the cloud during the Khareef season. The wadis throughout Jebel Qara offer walks to enjoy the splendid scenery and nature. Extending east beyond Mirbat is Jebel Samhan (these pages) whose kilometer-high escarpment overlooks the rugged coastal plain below.

Probably the most famous attraction of The Governorate of Dhofar are the ‘blow holes’ at Mugsayl to the west of Salalah. Small holes in the rock just above the sea allow a forceful fountain of sea water to explode into the air during times when the sea is slightly rough.The sound as the air and sea water rush upwards is almost as if an angry sea monster would appear rather than a dramatic cascade of water. Overlooking the blow holes, Al Marnif Cave provides a sheltered place to relax and enjoy the views and sea breeze. Mugsayl Beach’s soft white sand stretches for six uninterrupted kilometers and its small picturesque shelters allow families to picnic and relax overlooking the sea. The Mugsayl area also has some of the most accessible frankincense trees of the region and when they flower honeybees produce frankincense honey.