10 Awesome Things To Do In Muscat By A Local

Muscat is one of those very few cities in the Middle East that has retained its cultural charm and Bedouin values. Unlike, the neighboring capital cities, the low rise buildings, and arabesque architecture all around, reflects the true essence of Arabia; a treat for the first-timer.

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Though traditional and laid-back, life still swings at its best in here with plenty of unmissable things to do in Muscat. From giant extremely gorgeous mosques to years old forts, natural parks, vibrant shopping districts and tons of outdoor activities for the adventurous, Muscat has everything to offer. Oman travel is a waste without engaging yourself in the vintage Arabian vibe of Muscat.

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Between driving on Muscat’s top-notch roads to immersing yourself in the backdrop of the scenic mountains surrounding the city, here are the 10 most awesome things to do in Muscat.

Explore The Main Monuments

Muscat is an ideal place for anyone in love with Arab architecture. The city has a mixture of monuments representing the Islamic culture and the urbanized vibe of today’s world.

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

Muscat is home to some incredibly beautiful mosques in the region. The stunning Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is situated in the heart of the city along the Sultan Qaboos road. The mosque is one of the not-to-be things in Muscat. It is the only mosque in Oman opened for people from different religious beliefs and values. Five brown high minarets surround the mosque, with several huge verandas and gardens inside to accommodate large numbers of people during the Friday prayers and Eid prayers.

The main prayer hall features a huge fourteen meters tall chandelier, which is also the largest chandelier in the world. There are also many small chandeliers hung all across the mosque. The Sultan Qaboos Mosque is a must-visit for everyone visiting Muscat and wanting to get a true taste of Islamic Arab culture.

Note: as a symbol of respect while visiting the mosque, men should wear full-length trousers and women are required to wear dresses covering from shoulders to ankles with a headscarf.

Royal Opera House of Muscat

The Royal Opera House of Muscat is the main center of arts and culture not only in the city but in the entire country. Built to represent Oman’s contemporary approach towards arts and culture, the Royal Opera House Oman is a magnificent royal property that reflects Arabesque architecture from every corner of it. Giant chandeliers are hung out across inside and outside the building. The ROHM offers some of the best things to do in Muscat as it features concert theatres, auditoriums, gardens, retail stores, and luxury restaurants.

Also, the whole complex is extremely picturesque and looks even more beautiful after the sunset. If you’re someone who loves to explore arts and culture while traveling, the Royal Opera House of Muscat should be a must-stop during your Oman travel. You can check the performance calendar of Royal Opera House here. The complex is opened every day for the show-goers and visitors alike.

Note: In order to attend the opera shows, you must abide by the show’s dress code. However, to visit ROHM no dress code is required to be followed.

For More On Travelling To Oman With Kids – Read This

Indulge In Natural Serenity

It is extremely fortunate that Muscat has not been overtaken by extreme urbanization and commercialism unlike all the major cities in the region. The city still has a lot of natural serenity to offer (I really mean it!). From lush green nature parks for relaxing to wide stretches of beaches to walk, Muscat has it all. So, the next section in this things to do in Muscat list is all about the natural beauty of Muscat.

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Qurum Natural Park (Rose Garden)

The Qurum Natural Park also known as Rose Garden in the area of Qurum is one of the largest natural parks in Muscat. It is a perfect place to rejuvenate and relax within nature. The park has extensive rose gardens, children playing areas, a huge artificial lake, fountains and also an artificial waterfall, which is not functional anymore. Have a picnic in the big gardens of the park or just stroll around through walkways built through the trees, Qurum Natural Park is the best place to get up and close with nature in Muscat. Also, it is free to enter the park, so why not you should visit it?

Muttrah Corniche

Muttrah Corniche is a long stretch of the beautiful Oman coastline running across the city of Muscat. It is built around the main port of Muscat, which was redesigned by the government to turn industrialization into tourism. The long walkway runs parallel with the coastline with low-rise buildings, small cafes, and mosques on the other side of the road. The Muttrah Corniche walk is the most popular spot in Muscat for residents and tourists alike to stroll around and enjoy the waves hitting the rocks with their dormant strength with many ships still anchored along the harbor. Also, you can hire and ride a bike for free!

Shop For Souvenirs At Muttrah Souq

Did I tell you earlier that Muttrah is the main tourist hub of Muscat? For obvious reasons, the main souvenir shopping district, the Muttrah Souq (Muttrah market), is just across the street from Corniche and that’s how it made it to this list of awesome things to do in Muscat. It is a congested market with local vendors selling in their small stalls all sorts of souvenirs, headscarves, bags, Arab style chandeliers, home décor, possibly anything you can think of (quite similar to the Bukit Bintang street market in Kuala Lumpur). Seeing tourists, vendors might offer an expensive price, however, feel free to bargain as much as you can. Do grab some souvenirs at a discounted/bargained price from the Muttrah Souq; this will be the cheapest you can shop in Muscat!

Visit The Museums In Muscat

Muscat is one of the oldest capitals in the region and hence bears a lot of interesting historic charm and culture. The city had witnessed wars, Portuguese intervention, and tales of trade links across the Persian Gulf to Far East Asia. The historic treasure of Muscat is saved in many different museums across the city.

The National Museum of Oman

The National Museum on Al-Alam Street is the newest entrant in the lists of museums in Muscat and one of the places everyone should definitely visit in Muscat. Inaugurated in 2013, this state of the art museum is dedicated to Oman’s cultural heritage and exchange of Omani traditions from one generation to the other. It is a huge property with fourteen permanent galleries and 400 sq. m space for temporary galleries.

The National Museum of Oman houses more than 5000 objects and artifacts with a learning center as well for the visitor. It is a region first of its kind learning center, where visitors are explained about the entire process of preserving the artifacts before they’re put out on display. A 16^th-century shipwreck is also on display in the museum, which is assumed to be a part of Vasco Da Gama’s fleet! How interesting is that?

Bait Al Zubair Museum

Bait Al Zubair (meaning ‘The House of Zubair’ in Arabic) is a privately funded museum by the Zubair family, which is one of the oldest families in Oman. The museum hosts beautiful cultural artworks and artifacts, most of which are from the owner’s personal collections. Recently the museum has been transformed into a cultural center that holds many national and international arts and culture events throughout the year. The complex has five different buildings, each for a dedicated section of culture and history. There is also a typical Arabian style café and gift shop in the museum. Here are the timings and ticket prices for the Bait Al Zubair museum.

Here is a Comprehensive List of All The Museums in Muscat

Relive The History Of Muttrah Fort In Muscat

The things to do in Muscat list will not be completed without getting to know a bit of the city’s history. The iconic Muttrah fort has been recently reopened for the public after a long period of restoration and renovation. The Muttrah Fort stands tall and high on a rocky hill facing the beautiful Oman coastline and the Muttrah Corniche. The fort was built in the 16^th century by the Portuguese traders and it was used for monitoring the operations undergoing at the harbor. The fort comprises of three rocky circular towers; a bigger one in the center of the summit with two small ones in the West. An old cannon is also placed near the fort guarding it against the Northern side.

Enjoy Water Activities In Muscat

Related: Ultimate List of The Best Diving Sites In Oman

Oman has a 3000 km long stretched coastline and the port city of Muscat is surrounded by Arabian ocean, which makes it a perfect place to enjoy different water activities. The water sports market in Muscat is saturated with many local operators conducting diving and snorkeling tours, water boat tours, dolphin watching, rental jet-ski, kayaking, wake-boarding, fishing, and many more. You can essentially also visit Marina Al Rowdha and Al-Mouj Muscat Marina, the two main centers for all the water activities operators in Muscat.

Check Out The Best 10 Water Activities Operators In Muscat Rated By Trip Advisor

Relax On The Blissful Beaches Of Muscat

Muscat is the epitome of a relaxed and calm holiday getaway, which makes the beaches of Muscat a not to be missed place for all whose thriving for recreation and peace on a sunny afternoon. The golden sandy beaches of Muscat with beautiful blue waters and bright clear skies are an ideal scenario for any beach lover.

Related: Check out my Guide of The Best Beaches To Visit In Oman

Go Dune Bashing On The Golden Sands Of Muscat

Dune bashing is not something that Oman is famous for. However, due to the extreme natural diversity which can be found in Oman, dune bashing is definitely an awesome activity to do on the Arabian golden sands. The most famous spot for dune bashing in Muscat is in the area of Baushar. High rise golden dunes are present right in the heart of Baushar in Muscat. People who own four-wheelers use their own cars for dune bashing.

For visitors, a tent is set up near the dunes from where you can ride quad bikes for hourly charges. You will be required to produce your passport number or Oman ID card number if you’re a resident for renting purposes. Among all the things to do in Muscat – dune bashing is something which is extremely local to the city and definitely not to be missed!

Fun And Games Activities In Muscat

Muscat is a naturally diverse city but that doesn’t stop it to have a vibrant gaming culture. Off late, many local gaming start-ups have emerged to the scene run by enthusiastic young locals. Here’s a little about some of the indoor adventurous things to do in Muscat.

Xcape Oman

Xcape Oman in Hay Al Sarooj area is a mind reality gaming studio with different difficulty levels games. Players are locked in a room where they have to investigate and find answers to unlock themselves from the room. The games comprise of riddles and puzzles to be solved, which will eventually lead to the final answers through which players can solve the mystery and release themselves. Game details and pricing can be found here.

Trampo Extreme

Trampo Extreme at the airport heights is Oman’s first physical gaming arena for kids and adults alike. It has different difficulty level climbing and jumping games, an indoor zip line, a huge trampoline arena, and Oman’s first virtual reality gaming studio. More details about Trampo Oman can be found here.

Check The Best Tours To Take In Muscat

Eat Local And International Cuisine In Muscat

The population percentage of locals and expatriates in the capital city of Muscat is almost similar. This is the reason that you will find way too many Omani, International, India, and Pakistani restaurants in Muscat. The city has some of the finest restaurants in all of the country. The food street of Al-Khuwair is a very popular location with many fast food joints and local and international restaurants.

Check this Quick Guide To Omani Food to learn more about the local cuisine

There are plenty of cafes, ice cream, and juice places. The area is always buzzing even during the late hours of the night. Another popular food destination is the Jawarat Al Shatti area, which has fine dining restaurants and Shisha lounges (flavored water-pipe smoke). The food street of Jawarat Al Shatti is right in front of the famous Shatti beach of Muscat having a perfect outdoor dining vibe.

Where To Stay In Muscat

Muscat is a metropolitan city however it is not that big in size. Naturally, there are tons of places to stay in Muscat, however, a few considerations to be noted before making a booking is the distance of your accommodation with the main things to do and see in Muscat.

Here is my recommendation of some best properties to stay in Muscat according to your budget

Luxury: The most lavish and stunning place to stay in Muscat is Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort, which is a 7* resort surrounded by rugged brown mountains and facing the emerald colored Arabian sea. There are three hotels in the resort – each one with its own perks and facilities. Shangri-La in Muscat is located in a secluded area a little away from the city center. The second most luxurious hotel in Muscat Al Bustan Palace and as the name suggests, it is as grand as a palace. The hotel is a part of the Ritz Carlton chain of hotels. It is also one of the first 7* properties in Muscat.

Mid-level: Hilton Garden Inn is the newest hotel in town. Located in the heart of the city in the area of Al-Khuwair, Hilton is very easily accessible from a majority of the major tourist attractions. It is perhaps the best option for anyone who wants to explore the city by public transport as the hotel is well-connected with the bus network of Muscat. Carnelian By Glory Bower Hotels is one of the nearest hotels from Muscat International Airport. The hotel has an infinity pool overlooking the main Sultan Qaboos Highway. It is just 5mins drive away from the beach.

Budget: Though there are not many budget hotels in Muscat – recently due to high tourist influx, thankfully there are a handful of budget hotels finally in Muscat. Levatio Hotel Muscatt is a new hotel opened in the city center. Just a short 5mins from Muscat Grand Mall and Oman Avenues Mall, Levatio hotels is a good choice for backpackers. Though it might be not as cheap as other backpacker hotels around the world, it is the best a budget hotel can be in Muscat. Mutrah Hotel is perhaps the best option for budget travelers. Located right in front of the tourist district of Mutrah Corniche, it is a relatively old property but offers all the facilities and amenities for a comfortable stay.

Check and Compare The Best Places To Stay In Muscat

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Looking for more adventure around Oman? Read my Oman Destination Guides:

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