Salalah, Oman

Well, Salalah is kind of like you mentally picture the desert in the Arabian Peninsula.  Sand dunes, rocks, and camel crossings were the norm, and it was beautiful.  The tour included some shopping time at the souk, the sardine fishing village of Taqah with its castle, the ruined city of Sumhuram which once was the center of the ancient frankincense trade, Marneef Cave and Mugsail Beach, and lunch at the Crown Plaza Beach Hotel.



Caution:  Camel Crossing.  Herds of camels have designated areas to use the highway.  If you hit one in the daytime, you have to pay the owner.

The beach and rocks of Mughsail Beach.

The view from the blowholes.  Low tide prevented them from doing their thing!

The path leads to the blowholes, but it was low tide.

Those are frankincense trees.  Frankincense comes from the resin that is harvested from the skin of the tree.

This part of Oman has miles and miles of beaches.  Hilton, Marriott, Crowne Plaza and other chains have hotels/resorts here.  This is the only part of the Middle East that can grow coconuts and bananas.  All other palm trees are date palms.

This is Taqah Castle.  This area is a fishing village known for its sardine catch.  I climbed up all those stairs!

The view from the Taqah Castle.  That's the fishing village with its beautiful beaches.

The ancient city of Sumhuram is being excavated.  It was the center of the frankincense trade in Biblical times.

A frankincense tree is growing on top of the ruined city.

Here I am at the archaeological dig.  That sand bar separates fresh water from the Arabian Sea.  Forgive the sweat on my shirt ... it was hot, hot, hot at 2pm in the afternoon!