I dreamed of this trip to Salalah a long time ago. We planned to do it with a very good friend. I made plans with her, but it wasn't to be going together.
But I went with my family. I didn't even expect to get to Salalah so quickly. I had a very big wish come true. My husband's brother-in-law invited us to go on this journey together. My husband proposed to invite my parents as well. At first they refused, but in the end I convinced them to go with us.
I was very happy that they went with us, the idea that we will spend your time together and get to know you better. It gave me great satisfaction.
Our trip lasted 5 days, from Saturday to Thursday, but on Thursday we returned home. During these 5 days we planned to visit the most beautiful and famous places in Salalah.
The distance was 1017 km, a long and tiring road with many interesting walls. I will never forget this beautiful journey.
Last night we packed our bags, took our most important things. My husband rented a 3-room apartment with a kitchen and amenities.
On September 4, 2021, on a Saturday morning, we woke up around 4.30 in the morning, we went to pick up my parents at 5 o'clock and set off. We left Muscat earlier to reach Salalah.
We had breakfast and coffee on the way so we wouldn't stop several times. But anyway we stopped to power the car, and to do the necessary chores and to get our feet wet.
Our departure was more and more exciting, we did almost 10 hours with small stops, for lunch and other necessities.
The joy was immense that we were going to a new location, we didn't feel like anything and we accepted anything just to visit the most beautiful places during the Khareef season.
What about the Khareef season, who doesn't know, I'll tell you in a few words briefly.
Of course, the first and most popular is the Khareef season. The other time is the winter season. Khareef translated from Arabic for the fall season. This is the prominent season in Salalah. The weather in Salalah is very pleasant in the middle of the year, from the end of June to the end of September, every year. This is Khareef's time.
During this period we saw a lush greenery, the aromas of incense trees in absolute bloom and the glorious waterfalls that awaken your soul simply surrounded by the refreshing fog on the high peaks of the mountains.
Temperatures drop to 25 C, making Dhofar the perfect hill station after visiting Muscat.
Salalah is the third largest city in Oman and the capital of Dhofar Governorate. It is a unique place in the Arabian Peninsula and is known for tourism all year round. There are many things to do in Salalah, Oman and there are wonderful tourist attractions.
Salalah is famous for its amazing scenery and wonderful weather. There are two seasons, which are popular for tourists visiting Slalah.
I left Muscat and headed for Nizwa. In front of us began to rise beautiful mountains of various sizes, so it lasted until the exit from the Nizwa region, then we took it to the village of Adam, where we stopped to rest and power the car.
Later, we took it to another Al Ghabah locality, made a short stop, and from there to Haima, where we rested, drank coffee and refueled the car.
Another stop was Thumrait, a little longer, we had lunch and rested. On the way to Thumrait, the mountains ended at the exit of Adam, the plain began and then a valley of dunes with fine white sand.
All our way to the entrance to the Salalah region, was with sand and dunes, a sunny and warm day
But after that, we arrived in the Salalah region, the mountains appeared on the horizon and heavy rain clouds could be seen. We were glad that the rain was finally coming.
We drove up the hill, thick fog began to appear and it was raining lightly because nothing could be seen in front of us. The weather suddenly changed from sun to fog. We enjoyed the view from the outside.
Practically until the descent into the city, the weather held with us. It was just cloudy in the city, a good sign that it was going to rain.
The villa I rented I quickly found near the airport. I rented the villa for 5 days. The villa I rented had 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room.
It's already 19:00, I went out to shop but also to have dinner. It was foggy outside and it started to rain nicely. The humidity was high. It was getting dark because nothing could be seen around us. The fatigue I had, I didn't feel it at all.
I was dreaming that I couldn't believe we were in Salalah. But I felt good, the weather outside reminded me of the uninterrupted rains of coming home. I love the small autumn rains and the summer rains. The rain cleans all the dust leaving a pleasant smell of clean air and freshness.
We returned to our apartment tired and full of positive energy, and with great joy in our souls. I entered the house, I could not feel my body. I fell into a deep sleep, and woke up to the morning prayer. And back to sleep. I dreamed of something beautiful but I don't remember.
The next day, Sunday, September 5, 2021, I woke up at 8 o'clock in the morning. I wanted to sleep more but they wouldn't let me sleep. I woke up from a deep and hard sleep, I wanted to drink coffee and eat breakfast.
I had breakfast and lunch in the apartment. After that, we prepared and went to visit Salalah, and where another beautiful destination awaited us Al Marneef Cave.
We took the Shatti Al Mughasayl area, about 40 km from Salalah. On the way to the cave, I met many camels and large horned cattle that grazed on the ridge but also on the side of the road, which hindered traffic.
We took it to the Al Mughsayl region, the region is a beautiful beach where you can bathe quietly, but also the Marneef Cave. Mughsay Beach is the most famous in the region because of the holes in Mugsayl, west of Salalah.
The small rock holes just above the sea allow a strong seawater fountain to explode in the air during periods when the sea is slightly choppy. The sound as the air and sea water rushes up is close, as if an angry monster appears rather than a dramatic drop of water.
Overlooking the wind holes, Al Marneef Cave offers a sheltered place to relax and enjoy the breeze. The soft white sand of Mugsayl Beach stretches for six uninterrupted miles and its small scenic shelters allow families to picnic and relax with sea views. Mugsayl also has some of the most accessible trees in the region and when the bees bloom they produce incense honey.
In addition to the cave, visitor facilities have been equipped. A degree of protection has been installed on the side overlooking the sea, in addition to chairs, corridors, walkways and a bridge.
There were many ambulance vendors selling from barbecue, sweet popcorn, ice cream and many other snacks you could enjoy. It was a strong wind and it was cool outside. The waves were choppy. In the distance was a thick fog, which covered the whole surrounding mountain.
The charm of this place starts all around, which has several benches for tourists to enjoy the wonderful view of the beach and the Al Marneef Blowholes, which are also called Al Mughaail Blowholes or Fountains.
These holes in the ground are known as sea caves, through which the waters of the sea come, creating beautiful and high fountains that splash water around them. Between the white sandy beach, the magnificent mountain, the deep cave and the charming fountains, the Al Marneef cave is the perfect escape for all nature lovers.
I took the most beautiful pictures with my family. I climbed high on the mountain to see the view from above.
The location for such a picnic was Ayn Razat. At Ayn Razat it was a good place to stop and eat papaya, we enjoyed the weather outside, with fog and light rain.
I didn't even finish the papaya because the other members of the family came. We met just as we were finishing papaya. I stayed with them for about 45 minutes, and drank biscuit tea.
But we went out to have more fun at the mall. It was a successful day and full of pleasant emotions.
Monday, September 6, 2021, was a gloomy day, I missed the sun. It was cloudy when I woke up outside. But I had a great desire to travel and an unforgettable adventure.
We took the coffee thermos with us so we could wake up and energize ourselves for the whole day. We took it in the direction of Mirbat Fort, located between the extraordinary escarpment of Jebel Samhan and the Arabian Sea, Mirbat is a charming coastal town, historically, traded with horses, and incense and fish.
Overlooking the entrance to the port is the Mirbat Fort, which was originally in a fortification from the early nineteenth century. Separated from Fort Mirbat by a small hill is the whitewashed tomb of Mohammed bin Ali, a respected religious leader who died in 556 H. Beyond Mirbat, the coastline becomes more accidental as the road winds through granite outcrops. on his way to Sadh, with its small fort and Hasik, perched on a vast bay.
Walking through the streets of Mirbat unearths some interesting and old fireworks, and houses of merchants. We arrived in the locality, we looked for the fortress and to enjoy the tourist area. The abandoned houses near the fortress had a special charm, a mystery you wanted to reveal, but those places did not allow you to know them so as not to divulge their secret.
After visiting this wonderful fortress and the surrounding landscapes, we took it in another interesting direction Wadi Darbat. Before I tell you about these wonderful places, I want to tell you about the springs. They are only in the rainy season. In many places in the Salalah it is formed from the amounts of rain that fall on the earth.
The south of the Dhofar is blessed with many springs. Some are sporadic, and others, such as the flow from Ayn Razat, are continuous. Located just north of Saadath, the Ain Sahnat spring is located at the end of a beautiful wooded valley.
The road that returns to the plateau is bordered by dense forests that remain in the leaves well bupa Khareef. The depths located in two valleys between Salalah and Taqah are the twin springs of Ain Tabruk and Ain Athum. Hidden on well-forested hills, the season is at both ends of a very attractive valley, and during Khareef, the open meadows in the center of the valley are ideal for picnics.
After visiting Fort Mirbat, I took it to Wadi Darbat, it was raining outside and it was foggy in places. It was always cloudy outside, no sun on the horizon, it reminds me of our weather.
In these places it was something unusual for this region where we were.
An unseen and indescribable landscape opened in front of us, everything was green around us. A bright green brightly colored green, you have to see it to convince yourself of their beauty.
I remembered someone telling me about a yellow house of a witch in Wadi Darbat. That yellow house is located under some of the most frightening trees and bizarre mountain ranges, it is a stone's throw from one of the localities that see the waterfalls during the rains.
When I got there in Wadi Darbat, I tried to find her with my eyes but I didn't find her, but the scary story I found didn't leave me in peace, curiosity and the desire to find that mysterious house. In another article I will tell this story about that mysterious house and why people pass by it with fear.
The pastures formed during the rainy season provide food for camels, cows, goats and donkeys, and a place for picnics, rest for visitors. At noon, we were all hungry, we looked for a place for lunch on the green grass.
We left Wadi Darbat and went up the mountain, we found a small place where we sat down to have lunch. It was the most romantic place full of mosquitoes and mosquitoes, and the birds chirped, a total silence.
After an hour of rest, we started to see other interesting places and beautiful views.
We climbed up, we saw in the distance a beautiful waterfall, which we did not know what it was called. I asked my husband his name. He told me his name was Ayn Khor.
It is located at Wadi Jardum next to the Raysult Cement Factory 20 km away from Salalah. This piece of heaven is accessible by car, it is recommended due to the road, and the area near the waterfall is rocky made of small stones.
We stopped on the side of the road, in front of us we could see a wonderful view, the mountains dressed in green, after a long time we saw the sun for the first time. We stopped for a coffee with fruit and took a picture. It was something magnificent.
We returned home tired but full of positive energy and relaxed. We were hungry, we stopped for a shawarma. We went to bed waiting for the next day.
Tuesday, September 7, 2021. We woke up around 7, had breakfast and set off to visit other interesting places. The first place I visited was Ayn Athum, it is the most beautiful and important tourist attraction in Salalah, it is close to Wadi Darbat.
Just before reaching a spring of the same name, a small parking lot appears on the right side of the road and a paved path mysteriously disappears into the wooded bushes. At the end of the path, there is a surprising discovery: a limestone waterfall (15m) slides on the cliff, forming stalactites and filtering through ferns with girl's hair, segmented cacti and various creepers. The waterfall takes place only after heavy rains, but it is a magical place even when the season is quiet.
When I got there I came across some climbers going up and down that mountain. I started to be jealous of them, I wanted to be in place for a few minutes to feel adrenaline, pleasure, joy and happiness.
After this beautiful location, we headed to the next destination which was Ayn Hamran a spring near Ayb Athum and has a height of 162 meters. Ayn Hmran is located southwest of Kir, west of Jabal Nsib.
After that I went to another location called Ayn Sahalnoot, which was only 15 km from Salalah and which has a bright green every year.
The valley has natural, impressive and beautiful landscapes. In time, as I drove along the winding roads of this valley, I could see the greenery around. The roads were narrow, with sharp bends, we were very careful while driving.
A better friend told me about this place I visited while I was visiting Salalah, it was about the anti-gravity point. This mysterious place is located between Taqah and Mirbat about 27 km from Taqah. There is a point on a hilly road where the car stopped on the right will be pulled up the hill, regardless of the laws of gravity. I was curious to try this experience and a lot of adrenaline.
Another place was the Ittin Cave located above a mountain and Ayn Jarziz the new Ittin footbridge, another attraction of the area. Ittin Park also attracts tourists for its lush greenery, but I did not visit them because I had too little time.
After these wonderful places, we visited the Ayn Razat spring. This abundant spring flows from the hill at any time of the year and rolls on the limestone sidewalk. The water gathers in a set of lily ponds, whose pink and blue flowers attract bright-orange dragonflies, which in turn are chased by king fishermen with beaks of a similar hue. There is a beautiful garden, popular for visitors who want to relax and organize family picnics.
Our plan was to stop for lunch, but we moved to another beautiful location where we stopped to enjoy the food we had.
The last destination we wanted to visit was Ayn Jarzizl, there were a lot of people taking pictures and bathing in the water flowing from the mountain. We only stayed here for 15 minutes and went home. We were tired and wanted to go to the Banana and Coconut Market, the oldest in Salalah.
In the evening after dinner we went to Haffa Square where there are local craft shops.
Locals are known for their love and respect for their culture, and the government supports the art of its country, there are many things to admire when you want to buy souvenirs or even food for you and your household. Those handmade pieces have their own story and a history of the craft passed down from one generation to the next. Haffa Souq is known for the most beautiful and well-known pieces.
At Haffa Square, not only crafts and spices are sold, but incense and buhur are sold, with different smells. At the entrance to the market, the smell of incense attracts you to buy them. Sellers greet you with smiles to buy from them.
On Wednesday, September 8, 2021, we woke up early and set off, we ate breakfast on the green grass. We really enjoyed this wonderful and beautiful journey, an adventure and new adventures.
We took the direction of Tawi Atair, passed Wadi Darbat, where we stopped for breakfast. Through the fountain of birds contains one of the most beautiful hills that indicate the limestones with honeycombs. The vast Tawi Atair Sinkhole is the third largest hill in the world, with a length of 1 km and a depth of 200 meters.
After finishing the tasty breakfast, we set off for Al Mughasyl and at the last destination, we had lunch in Rakhyut. From here the view is amazing and we were lucky to see mountains passing below us. It is a perfect place to photograph the clouds above it.
Before leaving for this town, take into account the time there.
I climbed the mountain along Sarfait Road. It is about 130km from the center of Salalah, which we thought we would reach in one day. We ventured west beyond the Mughsail to the borders with Yemen, we were not at all disappointed by the dramatic coastline, and the twists and turns of the mountain road offer many stunning views and opportunities to photograph ourselves.
The road we traveled is paved, so access was easy to climb, it is recommended for picnics or swimming is the far end of the beach where we arrived at noon.
I counted about eight curves that take the road to climb the mountain, I watched Wadi Aful speculatively, the vegetation is always changing and the jagged coastline, not all are hidden by fog. After Fazayah and before Shaat, I passed an army checkpoint. They checked our documents. In the direction of Shaat on the left I noticed clouds.
The view is truly fascinating. The day was sunny, with clouds above us. We climbed up to Shaat, having a clear day where we noticed the blue sea on the rock. The sea was calm with shades of blue and turquoise.
Nothing can be seen in the fog. Along the walkway and the huts, I saw a gate and a few stairs that lead to another wonderful place, which is not barricaded at all. A lot of caution is needed to go down these stairs. The area is interesting and difficult at the same time.
The rock below is quite slippery. We were very careful. We didn't go the other way, however, many people did.
I thought if you ever get to these parts I wanted to give you the route to get to Shaa't in Salalah, the road is through Eftalqoot, Mughsayl and Fazayah.
From Shaat to Dalkut the unit is through Agdorot, Anzawat, Arafat, Firqat, Kazmim, Muqurah, Kharfat, Huta, Shahab Asaib, Ashkool, Thatiny, Aydam, Airdit, Jeddert, Merdm Asetat, Bal Sab, Rakhyut, Mazahoob, Ergot, Ashkhuriat and Furious.
After visiting these wonders I went to Rakhyut, while driving, I found many camels. There was no one to walk this road, and since we were just one on this road, we decided to move on.
To get to Rakhut beach, we took the turn of the Ashqool Mosque on the highway. We tried to get there, but it was not a paved road. We did not continue on that road and we continued on the highway, until we saw the location where we had to get.
From the main highway, we passed through Hasal, Ambroof, Arqaf, Haar and Safqut before reaching the city of Rakhyut. This unit is located along the cliff, with stunning views of the mountains and the Indian Ocean.
Throughout the trip, the scenery was wonderful. The clouds were touching the green mountains.
The view of Rakhyut Beach is fascinating from Safqut. The beach is facing the green mountains.
Rakhyut has a beautiful beach with tall coconut trees, spread on the beach in a straight line.
Some shady huts and benches are there to sit, relax and have an amazing family picnic.
We were already tired and wanted to go home. It's already evening. We were hungry. I ordered something from a Turkish restaurant and ate at home.
We packed our bags because we came home the next day. We went to bed because of fatigue. The next day, we woke up rested to go on the road.
On Thursday, September 9, 2021, we woke up early around 8 o'clock. We had breakfast and drank coffee in the morning. My mother made food and coffee to drink on the way. I put everything in the car. In the morning it was gloomy and cloudy. We left Salalah sad that we leave the most beautiful tourist attraction. After leaving the mountain area with fog and light rain, we took the same road we came from. We traveled almost 1000 km from Salalah to Muscat. We had small stops to power the car but also to rest, drink coffee, have lunch and other personal needs. We were very happy for this fantastic trip we had with the family.
We arrived home very tired but full of positive energy, relaxed and rested. If we travel to Salalah again we will go on another route that is fantastic and beautiful. We look forward to another opportunity.
Written by Elena Boguș
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