TASTEscape: Muscat

Muttrah acts as the commercial centre of Muscat and is home to winding alleys, awe-inspiring buildings and vast bazaars. Be sure to make the most of this fascinating area of the city.

Located at the shipping port is the famous Muttrah Souq, a traditional Arabian marketplace. Dating back hundreds of years, it was a bustling place to trade spices and exotic items between countries. To the present day it still retains the chaotic hustle and bustle bringing in hundreds of visitors, both local and foreign, every day to browse the exotic items.

Through the labyrinth of small passageways stores are piled high with trinkets and novelties. Each shop owner will vie for your attention to lure you towards their store of brightly coloured items. Although the stores are open throughout the day, the most fun happens as the sun goes down and the locals come to haggle prices.

Strolling along the Muttrah Corniche (seafront), you may be lucky enough to see the Sultan's yacht, named Bin Said, in the port, or the giant statue of a frankincense burner located high on the Muttrah hillside above Riyam Park. But it’s the little shops such as Rozna that make the area truly unique. With the finest material bought from the Souq, owner Salama Alkubaici embroiders intricate designs and beautiful images onto fabric and displays other artists’ works that capture Muscat’s culture perfectly.

Muttrah Fort stands proudly on a high hillside overlooking the ancient trading port. Built by the Portuguese in the 1580s, it is currently undergoing renovation work to restore it to its original glory, so even though you cannot enter it it’s an amazing piece of history to see with your own eyes. Located close to the mouth of the port is the Fort's watchtower. With an amazing vantage point at the top, the climb up the steep stairs may leave you out of breath, but you won't be disappointed by the views on offer. Situated inside the watchtower is a canon dating back hundreds of years – a nice authentic touch after the climb.

Omani cuisine is heady, aromatic and delicious, with plenty of fragrant spices and luxurious ingredients. Get a taste for Muscat by dining or drinking at the city’s most popular venues.

Dates are big business in Muscat, and are offered to any guest who enters an Omani home. Some of the best in the city come from four sisters – Waad, Ahed, Wafa and Shatha – who decided to start turning the dates into delicacies in the same way a chocolatier presents chocolate. Visit their shop, Meshan, to enjoy some of their finest creations alongside some traditional Omani coffee, made with mountain rosewater.

For a traditional Omani meal head along to Al Luban Restaurant to try shuwa – a traditional dish of either lamb or goat seasoned and marinated, wrapped in palm leaves and slowly cooked in a pit dug in the ground to make a delicious, tender dish that’s served with rice. If you don’t fancy eating it the traditional way, then head to Shuwa Diners, in Shatti al Qurum, where the chefs have shaken things up by creating fun fusion dishes such as the shuwa burger. Local Omani artwork hangs on the walls and the sounds of Omani music play throughout the restaurant, making it a place that tickles all the senses and offers a fun, interesting experience of all things Oman.

Afternoon tea is a luxurious treat for any visitor to Muscat, and the Al Bustan Palace Hotel is one of the best and most splendid on offer in the Sultanate. You can relax in the opulent atrium lobby whilst enjoying the traditional scents of Omani incense, before your afternoon tea is served with a selection of delicate cakes and delights made by the in-house chefs.

Oman boasts over 1,500 kilometres of stunning unspoilt coastline and an abundance of exotic marine life. Whether you prefer a snorkel under the water, a relaxing spot next to the water or a boat cruising along the water’s surface, then Oman's coastline has something to please everyone.

There are twenty species of dolphins living in the waters around Oman and you’re almost guaranteed to spot some of them on a dolphin-watching trip. It also gives you a chance to explore Oman’s shoreline, taking in all the tunnels, caves and beautiful cliffs that surround the coastline. The Jebel Sifah resort runs some of the best in Muscat.

See the coastline from the water and experience the culture from the comfort of a traditional Omani Dhow boat. The symbolic wooden ships have been sailing on these waters for centuries, and many offer sunset cruises which give you a front row seat to the most incredible views.

The natural wonder of Bimmah Sinkhole, located in the Hawiyat Najm Park, is around an hour drive from Muscat. Geologists say this forty-metre-wide, twenty-metre-deep waterhole was created when a limestone cavern collapsed, but many of the locals would disagree and tell you that a piece of the moon fell from the sky and made the giant hole. The beautiful clear water can be particularly inviting as the sun beats down in the day. If you do give into temptation and dip your toes in the water, you might just be treated to a free pedicure from the tiny feet-nibbling fish.