novita77

Can anyone recommend places to go, and things to do for holiday with 5 yo ? We plan to go for 7 days to 10 days, is that too long? I never been there at all and hubby been there over 20 yrs ago, my FIL stationed in there for few years.

Hubby asked can we drive from Muscat to Salalah (sp ).

TIA

lordshine

Hi there,

We ended up in Muscat for a week in May having decided that one week in Thailand in the rain was enough, drove there from Dubai, last hols before baby. Salalah from Muscat is a long old drive! Perhaps too far.

We enjoyed some beach-hotels in Muscat, but the best thing for us was the turtle beach at Ras Al Hadd (6hrs drive from Muscat). You can either stay at a hotel nearby, or camp in the beach-huts. A ranger will take you out after dark and you can see the turtles make their way up the beach and lay eggs, and watch the turtles come out and go for the surf through the minefield of crabs. The rangers get you to rescue baby-turtles from the crabs and take them down the beach. Quite an experience!

Desert Dweller

Hi Novita,

I wouldn't bother with the drive from Muscat to Salalah as it is a long, tedious drive with lots of potholes in the road and reckless driving. The flight is short and it is easy to rent a car when you get there. It is also over 8 hours to drive so you would loose 2 days of your journey.
There are lots of good things to do when you are there, look at the Explorer guide to muscat as well as their off-road in Oman book to see the trips up Jebel Akhdar, Wadi Abyadh, the forts, turtle beach, Nizwa etc. Al Sawadi is good for diving and sitting on the beach. Muscat has lots to do such as souks and museums and some really nice hotels and beaches.
I think there is more to do in Oman for 7-10 days than there is in Dubai/Emirates.

novita77

thank you for the insight tips. Very much appreciate it. I think we wont bother with the drive and will go flying instead.

i think i fancy to take my son for turtle beach

Now where can i get the Explorer guide from? is it just any shop in Oman will sell it?

Desert Dweller

They also do a Qatar Explorer so bookshops there may have it. Otheriwse the bookshops in Oman will have it. Their website is www.the-explorer.com.

OzSheila

I'd second the green turtle excursion - our three kids loved every minute of it, even if it involved getting up in the early hours to go and rescue the baby ones. They also enjoyed the "camping" experience!

In Muscat itself a highlight was snorkeling off the beach at the Al Bustan hotel. The mosque is certainly worth a visit.

We thoroughly enjoyed Oman for the whole seven days we were there - despite it being Ramadan!

HTH