Saturday 20 / April / 2024
FRIDAY
08:30 Hop aboard an Oman Air flight to Salalah from Muscat.
10:10 Arrive in Salalah airport, pick-up your rental car, and enjoy a peaceful 50-minute drive out of the city along highway 49, which will take you directly to Mirbat.
11:00 Begin your adventure with a visit to Mirbat’s Castle to learn about the town’s military history. The castle sits on a cliff and offers superb views of the crashing waves along the coast line. Outside the fort, try to spot the two tiny statues of prancing horses marking the entrance to the town, a nod to the fact that Mirbat was once an important breeding centre for Arabian horses.
11:40 Below the castle, take the winding road across the old harbour to a rocky enclave dotted with little wooden fisherman boats to enter Mirbat’s old town. The houses are wonderful examples of the ancient Dhofari-style construction that uses mud bricks decorated with wooden, carved windows.
13:00 Have lunch at any one of the little restaurants near the sea harbour and enjoy just-caught grilled fish or fish biryani along with home-made khubz bread.
14:30 After lunch, head over to the Mausoleum of Bin Ali, whose tomb is located under a cosy white mosque that was built in honour of the 14th century Islamic scholar.
15:30 Drive back towards the town and check in the Salalah Marriott Resort (+968 2327 5500; marriott.com), rest and have a swim in the 2,000sqm pool overlooking the sea.
20:00 Enjoy more local seafood at the upscale Al Dana restaurant and then head to The Cove lounge to wind down before bed.
SATURDAY
08:30 Start the day with freshly brewed coffee and stunning views of the Arabian Sea at the Dhofar Lounge in the hotel lobby.
10:00 Grab your snorkelling gear and plunge into the water to discover the tremendous coral reefs.
14:00 Stop for a quick lunch in Mirbat town before diving off towards Tawi Atayr to visit the towering groves of Baobab trees. On the way, stop at the marked anti-gravity point where you can leave your car in neutral and feel it drift uphill.
15:30 Have a pleasant walk under the Baobab trees and marvel that this is the only place in Arabia where these African natives grow wild.
17:35 Take the scenic byways back to the airport to catch your 45-minute flight home.
