Eid holiday fever grips people

MUSCAT: Holidays are around the corner with the date of Eid Al Adha announced on Sunday. Eid Al Adha will be celebrated on June 28 and that sets the ball rolling for people to plan their holidays, likely to begin early next week.

Eid holidays are synonymous with travel plans in this part of the world and this time around, with summer vacations in schools, it is easier for families to chart out their itinerary.

While most parts of Oman are reeling under blistering heat, there are still quite a few options for people to travel inside the Sultanate with Salalah certainly one of the top picks.

Officially, the Khareef season begins on June 21 and the southern city has already experienced few showers in recent days.

With Salalah offering a green paradise and much cooler climate due to mist and drizzle during Khareef, the Eid Al Adha holidays are expected to bring a lot of domestic as wells as tourists from the GCC to the city.

The mountains of Jabal Al Akhdar and Jabal Shams offer yet another escape for Omanis and residents with the pleasant weather a perfect getaway as the drive is less than three hours from Muscat.

Local hotels and hotel apartments have confirmed encouraging responses to bookings during the last week of the month.

With the urge to travel much stronger in recent times, the holidays provide a time away from the hustle and bustle of daily lives.

Muscat resident D Manoj is looking forward to the Eid break. “Eid holidays are a time for me to spend a short holiday with my family. This time, my kids are having their summer vacation, so we are all extremely excited and looking forward to making a trip to Salalah.”

Kiran S, a home-maker and mother of two said: “The kids’ vacation and the forthcoming Eid Al Adha break make a great combo. We plan to make a short trip to Dubai.”

Another Muscat resident Iftikhar, who is from Karachi in Pakistan, said: “Eid Al Adha is the most sacred festival for all Muslims. After the first Eid day with family, I plan a staycation up in the mountains, where it is relatively much cooler than Muscat. We are looking forward to the holidays and hope we learn about the dates soon.”