Monday 06 / May / 2024
Spas are a dime-a-dozen here in Muscat, but I wasn't looking for just any spa. I needed more than a facial or a massage, I was after a wellness retreat where I could just forget work stress and other errands and instead focus on my personal wellness. I wanted all this while at the same time blending my ‘me time’ and my ‘family time’. I began to search for options, researching and brainstorming all the possibilities. "Al Nahda again?" one of my colleagues exclaimed, as I shared with her my weekend plans. It was going to be my fifth visit to the place in just few years and she could not fathom what made me go there with a new eagerness each time. Her reaction didn’t come as a surprise, but at the end of all my searching, this old favourite was the one place I knew would give me exactly the kind of escape I needed. Weekends are a time to hit the reset button and a visit to Al Nahda always gives me the opportunity to establish that much sought-after mind-body connection. So that weekend, on a bright, sunny Friday morning, I packed the family in the car, and happily headed off towards the eco-conscious resort nestled in a corner of Barka, knowing that once I arrived a mere hour from home, I would be a million miles away from the pressures of my everyday life. —[email protected]
Friday
Mid-Morning
An hour drive from central Muscat, try to reach the resort at around 12.45pm, a little before the check in time. We opted to stay in one of the premium suites but there are several other options, from executive rooms and villas to the royal suites. Located on the ground level amidst the mangroves, the premium suites are separate and spacious bungalows with king size beds, sitting areas, a small pantry and tea and coffee making facilities, and private terraces, built in small clusters inside the sprawling compound.
Early Afternoon Activities
• Walk: A walk inside the resort is quite an attraction. The serene lush greenery beckons and the cool mango trees make it a treasure trove for nature lovers. Wrapped in the cool embrace of the greenery, stroll along the pathways that lead to the individual villas or the executive rooms.
• Bike: Or just watch the groups of boisterous children riding the cycles. These bicycles are an attraction for all, as you see even adults cycling all across the resort.
• Lunch and a Dip: After a quick a la carte lunch at Khalab Restaurant, the all-day-dining restaurant, and a leisurely walk amidst the greenery, head towards the pool for a refreshing dip.
• Meditate or Sweat-it-out: For those who do not like to swim, head off to the meditation hall and soak up the peace and tranquillity of the place.
Fitness freaks can get in a workout at the modern gym.
Friday Evening
• Have a Rest: After dinner, watch the resort lights spring to life as the sun sets. Enjoy the cool evening breeze as you walk through the quiet resort on your way back to your room for an evening curled up with a novel and a cup of coffee.
Saturday
Before You Go
• Take a Sunrise Stroll and Breakfast: Get up before the sunrise, go for an early morning walk and meet and greet the joggers and cyclists enroute. Then enjoy the sumptuous international breakfast inside the sprawling Al Khalab Restaurant, where the floor to ceiling glass is mesmerising.
• Hit the Spa: If you visit Al Nahda and yet do not visit the spa, then you are missing something. When it comes to spa menus there are plenty to choose from, all aiming to create balance between mind, body, and spirit. Go for Al Nahda Signature Massage, which includes the 45 minute body masks and wraps to detoxify the skin, or an Ayurvedic therapy. Equally good and rejuvenating is the Thai Massage.
• Say Goodbye: Head home, totally rejuvenated.
BOOK YOUR ESCAPE
Al Nahda Resort and Spa
+968 2688 3710, +968 9458 2970
alnahdaresort.com
[email protected]
