Travel Oman: Mirbat, throwback to the past

Oman Monday 09/December/2019 18:58 PM
By: Times News Service

The former capital of the Dhofar region, Mirbat was an important port when it came to trading frankincense, and is a wonderful destination featuring many historical sites, delicious seafood and a lovely, serene landscape.
Located just 50-minute drive away from Salalah, you might want to begin your trip at the harbour, where wooden fishing boats bring in the day’s catch before heading out to sea once again.
Past the hard-working fishermen who spent more of their lives at sea than they do on land is the old town of Mirbat where several houses that were build decades, if not centuries ago, still stand. They are a throwback to Mirbat’s past, and a reminder of the simple lives the ancestors of the people of Oman lived.
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Given that you are in a fishing town, you would be remiss to not have some fresh-grilled fish at one of the many street-side restaurants that dot Mirbat. It’s best eaten either with biryani, salad, some piping hot unleavened bread, or even on its own, once coated in its signature spice rub.
Mirbat is also a town well known for snorkelling. Oman’s coast line, which borders waters that are filled with an exotic variety of undersea plants and animals, is great for diving, and the coral reefs off the coasts of the town must be explored. What makes Mirbat truly unique, though, is the anti-gravity point on the outskirts of the town, as well as Tawi Atayr, which is known for its baobab tree groves.
“East of Salalah, the coastal town of Mirbat was once the capital of Dhofar, trading in frankincense and Arabian horses,” said Oman’s Ministry of Tourism. “Today, visitors can spot dhows heading out to fish, or explore the old merchant houses near Mirbat Fort.