Schools of dolphins – hundreds at a time – frolic off the coast. Beneath the water, vivid corals bloom. Every year, 20,000 turtles come to lay their eggs, leaving them to hatch in the warm Omani sands.

The country has some of the world’s largest underground caverns, too, such as the majestic Majlis al-Jinn, discovered in 1983.  

You’ll return with unusual souvenirs

You will find frankincense in the souks alongside exquisite perfumes, leather, pottery, gold, silver and the silver-sheathed knife, the khanjar, which is a national symbol of Oman. All the treasures of the Orient, in fact.

By Anna Selby

The essentials

How to get there 

Oman Air (omanair.com) flies from London to Muscat from £403 return.

Where to stay

The DusitD2 Naseem Resort, Jabal Akhdar (00 968 252 29000; dusit.com) is a brand new mountain resort – a relatively new concept in Oman, but, given the clean air and the cooler climate, a big draw in a region where temperatures soar to 50C in the summer. It’s family-friendly (with an enormous adventure playground that would challenge most adults) and eco-friendly, too, even helping the local economy with its own rose-water and olive-oil distilleries in ­­­­­co-operation with nearby farmers. Doubles start at £105 per night, based on two sharing.

Covid rules

Travellers over 18 must show proof of vaccination and travel/health insurance that will cover at least 30 days of Covid treatment.