Muscat city. The capital and largest city of Oman.
It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat.
It has a population of more than 1 million people(2018).
The metropolitan area has an area of 3,500 kilo meter square and includes six provinces (wilayat).
Muscat is an important trading center between the west and the east.
As a regional power in the 18th century, Muscat’s territory extended as far as East Africa and Zanzibar.
As an important port town in the gulf of Oman, it attracted foreign tradesmen and settlers such as the Persians.
The city has experienced rapid infrastructural development since the ascension of Qaboos bin Said as the Sultan.
Muscat has now become a Global city.
The rocky Western Al Hajar Mountains dominate the landscape of Muscat.
It lies on the Arabian sea along the gulf of Oman and is in the proximity of the strategic straits of the Hormuz.
The economy is dominated by trade, petroleum, liquified natural gas and porting.
9 THINGS TO DO AND NOT TO DO IN MUSCAT CITY
- Do not wear revealing clothes. Instead, you should abide by dressing norms of the land. Wear clothes that cover your body and are not too tight.
- Do not display your affection publicly. Instead, do not even consider getting romantic in public. You can face imprisonment!
- Avoid stalking women. It is a punishable offense. Instead, engage with them in a friendly manner so as not to send the “insecurity” signals towards them.
- Avoid taking photographs of the locals. Instead, ask for their consent first before doing so.
- Don’t litter the city. Instead, used the available bins to dispose off your litter.
- Avoid eating in public during Ramadan. Instead, seek a private place where locals will not see your act as going against their religion. 100% of the locals are Muslims.
- Non Muslims must not enter any Mosque. Instead, the only Mosque they are allowed in is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. Mind your dress code while going there.
- Don’t drink or consume drugs. Instead, if you have to drink, you can go in a hotel. Avoid drinking in public places. Illegal drugs are prohibited.
- Do not reject hospitality. Instead, accept with a happy smile since it makes the locals happy.
8 MOST INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MUSCAT CITY.
- There are almost no coca-cola company products while Pepsi is widely sold in Muscat.
- One needs a liquor license issued by the police to be able o buy alcohol in Muscat and Oman.
- There are women-only markets on Wednesdays. Men are even forbidden to stick around.
- Oman has an uninterrupted dynasty of rulers for the past 3 centuries, The Al Said Family.
- Houses and buildings are painted in white, including malls, offices and residences.
- Mountain Dew is the “Alcohol of Oman” as referred to by the locals.
- The locals boast of non-existent crime rates.
- Honking is prohibited since it disturbs public peace.
History
Climate
Geography
8 MOST POPULAR THINGS IN MUSCAT
#1 - SULTAN QABOOS GRAND MOSQUE
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat is Oman's greatest mosque with a territory of 416,000 m2 and has a limit of more than 20,000 admirers; 8,000 individuals can fit inside and the yard can without much of a stretch hold up to 12,000 individuals. This mosque is one of only a handful barely any mosques in Arabia which permits passage for non-Muslim guests. The mosque is a miracle of present-day design and is a combination of Omani, Islamic, and Middle-Eastern engineering styles.
#2 - MUTRAH CORNICHE
Mutrah Corniche is a promenade extending for 3 kilometers along the waterfront and is fixed with cafés, bistros, and markets. You can see the perspectives on the Oman Port and harbor on one side and the excellent stone arrangements of the Hajar Mountains and the Portuguese watchtowers on the other. The northern finish of the corniche has a fish advertise and a dhow harbor. The eastern finish of the harbor is ruled by the Mutrah Fort. The Fort is commonly shut for guests. Be that as it may, its flank can be a move for increasingly incredible perspectives on the harbor.
#3 - ROYAL OPERA HOUSE MUSCAT
The Royal Opera House is Oman's chief goal for music, expressions, and culture. The unpredictable comprises of a theater, assembly room, finished nurseries, a craftsmanship place, and social markets and can suit up to 1100 individuals. The Royal Opera House has been requested to be worked in 2001 by Sultan Qaboos of Oman, who is a colossal devotee of old-style music and workmanship. The house authoritatively opened in 2011 and fills in as a middle for greatness in expressions of the human experience and enhances its legacy by socially assorted projects and occasions.
#4 - WADI BANI KHALID POOLS
Being one of the most acclaimed Wadis of Oman, Wadi Bani Khalid is famous for its huge pools of emerald green water encompassed by tall palm trees. Not at all like different aqueducts in Oman that are dry in the mid-year months, Wadi Bani Khalid is known to have a consistent progression of water consistently. The rough gorge and bluffs of the Hajar Mountains make it amazingly excellent and are frequently touted as the "desert heaven". Found simply 2.5 km from Muscat, this is a most loved among climbers and is additionally a celebrated outing spot.
#5 - YITI BEACH
Situated around 28 km from the downtown area Muscat, Yiti Beach is one of the confined and lesser-known seashores in Oman. It is notable as a campground outside the city of Muscat with little bluffs, bays, rough edges, and a genuinely disengaged condition that is perfect for gatherings or couples who'd make the most of their security. The seashore has beautiful delicate sand and clear waters with angling, swimming, outdoors, and straightforward day-trip cookout openings accessible.
#6 - AL ALAM PALACE
Al Alam Palace, otherwise called Sultan's Palace and the Sultan Qaboos Palace, is one of the six illustrious living arrangements of Sultan Qaboos situated in Muscat. It watches out to the Gulf of Oman. The decision ruler's living arrangement was worked in 1972 which holds a background marked by 200 years. The royal residence is known for its colorful Islamic engineering which is encircled by the rich green nursery and the Mutrah Harbor. This official living arrangement is utilized to get recognized visitors who visit the nation.
#7 - AL MIRANI FORT
Al Mirani Fort in Muscat was worked by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. It, alongside neighboring Al Jalali Fort, watches out to the Gulf of Oman and would monitor the port of Muscat previously. The Mirani Fort and Al Jalali Fort are situated on either side of the royal residence. Albeit shut to people in general, guests can see this stronghold from outside. This post was incredibly instrumental in the destruction of the Portuguese. The fortification has numerous antiquated war instruments in plain view.
#8 - AL JALALI FORT
The gigantic Al Jalali Fort, otherwise called Ash Sharqiya Fort, was worked by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. Curiously it once used to be a jail which has been changed over to a legacy private exhibition hall. Being situated on the harbor, the Al Jalali Fort offers a lovely perspective on the whole city of Muscat. The main access to this spot is through a precarious stairwell in the front. The section to this fortification is carefully by the grant as it were. You can apply to the Ministry Of National Heritage through the contact page on their site.
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