Salalah Things to Do

Nabi Ayoub's Tomb lies about 40 kilometers from Salalah on Jable Ittin. Nabi Ayoub's Tomb, marks the place where the remains of the Prophet, can be found. On the walls of the building are verses from the Holy Quran. Near the tomb, a small stone mosque is believed

to have been used by Nabi Ayoub for prayers. It is advisable to take off your shoes before entering and women should cover their heads with a scarf.

Another Scenic location of natural spring is Ain Homran. It is an excellent spot for bird watching. Seven different species of eagles have been identified at Ain Homran by a group of international bird watchers. Due to the nature of the place, there are many mosquitoes and insects so make sure to apply some cream to avoid scratching! It is not a big deal but it is annoying

It is the cultural centre of Salalah and has on display the Al Musnad writings, ancient scriptures and coins dating back to 11th century AD, pottery dating back to the middle ages and traditional irrigation tools and manuscripts. The museum is open Saturday through Wednesday from 8am to 2pm

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Mughsail Bay has one of the most beautiful beaches in Oman. When I was last there, it was totally deserted, except for thousands of migrating terns. It's a good spot for beach activities and birdwatching. You can combine a visit here with a trip to the blowholes, which are just round the headland at the western end of the bay.

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In downtown Salalah, next to Lulu Shopping Center, is a very unusual tomb. It is the tomb of Nabi Umran, also known as Imran, who was said to be the father of the Virgin Mary, which would make it a very important pilgrimage centre. But, hang on, it is also said that he may have been the father of Moses instead, or somebody good anyway. His stone sarcophagus is 33 m long, which has given rise to speculation that he may also have been a giant.

Anyway, it's a pleasant place, with a small mosque and the building housing the tomb, at the back of which there is a small garden with peacocks, guinea fowl and other birds.

Admission is free, but you will probably find that a self-appointed Indian guard will accompany you in and be happy to receive a small tip. I gave him OR 1 and he was overjoyed and asked me to come back again. I probably will as it's a nice place.

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Burj A'Nahdah, better known in English as the Clocktower, is the most prominent of the monuments which decorate the roundabouts around Salalah. It is a useful landmark for finding your way around by car. Salalah Airport is on the northern exit road and Lulu Shopping Center is just off this roundabout to the south.

To be honest, the modern city of Salalah doesn't have much in the way of attractive monuments or landmark buildings to commend it. Burj A'Nahdah is probably the best there is.

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Wadi Darbat is one of the most beautiful valleys in the Arabian peninsula. A river flows through here to the sea at Khor Rawri. After heavy rain during the khareef (June-September) there is an impressive waterfall at the southern end of the wadi. The wadi sides are densely forested. Nomads camp on the valley bottom while their herds of camel graze on the lush pastures. You can often see White Storks feeding amongst the camels.

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Al-Husn Souq is sometimes also called the Frankincense Souq, as this is one of the main things sold here. In fact, one section of the spouq specializes in frankincense and other types of incense and perfume, while another section sells traditional Omani clothes and textiles. There are also large numbers of tailors' shops here as well as a few simple restaurants.