Lost in Salalah with Ali: The old man and the season of Khareef

Uncertainty, dilemma, bewilderment – some people hate these words. For some others, they are the part and parcel of life. In the context to travelling, these words decide which type of traveler you are. Some people prefer to plan everything in advance and even make provisions for the probable uncertainties. Some others jump at once and start enjoying whatever comes on their way, while some weird travelers like me simply let happen whatever would happen and keep exploring at the expense of all the uncertainties and yet end up with wonderful memories.

Has it ever happened to you that you travel around a place without having any idea about where you’re heading or what lies ahead? Have you ever been guided by somebody with whom you could barely interact?

Our visit to Salalah was one of such eccentric yet memorable experience where we confided with an unknown companion and explored this beautiful dreamland on the southern peninsula of the Sultanate of Oman.

First let me introduce you to the place called Salalah. Surrounded by lush green Dhofar Mountains, Salalah is located at a distance of 1100 kilometers south of the capital city of Muscat. It’s the second largest city of the sultanate and is adjacent to Oman’s border with Yemen. Salalah is traditionally known for its Frankincense trees, which is used as an ingredient in incense and perfumes and has been one of world’s top trading destinations of this commodity during the medieval times.

Salalah in Khareef - the monsoon season

It is also one of the top tourist destinations in the gulf region. Salalah’s landscape undergoes a complete makeover during the Khareef season. It’s the monsoon season that brings lots of rainfall during the months of June to September and the hot and arid desert climate turns humid with lots of clouds on the sky and dense fogs enveloping the horizon and beyond. This is the time when wild plants and flowers adorn the mountains and the plains of Salalah and it appears to be painted in a mystifying shade of sparkling green. This is also the time when this place is crowded by tourists from all over the world – particularly from Muscat and rest of Gulf region to enjoy the short lived Khareef season in its full bloom.

Salalah in Khareef - the monsoon season

I heard so many great stories about this splendid place, its great tourist attractions and about the Khareef season but never seriously considered visiting it partially because of the long distance (12 hours by road) and mainly because of the old wives tale that Salalah’s Khareef season had nothing to offer than a green landscape and a humid climate, and it could only mesmerize the desert dwellers but not those acquainted to green landscapes. It was not to be.

It was July – mid summer and while almost whole of Middle East was under severe heat under the cruelest form of the Sun, Salalah was welcoming the clouds and the fogs. The Eid holidays were just declared and it suddenly struck our minds to take this opportunity to see Salalah. We had to think twice before taking this decision. First, it was the peak tourist season and prices were sky high. Second, holy month of Ramadan was still not over. It’s worthwhile to mention that Omanis observe fasting during the month of Ramadan. Food items are not sold openly and it’s customary for everyone including the tourists not to eat or drink publicly from dawn to dusk.

However, we had one solid reason to go for the trip – to get away from the burning heat of Muscat for a few days and after a long discussion with my wife, I went on to book the tickets the same day. The hotel prices were 2 to 3 times the normal tariff but finally we could find a hotel online at 40 Rials ($105) per night. So, we two packed our bags quickly and boarded the bus to Salalah the same night.

It was a long and tiring journey. As it was a single carriageway, we could not sleep due to the lights coming out of vehicles from the opposite side. The bus halted twice on the way for the passengers to take food. Finally it was morning and we could see gentle rays of sunshine. We were moving through a barren landscape and it was endless deserts all the way as far as we could see.

Suddenly, the Sun was encircled by a thick strand of clouds and it started to become denser and darker as we moved on. Finally, when the road turned to a slope of a hill, raindrops started pouring in all over. We peeped through the foggy windows and it was green all over. Monsoon had arrived to welcome us to Salalah, to a season called Khareef.

Salalah in Khareef - the monsoon season

By the time we reached the bus stop, the rain had subsided but the clouds were still around. An Omani taxi driver (only citizens are allowed to drive taxi) approached us.

Ad Dahariz beach – I asked the taxi driver. This is the place where our hotel was located.

He looked at me and raised 7 fingures and said –Rials.

7 Riyals was too much but we accepted. We were not in a mood to look out further.

During the short 7 minutes’ drive to the hotel, we wanted to strike a conversation with the driver but unfortunately he could comprehend little. He said something in Arabic, to which we simply smiled.

We reached hotel. The driver accompanied us to the reception and said something to the man. The receptionist translated it to us: Mr. Ali, the driver wants to know if you are interested in visiting the places in and around Salalah with him. He will start it at morning 9 and show you different places till 2:30 pm for 40 Riyals.

No way – I told myself, we will find somebody with whom we can communicate properly.

Please give us your contact number. I will call you if we require your help – I told Ali. The hotel receptionist, who claims to have elementary knowledge of Arabic, explained it to Ali. We were completely exhausted. So, we decided to retire to our hotel room and take rest for the rest of the day. I took this opportunity to browse internet and study about the must visit attractions of Salalah and finally ended up with an itinerary for next 2 days covering all the must visit attractions.

Everything was going fine but now we hit the dead end. For, there was no taxi to be found. The hotel receptionist told us that it would be really difficult to get a taxi due to the ongoing Ramadan. I used all my contacts and possible sources and finally found a man who was willing to take us with him for 60 Rial for a 3 hour sightseeing.

It was way too high, besides all our hard work of reaching Salalah would be useless for a meagre 3 hour sightseeing!

So, I used the last alternative. I called Ali.

Ali picked the phone. I introduced myself –you remember me? I was the one whom you dropped to hotel this morning….

Mafi Maloom – Ali replied and disconnected the phone. I knew the meaning of what he said. It meant-I don’t know. There was nobody to help us. Even the receptionist who translated Ali this morning left for the day. The new person didn’t know Arabic.

We were disappointed. We travelled such a long distance without any planning or preparation and now all our efforts were going to be wasted and we would have to confine ourselves to the hotel room and Dahariz beach for rest of the tour!

Dahariz Beach

We decided to wait till the next morning and then go to the city to lookout for a taxi for the tour. For the evening, we had nothing to do but to stroll around the beach, sip fresh coconut water (which is very inexpensive), and take some snaps of wild flowers and seagulls.
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Next morning was dark and cloudy and it began to drizzle. We were taking breakfast at our hotel room when we received a call.

It was the receptionist – Good morning Sir! Your driver is waiting for you.

We were surprised. I went down and saw Ali waiting there. He smiled at me.

I greeted him and took out my itinerary from my pocket and explained him:

Look, we want to visit Wadi Darbat, Taqa, zero gravity point, Raysut falls, ............

It was of no use. Ali seemed to be completely oblivious of these places except Wadi Darbat. The receptionist also joined in to help us to communicate even though his own understanding of the language was not of very high standards.

So, thus it began. Here we were, in an unknown territory, with an unknown man, communicating with languages unknown to each other and moving ahead with an unknown itinerary.

Ali started to speak. It was difficult to understand, but we could make out some meaning from his speech. Probably he was talking about the hospitality of the Omani people, about His Majesty the Sultan and may be about the beautiful scenery of Salalah.

I tried to make best use of my body language, expressions and gestures but it all led to more confusion. Ali pointed to a large hotel on the roadside and tried to express that it was a great hotel.

Must be expensive – I told him. He looked at me seeming not to understand what I just said.

I gestured as if counting money. More money, big money- I told him by showing a high level with my hand. He turned his car and moved towards the hotel.

We were puzzled – why are we going inside? He didn’t reply. He stopped his car near the hotel entrance and pointed to an ATM.

Oh! Now I understood. My attempt to express the word ‘expensive’ by means of a gesture to count money was mistaken by him that I wanted to withdraw money from an ATM! We understood it would be for the benefit of us all not to experiment with gestures. It would only lead to more confusion.

Ali moved on, and with him we also moved on. After half an hour of drive Ali stopped his car on an isolated road and signalled us to get down from the car. It was barren land as far as we could see. We were puzzled but got out of the car. Ali pointed his fingure to something at a distance. We could see something moving towards us. Soon, it appeared bigger and bigger and finally we could recognise it. It was a hard of wild camels. There were thousands of them. It was a nice experience to see such an unbelievable number of camels crossing the road just in front of us.

Camels of Salalah

Ali then moved on again and stopped his car for a photo opportunity near the wadi Sumhuram.

After that he took us to the ruins of Khor Rori (also known as Sumhuram). It was an ancient fortified town and a port which dated back to 3rd century BC. During the heydays, this port was used for export of Frankincense to Europe, Mediterranean and India. It’s listed as part of “Land of Frankincense” as a world heritage site by UNESCO.

Sumhurum or Khor Rori a world heritage site

A Frankincense tree at the ruins of Khor Rori 

Next we headed toward the Wadi Darbat – the most visited tourist attraction of Salalah. As we entered the uphill road to the Wadi, it was green all the way. Washed in rains, the green leaves were beaded with sparkling droplets of water. The cattle were grazing on the freshly grown grass and fogs were flying here and there. Nobody would believe that it’s Oman. It seemed like a dense forest of Africa!

Wadi Darbat

Wadi Darbat

We spent some time at Wadi Darbat. It was difficult to walk there as the ground was slippery with rainwater pouring over wild grasses. Still I managed to run as much as I could on the grasses.

As we were coming out of Wadi Darbat, Ali called somebody and offered the phone to me to talk. It was a voice in plain English – Hi! Eid Mubarak to you. I’m Salim – Ali’s friend. My friend can only speak Arabic. So, he wants me to ask you if you are facing any problem. Are you enjoying the trip with him?

I thanked Salim and told him that Ali’d been fantastic as a guide: “Even though, we cannot communicate in words, it’s been a fabulous trip so far. Tell him that we are thankful to him for taking us to all these good places.”

I will tell Ali. He will be pleased – Salim Said.

So, where are we heading now? – I asked Salim.

Now my friend will take you to Arjaat (Ayn Razzat). You will enjoy this place. Do not hesitate to call me if you need any help. I will be available on phone in case you need any clarification with Ali.

Ayn Razzat

Ali smiled and we headed for Ayn Razzat. It’s a beautiful place with a spring water cannel, surrounded by mountains. One of the mountains had a small cave in it. The flower garden was also lovely.

The garden at Ayn Razzat

As we were leaving Ayn Razzat, I asked Ali: what’s next. He lifted both his hands up as if praying and said: Allah ho Akbar.

I understood it was Friday and it’s time for the weekly prayer in the mosque.

Ali parked his car near a mosque and went inside the mosque after showing his watch to us signalling half an hour. It was a picturesque location. So, instead of waiting in the car we explored the beautiful plains which were green with newly grown wild plants and flowers.

This is how Khareef changes the landscape of Salalah

Next we headed towards Ayn Sahalnoot. It is a natural spring surrounded by limestone formations. Kids were playing and some adults were trying a hand on climbing the hills. Another such site we had visited during our trip was Ain Garzis. It’s also natural spring popular with tourists.

Ayn Sahalnoot

After Sahalnoot, Ali steered towards a hilly road, which I would consider as one of the drives to remember. It was a green tunnel – a curvy road enveloped by lines of trees, dense and deep. It was raining heavily and we drove with lights on. It was a trip of a lifetime. We crossed the long tunnel which took about 25 minutes and came back to the plains.

Road towards the Green Tunnel

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at Ittin. Ali halted his car near the road side. We went out of the car and tried to climb a small hill. The soil was too slippery. But when we reached to the top we realised the effort was worth taking. It was a full 360 degree view of Salalah. It was green, green and green all over, which Salalah is famous for. People flock here to see the greenery and the monsoon. It’s the well-known Khareef season that turns this place to such a paradise that it’s hard to believe to be a part of the Middle East Asia. And it’s the lesser known people like Ali who makes this place even more beautiful.

Ittin

We reached hotel at about 3 pm. I asked Ali about tomorrow’s programme. He only said: Mughsayl beach. (I will write another blogpost about our visit to Mughsayl beach as I have a lot of things to share about this natural wonder.)

We could have called Salim to get more clarification on next day’s schedule. But we didn’t. We didn’t even call Salim during our trip to Mughsayl beach the next day. We just loved the way we were exploring with Ali. We loved getting lost with Ali.
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Ali also came to drop us at the bus stop. It was our return journey in a day bus. He parked his car in a place reserved for physically handicapped. During our tour it never got unnoticed that Ali was paralysed. He could move only one hand. But he is a master in driving, which is evident in the way he changes gears with just one hand!

With Ali

We thanked Ali. We called Salim and conveyed our gratitude. Salim advised us to buy some Frankincense before we get into the bus. Ali smiled at us and told something in Arabic. We could not understand the meaning but it was sure that he was not talking about the ATM or the hotel. It must have been some good wishes.

Some journeys are made in earth! They are made to be enjoyable by proper planning, research and expert help. We make all efforts to know in advance about the dos and don’ts and every piece of information that saves us from all the hustles and bustles.

Some other journeys are made in heaven – made out of the blue but turn out to be pleasant! It may be due to the extraordinary ability of the traveler to explore the unknown, or a companion who guides you through the path or due to sheer luck. It reminds me the song – I need to know I can be lost and not afraid.
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So get ready for a journey where the itinerary is finalized only after it is over! Take the plunge and face the challenge of uncertainty and you will be rewarded by beautiful surprise of discovering something new.

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The world’s best Technicolor destinations

An exclusive guest post by:Holidaylettings – TripAdvisor

So weird, so vivid, so Photoshopped? Some landscapes are just so dramatically shaped and coloured that you can’t believe they’re real. Holiday Lettings travels round the world’s most rainbow-bright places, from strawberry lakes to yellow tulip roads.


Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park, China

OK, it took some time to convince us that that this layer cake wasn’t an impressionistic painter’s masterpiece. It’s actually 6 million years’ worth of compressed rock and minerals spanning from colours of deep magenta to maroon and lemon. The impact is even more powerful during sunset when you can admire the shadows and rays of light across the formation. After rainfall, the rocks are like a blazing spectacle of kaleidoscopic colours.

You can hike some of the way around the park, or take a sightseeing car to the four viewing platforms. They’re around 8 km apart and you’ll need to allow about one hour to travel from one point to the other. The second viewing platform is the highest and the panorama is well worth the 666 steps.

Tulips fields, the Netherlands

The Netherlands have blossomed since the first tulip was planted in 1593. Every spring, red, pink, purple and orange flowers completely cover the area outside Amsterdam. The ‘roads’ of yellow blooms reputedly make it look just like a scene from the Wizard of Oz.

The best way to enjoy this landscape must be on an iconic bike ride. Routes through the picturesque fields lead you from the ancient town of Leiden to the gorgeous city of Haarlem. Visit the world-famous Keukenhof Gardens: its 7 million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths fill over 32 hectares and offer you plenty of opportunities to take your own still-life picture.

Namib-NauluftPark, Namibia

No, it’s not an art installation. It’s the Namib-NaukluftPark. The tinted orange hue is due to the morning sun touching a towering dune – it makes a spectacular backdrop for the hulking camel thorn trees.

Do stay overnight in the park if you can. You can venture into the stark and striking desert terrain and walk amongst the tallest sand dunes in the world in the cool of the morning. Later, witness the breathtaking sunset before spending a blissful evening stargazing.

Lake Retba, Senegal

Photo credit: Jeff Attaway (license) via Flickr.com

It looks like a strawberry milkshake spill or the aftermath of a fuchsia dye disaster. In fact, the water’s high salt content attracts algae (dunaliella salina), which has a pigment that turns the water red. The lake is a striking contrast with the golden sand dunes and bleached mountains of salt stacked up on the shore.

When you visit the lake, you can cruise the dunes, try salt harvesting or just float effortlessly on its surface. You can also go out on the water in a vibrantly decorated wooden canoe (pirogue) to see other boats bobbing around and quaint settlements on the water’s edge.

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park

Photo credit: James St. John (license) via flickr.com

The spring’s multi-hued waters make it the ultimate real-life watercolour with a centre that fades from deep to light blue. Green algae grows along the shallow edge, and a bold strip of yellow deepens to orange around the outside before meeting a rusty red border. As the steam emerges from the water, it turns blue and green. Don’t be tempted to get in though: the spring’s water is too hot to sustain life.

Still fancy a dip of fire and ice? Try a natural hot tub in the Park’s Boiling River. Here a large, hot spring enters the Gardner River, mixing hot and cool waters so that it’s a comfortable temperature to bathe in. Soothe yourself into the warm water and soak up the natural beauty of your surroundings.

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What made us cherrypick Turkey as our next destination?

It’s been so long since we’ve been to somewhere far from what we know! It’s been so very long since we’ve seen the clouds from top. My down to dusk job doesn’t allow me to look beyond the numbers & stats. I know, we desperately need a break but can’t travel now due to personal commitments. But there’s nothing that stops us from planning for a getaway. It was a lazy Friday morning and we had nothing special to do. Out of boredom, we found an interesting way to talk about our next holiday destination.

It’s never easy to decide. We have so many parameters to be considered – nice weather, friendly people, rich culture, delicious food, unique landscapes, indulging adventures and so many things. Most importantly it has to be affordable and not similar to somewhere we’ve already been. After lots of arguments, brainstorming, persuasion and research, we finally zeroed in. I thought it’s worthwhile to share with you what prompted us to zero in on Turkey. Here’s why:

People and Climate: Nobody would like to spoil a holiday by negotiating and bargaining things with people. Travellers love welcome, albeit implicit –from people and the climate. Turkey would not fall short to provide that comfort. People of Turkey are like its weather – they have best of both the worlds - warmth of Asia as well as coolness of Europe, accentuated by the goodness of the Mediterranean. From oceanic to arid, from hot summers to cool winters, from snow to rain, you get to experience everything in different regions of Turkey in different times of the year. However, the best times to visit are April-May and September-November when the weather is pleasant particularly in Istanbul and Cappadocia. Likewise, the people of Turkey are multi-ethnic and multi-cultural and at the same time warm and friendly.

Affordability: The destination must suit our pockets. So, the first thing we did was to search for online air fares. Here’s what we found: Muscat to Istanbul for less than USD300. Not only it is pocket friendly, but also reachable within just 6 hours from Muscat.
If you are flying from some other country then: London to Istanbul for USD 175 (4 hours), London Gatwick to Antalya for USD 150, New York to Istanbul for USD 360 (13.5 hours), Shanghai to Istanbul for USD 470 (15 hours), and so on.

There’s a host of inland flights for travelling from one region of Turkey to another. Travelling by bus for journey within the country is yet another cheaper alternative.

Needless to say, Turkey has great hotels and resorts for both budget as well as luxury travellers. So, Turkey perfectly fitted our criteria.

Cappadocia hot balloon ride. CC image courtesy MrHicks46, flickr.com [license]

Ride a hot air balloon over Cappadocia: Go through any “x number of things to do before you die”, you will find hot balloon ride as one of the experiences to indulge in. I have never done this but always dreamt of doing it. Just imagine yourself in a hot air balloon over the stunning landscape of historic Cappadocia (a world heritage site), observing the volcanic rocks, fairy chimneys, ancient houses and temples carved into rocks and all the geological wonders. It’s definitely an experience of a lifetime!

Witness the rich heritage and architecture: The Ottoman Empire has left behind its mark which can be seen in the historic monuments. A perfect culmination of Europe, Middle East and Mediterranean, Turkish heritage and architecture can be best seen in Istanbul’s 400 years old Blue Mosque, more than 2000 years old Hagia Sofia, Ancient Greek town of Ephesus which dates back to 10th century BC, underground city of Derinkuyu which was built to hide its citizens from the invaders, ancient city of Troy made famous by Homer’s epic Iliad and so many places that offers a peep into the history of Turkey.

Hagia Sofia

Taste the delicacies: Turkish cuisine is a gastronomic delight. We had first tasted Turkish food in a Turkish Airlines flight. Also, there’s no dearth of Turkish restaurants in Muscat. Nevertheless, taking Turkish food in Turkey is something that will appeal to all the foodies. On top of my list are: a delicious Menemen breakfast, well known foods such as Kebabs, Doner, Kofte or Dolma, fresh fish stuffed with eggplant, Baklava sweet, Turkish cheese, yogurt and all the other specialities including a refreshing cup of brewing Turkish Coffee.

Baklava Sweet. CC Image Courtesy: Garrett Ziegler, flickr.com [license]

Experience the culture: If you appreciate music and dance, Turkey will never fail to score high in your list. Turkish culture has originated from its Ottoman Empire and influenced by Sufi, European and lately by the western wind. Visiting Turkey means a chance to enjoy its traditional as well as modern dance & music. Among others, traditional folk Halay dance (National dance), Hora dance, Zeybec dance and Belly dance would definitely appeal culture lovers.

Courtesy: Odil Ruzaliyev (VOA) (Voice of America) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Landscapes: Turkey is bestowed with so much natural beauty and varied landscapes that it would be hard to list down a few attractions. Yet I’ve found the following choices intriguing:

To spend leisurely time in one of the many spectacular beaches of Mediterranean, Black Sea or Aegean Sea.

To take a boat trip and visit one of the nearby islands.

Experience, the 17 hot springs of Pamukkale and swim for free in the hot waters of the natural pool formed by the white calcium – another world heritage site.

Pamukkale. CC Image courtesy: Josep Salvia i bote, flickr.com [license]

Visit Gallipoli peninsula and see the war memorials and the wild valley.

Visit one of the magnificent waterfalls such as Manavgat or Duden waterfalls.

The list is never ending.

And that’s not all. There’s so many other activities. You can stay back, relax and take a Hamam Bath. It’s a traditional Turkish spa that refreshes mind and body. If you are a shopaholic, you can get all you want from traditional items and souvenirs to modern and fashionable apparels. Istanbul is famous for carpets, ceramics, dry fruits, textiles, jewellery and handicrafts.

So, what you are waiting for? Get the backpack and head for Turkey. It will be an experience to remember beyond doubt. Do share your thoughts on Turkey or about any other place that you consider your dream destination.

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Al Mazara

Wadi Dayqah dam, Lake and the virgin landscape

How would you feel, if you happen to visit a pristine lake surrounded by unspoilt landscape, that too in a scorching dry country like Oman all of a sudden? Wouldn’t it be a pleasant surprise? What’s more could an explorer in Oman ask for, than a visit to Al Mazara – a hidden treasure carefully preserved by nature as a surprise gift to the visitors!

It was not so long after my beginning of life at Muscat that I started to appreciate the beauty of the sunlit naked brown mountains of the country. By that time, I just had some brief orientations of the hot rocky capital of Oman between my busy schedules and lots of surprises of the unknown land were waiting to be explored. Because, as they say Oman is not only about beaches and rocky mountains, it also offers hidden treasures for explorers and nature lovers.

It was November and the climate was beginning to become pleasant when one of my colleagues offered us a trip to Al Mazara without letting us know what it exactly is. I searched all overt Internet but couldn’t find anything. We went ahead and it turned out to be a fabulous trip both the journey and the destination. We thanked them for taking us to this little known gem of nature.  Since then, we have been to this place many times. Whenever, we had a guest or a relative, we made it a point to show them this amazing place.

The Lake of Al Mazara

The views: The dam, which was built on the wadi Dayqah to generate hydroelectric power has resulted in opulence of blue water in the lake. It has also dried up the wadi. It is only when the dam releases water, the wadi gets flooded. And when this happens, people in large numbers flock to the wadi to enjoy the cool waters of the wadi.

The Lake of al Mazara

The park at Al Mazara

However, swimming and fishing are not allowed in the lake. Public are not even allowed to go near the lake. It can only be viewed from the park. For this, one needs to enter through the gate of the wadi daqah dam and drive upwards through the slopes. There is ample parking space and a restaurant near the park. The first view from the park is the large blue lake surrounded by majestic brown hills. Moving ahead, one can see the dam and walk over it to reach the view point. The view point offers all encompassing 360° view of the lake on one side and the wadi on the other. The large green vegetation under the shadow of date palm trees which decorates the bank of the wadi can also be seen from there.

Wadi Dayqah Dam

Wadi Dayqah Dam

View from Wadi Dayqah Dam

The lake of al Mazara

It is also possible to reach the base of the dam. For this, one needs to come out of the park and drive downwards towards the base area. If you are lucky, you would visit this place on a day when the water is released from the dam. This is the place which offers a marvellous view of the water gushing out of the dam and one can hear the sound of water and can feel the scattering droplets of water all over body. What’s more, it even makes colourful rainbows when the sun shines on the water droplets that moisten and fill up the air that blows all over the place.

Water being released from Wadi Dayqah Dam

Rainbow formation at Wadi Dayqah Dam

In case you want to visit the wadi, you need to come out of the campus of the wadi Dayqah dam and move ahead towards the small Omani village through a narrow road. Once you reach the wadi, you need to park the car and walk down. As I said, there is nothing in the wadi unless they are releasing water on a fine day. However, there are lots to explore in the farmland where the Omani farmers grow varieties of fruits and vegetables such as papaya, banana, eggplant, etc. The farm is protected from the sunlight by a large number of date palm trees and irrigated by water cannels from the lake. I would strongly recommend you to buy some dates and other fruits from the farmers. If you are lucky you will be there in the right season and meet the right person to buy the fresh fruits.

Full flowing Wadi Dayqah

Omani farmland near Wadi Dayqah

A lot of things have been told in details about what Al Mazara could offer to you. However, it is not only this incredible place that would mesmerize you. The journey to this place is equally enchanting. So, now I must tell you about the panoramic path that leads to this place through grand mountains and imposing landscapes.

The journey: It was a Friday morning and we started from Muscat at around 9:30 am. It’s just one and a half hours drive along the ups and downs of the mountain road. Soon after, we took a left turn from the Hatat roundabout towards Al Amerat. It’s an old road which was completely destroyed during hurricane Gonu in 2007. The new road was under construction then. The new elevated road curved in the lofty mountains and connected with tall bridges was opened in the year 2013. This road offers a scenic drive and presents a breathtaking view of the valley and the mountains. 

New road to Amerat

After reaching Amerat, we turned left from the 4^th roundabout towards Quriyat. It’s a wide highway surrounded by mountains. The road leads to Sur through a small town called Quriayt. The road from Quriat to Sur offers a scenic coastal drive about which I will write in another blogpost.

For now let’s steer towards the beautiful lake of Al Mazara. After driving for about  80 kilometres from Al Amerat, we would take a right turn just before reaching Quriyat and move towards Hail Al Ghaf (a new signpost “Wadi Dayqah Dam” has recently been enacted). We would then cross a wide bridge over a wadi. The wadi remains dry most of the times but it had clear signs of water flow. Whenever there is a rainfall, the wadi gets flooded with water. A few minutes after crossing the wadi, we would again turn right on the signpost Al Misfah. A few more kilometres and we then turn left on the signpost Al Mazara. We would now ascend for about about 10 kiliomers along the sloppy road and finally reach the gate of the dam.

On the way to Al Mazara

On the way to Al Mazara

Entrance to Wadi Dayqah Dam

During the whole journey, one thing you can not escape here is the hills that come in different sizes, shapes and colours! As I said earlier, Oman is such a jewel of nature that will even make you enjoy the beauty of naked mountains! I do not know how and when these mountains were formed and who has painted them in so many varied colours, but the view was astounding with Black, red, pink, yellow, violet, maroon and so many unknown colours that adored the rocks of the hills. Some of them are marble stones, some looked like a stack of sand papers, some looked like iron hard and some like a brownie ice cream!

At the most I know is that a zillion years is required for formation these natural wonders. Nature takes its own course and creates marvels. Man makes endeavours to create the same wonders in a much less time. The rocks and sands of Oman have tasted time eternal. The natural spring water lake of Al Mazara from where the Wadi Dayqah originates has taken a different course with the construction of the barrier for generation of hydroelectric power.

The pristine Lake and the virgin landscape

Some more views of the  Lake

The Lake and the virgin landscape

The view of the resort

View from the top - the lake of Al Mazara

The place has also changed in last 3 years. The good thing is that a small resort with a park overlooking the lake has been built. The bad thing is that access to a part of the lake has been restricted for visitors. There has also been increase in the tourists over the years and nowadays the place becomes crowded on weekends. Many Indian movies have used this place as a backdrop for filming songs. The place is gradually finding a mention in many travelogues and is becoming a must visit attraction.

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