Things to see and do Batinah Coast And Its Wadis

The Sultanate of Oman is renowned for its many forts, but the Sultanate of Nakhal stands out in particular. It is one of the largest and most beautiful in the country and, above all, one of the only ones built on an irregularly shaped rocky promontory. The foundations of the present building, like those of most Omani forts, are very old and date back to long before Islam. However, the foundations of the structure as it stands today date from three successive eras, during which the citadel was renovated and enlarged to its current surface area of 3,400 m²: the second half of the 17th century (a period of prosperity and relative calm under the powerful Ya'ariba dynasty, reigning from 1650 to 1744), 1834 and 1990.

Surrounded by a 30-metre-high wall and protected by six towers, the fort today forms a harmonious, well-appointed ensemble, evocative of past lifestyles. It has most of the characteristics of an Omani defensive building: its second entrance gate is surmounted by an opening through which guards poured hot oil on unwelcome visitors (remember to raise your head to observe this curiosity). There are two meeting rooms: one downstairs for the winter; the other upstairs for the summer, much cooler thanks to an ideal draught system during the hot season. They are decorated with painted beams (ornamental motifs and Koranic verses), chests and books, as in the past. The pieces of wood inserted in the wall were mainly used to hang weapons. The access doors were low, so that each visitor was obliged to bend down as a sign of humility and respect for the chief, the Wali. The fort also has two wells (one of which is on the roofs), two date storage rooms, two secret exits, a maze of rooms (including the Wali's private room with bed, chest, silver jewellery) and a multitude of stairs, as always.

The most courageous will be able, with precaution, to climb a makeshift ladder at the top of the east tower, from which a beautiful panorama of the palm grove and the foothills of the Hajar Mountains can be enjoyed. And gun enthusiasts will be pleased to find various weapons from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries on display in the middle tower. Also take the time to wander outside on the rooftops to appreciate the extent to which the fort follows the shape of the rock on which it was built and which dictated much of its architectural design.

Its name is a derivative of the Arabic word meaning "to boil". It is accessed through a palm grove that allows you to glimpse the mountain tops through the foliage. A falaj is reached from the hot spring located a little higher up. Park your car and continue on foot. You reach the entrance of a wadi where the spring is enclosed in a basin that extends a stream. The water there is warm and the locals like to use it to wash themselves or to make their ablutions.

It is probably the most interesting wadi in the region and the most borrowed, especially since a road was built in its extension to cross the Western Hajar and descend from the side of Nizwa (which is ideal during a circuit discovery of the interior of the land). Its entrance is indicated on the left of the main road, about 3 km after the village of Awabi. Very quickly, the track, which is kilometres long, is lined with corn plantations and palm-calf palms, as well as cemeteries (simple edges of flat rocks erected in squares of rocks) and especially more or less scattered houses, fuelled with water and electricity, despite their isolation (a way of promoting the sedentary)… It sinue along the river bed, sometimes bordered by falajs, between very steep walls, before climbing in the mountains overlooking the valley and along some beautiful precipices. A 4 x 4 is of course necessary, especially since some passages are steep and narrow (place for only one car). But directions are well indicated by panels and leads to charming hamlets, usually adorned with terraces.

After kilometres, we arrive at a branch line: on the right, the village of Bilad Sayt, left of Hat. To cross the Hajar, follow the road from Hat. It would be a shame, however, to go into the corner without taking a detour by the wonderful hamlet of Bilad Sayt, 1 km away: from the entrance of the gorge, we join it in minutes. Built in height, Bilad Sayt dominates its cultures and palm grove and offers an incredible palette of colours. From this village there is a signposted trail towards Misfah. It's a two-day walk, with climbing up to the Hajar plateau in four hours and, the next day, going to you it on Misfah in six hours. The less courageous will return to their footsteps and take the road from Hat.

250 metres after the fork opens on the left, the entrance of the Serpent Canyon (Snake Canyon), which has been taken up by local impulses, some of which organise days of climbing and canyoning. Never venture alone in these gorges which require the first 500 metres a reminder. Go 500 metres further, on the right, where small gorges, accessible to everyone, offer beautiful walls. A staircase runs along the rock to enter the heart of these "Serpent gorges" equipped with climbing paths (the same entrance of gorge leads to the village of Bilad Sayt on foot).

The road then climbs to a plateau that offers good camping possibilities, provided that it is well equipped because the evenings are fresh. We leave the Batinah Region for that of Al-Dakhiliyah. The decor changes, the color of the stone clouds… We arrive near the village of Al-Hamra, 35 km after Hat. There are several possibilities for routes: go to Nizwa, go to the discovery of the Jebel Shams, return to Muscat…

Perfectly restored and maintained, the different rooms of this citadel are also equipped with many period objects and accessories. The audio guide in several languages, including French, alternates explanations and legends, facilitating and poetizing the wandering through the usual maze of rooms, corridors, courtyards and half levels. Built in 1711 by Imam Sultan bin Saif of the Ya'ariba dynasty, the 17-metre-high building, in which wood and limestone mingle, is a marvel of Islamic architectural art. It is distinguished by walls at least three metres thick, enormous gates dominated by openings from which guards could pour boiling date honey on potential invaders, and by an above-average number of secret passages and tunnels. The ground floor houses the prison: a round room with a central column around which the prisoners revolved endlessly in the dark. One then enters the storage room where the dates were left to ripen to recover their juice. On the first floor are the sultan's apartments, consisting of various lounges, rooms and bedrooms, including a bed built high up and equipped with a system for escaping in case of sudden danger. An underground tunnel runs along this suite, lit only by a few beams of light. The towers of the fort are beautifully carved, as are the ceilings of some rooms . Get your bearings with the audioguide.

This Wadi has the advantage of offering natural water pools about km from its entrance, adding a little more to discovery. It will be surprised by the milky colour of the water due to suspended calcite. When the track becomes too narrow for a car, continue along the bed of the river to the village of Abyada, only minutes walk away.

Like most of the wadis in this part of the Sultanate, the Wadi Wadi wadi opens on steep walls and a narrow canyon, in 4 x 4. It will delight geology lovers by its multitude of marine fossils. At 2 km from the entrance you can observe drawings carved in the rock, representing animals and warriors. These paintings are believed to be over 1 500 years of age. The last village in 4 x 4, Al-Ulya, is a paradise: palm groves, clear water basins, falajs… A preserved and still authentic place to the very welcoming population.

It is probably the longest Wadi in the region. Beware, the track is not very broad. Seventeen kilometres after Gubrah, it joins the village of Wakan, starting point of a hike that leads to the edge of the Gubrah Bowl circus to the village of Haddash (7 h walk). Beware, this is not a loop and therefore requires a transfer upon arrival.

Oman's highest fort is surrounded by ramparts that once included no less than twelve towers. Built on the rock, its walls seem to be an integral part of the rock. It is an imposing building that has been carefully restored. It is surrounded by abundant nature and offers a beautiful view of the surrounding area, especially of the mountain foothills. It is said that it was once connected to the citadel of Al Hazm, some twenty kilometres away, by a tunnel. Entrance is possible through four different gates: Al-Ya'arubi, Al-Wasut, Al-Sharjah and the main gate. The structure is adjacent to a falaj that is over 130 years old. The first buildings of the complex were constructed in 1250 from Persian ruins. The fort was later enlarged over the years, and in 1650 it was remodelled by Nasir bin Murshid. It is a construction of impressive dimensions, where it is easy to get lost in the maze of rooms, doors, staircases and underground passages (many and dark). When you are lucky or unlucky to be there alone, you almost get scared in the string of such naked rooms! On the top floor is the tomb of the members of the family of the late Sultan Qaboos of the Al-Bu Said dynasty. Unlike the other forts, this one has no real interior design, and that's a pity: no explanatory panel, no furniture, no antique objects or accessories. But what a mass behind this jagged enclosure of more than 200 battlements!

An important trading city on the route to India and the former capital of Oman, Sohar was an important port from antiquity until the 16th century. Today only its fort/museum bears witness to its past splendor. The citadel has the originality of being white, like all the big buildings of the city, but unlike all the Omani forts, of ochre color. It was probably built between the 13th and 14th centuries by Prince Baha al-Din Ayaz of Hormuz. The princes of Hormuz were no strangers to this region. The first to come to the sultanate was Mahamad Dram Ku, a direct descendant of the kings of Sabah, from the province of Arabia. During the excavations carried out in the fort, many valuable ceramic and porcelain objects were discovered, testifying to the fortune of its inhabitants. Restored, the defensive building now houses an interesting museum that traces the history of the region and the city of Sohar through writings and the display of ancient objects. The rooms to be visited occupy three floors, but it is also advisable to climb higher, to the roof of one of the towers from where one can overlook the sea and the palm grove that stretches as far as the eye can see. The chronicle tells that the garrison of 1,000 men who held the place surrendered without firing a single cannonball to the Portuguese invader Afonso de Albuquerque. On the spot, one can also admire the mausoleum of an emblematic character of Omani history, Sayyid Thuwaini bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman from 1856 to 1866.

Sohar's fish market is one of the largest in the country and is quite large. It is held on the waterfront in a large modern white building with characteristic dhow-like architecture. Inside, in good order, are the tiled stalls covered with the many fish that the Gulf of Oman sacrifices every day to the nets of local fishermen. Even if one has nothing to buy, the place is worth seeing for its scenes of life and trade, especially as the place is much less touristy than the Fish Market of Mutrah.

Well restored, the building has a defence tower more than 450 years old offering a beautiful panorama of the surroundings. The construction was done in several stages, which explains why the main door, carved from a single piece of wood, is only 350 years old. The various rooms, including the Arabic lounge, are decorated with carpets and oil lamps. The courtroom houses jewellery and old rifles. Among the successive imams, Ahmed bin Sad was the one who dared to plan a polygonal tower. With humor, we speak of cubist inspiration!

This imposing castle-like house was built in the 17th century by Imam Bil Arab bin Sultan and his brother Imam Saif bin Sultan. It was a kind of caravanserai, a place of passage and meeting for armies and travellers between Rustaq and Muscat. Restored in 1992, the house unfolds a succession of ornate rooms, much more than the average citadel, with antique furniture and accessories that give an idea of the way of life of the Omanis in the old days and their defence system. Interesting visit.

Superbly restored using traditional Omani materials, this beautiful ^19th-century fortified residence once belonged to the royal family. Impressive in size, it measures 40 meters long by 30 meters wide, with some fifteen rooms arranged around a vast inner courtyard and protected by crenellated ramparts. Multi-purpose (kitchen, reception rooms, bedrooms, etc.), the rooms are spread over two levels. In addition to being a museum, the residence regularly hosts cultural events.

This spring emerges in a kind of small round crater a few meters in diameter, just next to a white mosque. The water emerges there at 45°C and is then channelled into a falaj, partly equipped with individual "cabins" that the locals use for soaking or ablution. The water is said to have medicinal virtues and its high sulphur content is said to be recommended for arthritis and rheumatism. The site is rather rudimentary and not very conducive to bikini.

The souk of Rustaq is one of the most popular markets of the Batinah and even of the sultanate. From the first light of day, it comes alive, offering all sorts of handicrafts and traditional objects, khandjars, Bedouin jewellery, but also palm mats, pottery, fabrics, various agricultural products and even local honey, which is reputed to be tasty! Locals flock from all over the region to unearth quality products and attend the sheep and cattle sale which takes place on Fridays in a small square reserved for this purpose.