So you think you’ve exhausted all the possible fun things to do in Oman? We doubt it. While in recent years, more and more people had been discovering all the best-kept secrets of the country, there are still that some have missed. We compiled some of the fun things you can do this weekend that we thought have gone under the radar.
The thrill of Night Kayak
This is one of the emerging fun outdoor activities happening in the country today. Husaak — a locally based adventure group, has been making the waters of Bandar al Khairan as their spot for this activity. One of our writers tried this recently and as she describes it, “Kayaking is a fun activity as it is, but at night time, the experience is something else completely. You are surrounded by the towering mountains backlit with city lights, the clear starry sky above and the rustling of the paddles and fishes in the distance. An added element? Completely undisturbed by lights, every time the paddle disturbed the calm waters or you wave your hands through the water you were surprised with an explosive display for neon blue dots that took over the water surrounding the kayak.” Related story: https://bit.ly/2DeD5MJ
Hold tight to the ropes of Via Ferrata
Jabal Shams is, on its own, a scenic, exciting place to be. If you’ve tried the Balcony walk, then you know much beauty is before you — Oman’s very own Grand Canyon. If you have a reserve of extra courage, you can do more though by trying out the Via Ferrata. Via Ferrata is an Italian word which means ‘Iron Way.’ As our contributor shared, “The lower part of this route is a medium to difficult 90-metre vertical ascent. Following a short walk, the second upper climb leads out of the canyon via a wadi. The climb itself takes around one to two hours depending on how fast and experienced the climbers are.” He also suggested, “I can say that it is really not advisable to take on this challenge without the guidance of an experienced climber who knows the way.” Related story: https://bit.ly/2QpoViI
Abseil to the bowels of the earth
Abseiling is getting people to the most difficult of places. It allows them to explore wadis, climb and get off mountains and lately, inspecting the bowels of the earth. If you are looking for something different, then head out to the seventh hole of the plateau of Salmah in Quriyat and abseil down into the Belly of Tahiri. As our contributor shared, “There was no easier way to access the 7th hole except by abseiling. You need to climb down using special gears and you should have an adventurous spirit to even try it. The knowledge of the guide will guarantee that you will be able to explore the place in relative safety.” What’s in it for you? He added, “There were a lot of things inside that were awe-inspiring. There were a number of paths inside the cave and they created this feeling that it was like a big maze. You will definitely find stalactites and stalagmites and there was a part of the cave that looked like a big crystal room. All you can do was stare in disbelief.” Related story: https://bit.ly/2Fj4vni
Ride the waves of Aseelah
For some, it’s hard to imagine Oman as a hub for global surfing. They argue that the waves are not big enough and the scene needs to pick up a little bit more. But Oman has some of the best spots for a true blue wave riding adventure. Ras al Hadd, Ashkarah and even Muttrah has been noted as great spots to catch some wave. If you don’t know Joe’s Point at Aseelah (40 minutes south of Ras al Hadd) yet — as our writer puts it, one of the best unknown waves, then you definitely need yourself to get acquainted with what’s going on around. As Gee Sutton, a surf instructor, commented, the topography of the sea floor, a number of spots along the coast from Sur to Sifa produce amazingly good waves given the right conditions.
Related story: https://bit.ly/2wXcO1m
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