Why Oman appeals to thoughtful travellers

IN an era where travel choices are increasingly shaped by algorithms, social media reels and checklist-driven itineraries, a quieter and more discerning global travel movement is taking shape. According to a recent feature by VegOut, a Singapore-based digital lifestyle platform, a new class of traveller is emerging — one that values depth, authenticity and cultural meaning over instant recognition.

In its latest feature identifying six destinations that quietly signal intellectual depth and refined travel taste, VegOut places Oman at the very top of the list. The choice is telling. In a region often associated with spectacle and visual excess, Oman has consciously chosen restraint — preservation over performance, heritage over haste.
Unlike flashier neighbours, Oman has modernised without surrendering its cultural soul. Strict urban planning laws protect Muscat’s low-rise skyline, while new developments draw from traditional architectural principles. This measured approach, VegOut observes, reflects a national philosophy that places meaning above momentum.

VegOut’s wider list — Slovenia, Uruguay, Georgia, Bhutan and Antarctica — shares a common thread: destinations that ask something of the traveller. They reward patience, curiosity and respect rather than speed and consumption. Oman’s place among them is no coincidence.
For seasoned travellers like Brid Beeler — a veteran tourism professional with over three decades of global experience — Oman represents something increasingly rare. “Oman is truly Arabia’s jewel in the crown”, she says. “For those with a penchant for lesser-known destinations, the reward is an in-depth cultural experience rather than a superficial encounter”.
Brid’s relationship with travel is deeply personal and profoundly informed. By the age of 26, she had travelled overland across four continents — sailing on the brigantine Asgard II in the Irish Sea, climbing Yemen’s rugged peaks from Sa’da to Aden, riding wild Brumbies in Australia’s Snowy Mountains and fishing the Zambezi. Her career later evolved into senior leadership roles with companies such as Abercrombie & Kent, MT Sobek and Discovery Channel Adventures, working alongside legendary explorers, conservationists and broadcasters.

Yet Oman, she believes, stands apart because of its people. “Omanis are gentle and softly spoken; and that gentleness permeates society”, she notes. “Their openness to foreigners is ever present, perhaps rooted in centuries of maritime trade — from Zanzibar and the Swahili coast to India and Southeast Asia. Oman has always looked outward and that worldview still defines it”.
The country’s landscapes reinforce this sense of quiet depth. Oman’s 3,165-kilometre coastline stretches from the dramatic fjord-like inlets of Musandam to the endless white beaches of Salalah. Dolphins, whales and vibrant marine life thrive offshore, while fish markets and seaside restaurants celebrate the daily bounty of the sea.

Then there is Khareef Dhofar Season — a phenomenon that defies expectations. “Salalah in summer surprises even seasoned travellers”, Brid says. “The monsoon transforms the desert into a green, mist-shrouded landscape. Camels swim in the ocean, waterfalls tumble through canyons and wildlife — from cattle to the elusive Arabian leopard — coexists in the hills above the sea”.
Oman’s interior landscapes offer a new perspective. Jabal Shams, often likened to the Grand Canyon, offers dramatic geological formations and trekking routes, while ancient forts, mud-walled towns and vast deserts invite contemplation. “The emptiness of the desert under night skies”, Brid reflects, “with meteorites streaking across the stars, is the best show in town”.
Founded in 2016 and operated by Brown Brothers Media, VegOut has evolved from a plant-based lifestyle platform into a global voice for conscious living, exploring culture, sustainability, psychology and ethical choices. Its philosophy — impact over identity — is mirrored in the destinations it champions.
“Where we choose to travel reflects how we choose to engage with the world”, Brid says. Oman, quietly and confidently, offers a way of travelling — and living — that values depth over display, meaning over momentum and authenticity above all else.