A Kiwi traveller’s return to safe, happy Oman

It was neither on the itinerary nor a logical decision. Yet, in a heartbeat, Linda Hawkins knew she was going back to Oman.
Six years after her first visit in 2018, the intrepid traveller from Wairoa, in New Zealand’s North Island, felt an irresistible pull towards the Sultanate of Oman — a “deep-seated desire”, as she puts it — that defied maps and reason. “It wasn’t rational”, Linda says. “But some places stay with you. Oman did”.
For a single woman travelling alone, the decision came without fear. “The Omani people were always welcoming, caring and genuinely happy”, she recalls. “Happy is rare in the world today. Why would anyone not want to return to a happy place?”

What she missed was intangible yet vivid: the rhythm of Omani music, the allure of ancient landscapes and the sweetness of dates offered without ceremony. “It felt like an exotic home I had left behind”, she says.
Linda’s memories of Oman are inseparable from the legacy of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. “People were respectful, warm, ready to laugh and always willing to help”. For her, this social harmony was no coincidence. “It reflects how a government treats its people and how people treat others”, Linda says, pushing back against global misconceptions. “A single older woman travelling in Oman is totally safe. I cannot stress this enough — contrary to what some media portray”.

Linda arrived in Muscat at 1 am — without a hotel booking. A chance conversation during a previous trip to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands had left an impression. “An English lady said, with such reverence, ‘Oh, Al Bustan was a wonderful place to stay’”, Linda recalls.
So she told the taxi driver simply: “Al Bustan”. “You mean The Palace?” he replied.
As the road curved towards Al Bustan Palace, nerves crept in. “I thought, if it really was a palace, the Sultan might send me on my way”, she laughs. “And if it was a luxury hotel, I’d probably drain my bank account”.

It turned out to be both. Once a palace used by the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, later transformed into a hotel, Al Bustan exceeded every expectation. “The lobby was the size of a sports field”, Linda says. “Marble, stone, exquisite timber detailing, massive crystal chandeliers — it was breathtaking”.
At 2 am, bleary-eyed from long flights, she approached reception, uncertain if any rooms were available during Muscat’s peak season. The response was quintessentially Omani. She was given a beautiful room overlooking manicured gardens, the sea and the Spa Palace — a tranquil retreat largely reserved for women.

Morning revealed what she calls a “fairytale land”. Even after breakfast hours had closed, the staff ensured she was welcomed with warmth. “The chef prepared a wonderful meal, with Omani coffee and dates. That generosity stays with you”.
Days passed in quiet rhythms: swimming in the sea, walking along the shore, absorbing the vivid colours of gardens and herbal plants, finding stillness in spaces designed for reflection. All of this unfolded against a dramatic backdrop of ancient igneous mountains tumbling into the sea — among the oldest rock formations on Earth.

The women’s Spa Palace, nestled in its own gardens with a private beach, offered indulgence in the form of a traditional hammam scrub. “The alchemy of local herbs and perfumes was irresistible”, Linda says. “The aromas lingered throughout the palace”.
One evening took her to Muttrah Souq — “everything a market should be”. From gold jewellery to century-old antiques, it was here that Linda encountered an 11-year-old Omani girl shopping with her family. Fluent in English, the girl introduced herself as “Diamond” — Almas. “She was bright, confident and kind”, Linda recalls. “My only regret is not taking her contact”.

Food became its own journey. Her search for fresh grilled fish finally ended on her last night at Aroos Al Bahar — Fishers Grill, near the souq. “Perfect, simple and reasonably priced — a delicious farewell”, she says.
Linda departed from Muscat’s state-of-the-art airport — one of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos’s final gifts to his country — carrying more than memories. “Oman doesn’t just welcome you”, she says quietly. “It stays with you”.