In a landmark episode of CNN’s Quest’s World of Wonder, host Richard Quest celebrates a personal milestone, ticking off his 100th country by embarking on an extraordinary journey through Oman. From navigating the labyrinthine alleys of Mutrah Souk to swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Daymaniyat Islands, he immerses himself in the country's rich culture and striking landscapes. The programme was aired on Saturday, August 30, on CNN International.
Quest begins his journey in the capital, Muscat, where he describes the city, “In Oman, geography doesn’t frame the story; it is the story. Take Muscat, a capital that rebels against the ever-prevalent Gulf mantra of taller, bigger. Here is a city with jagged desert mountains on one side, and sails straight into the Indian Ocean on the other, and not a skyscraper in sight.”
In the Mutrah Souk, Quest learns how the maze-like warren of alleyways was designed to trap cool air inside and confuse any invaders.
Oman’s coastline stretches over 3,000 kilometres, significantly influencing the country’s culture and cuisine.
Quest takes a ride on the Ibra Dhow with its owner, HH Sayyid Taimur Bin Shabib al Said, who owns Hud Hud Travels, and takes him to Daymaniyat, a reserved archipelago of islands.
Nizwa holds an important place in Oman; once the capital of the Sultanate, it was a vital centre of trade. Quest visits the Nizwa Friday Goat Auction, where farmers, butchers, herders, and investors gather to strike a deal. He talks about the chaos, “I’ve covered global markets for decades. Bonds, stocks, forex, but this… I’ve never seen a trading floor quite like it.”
Next, Quest ascends to the heights of Jebel Akhdar to discover the ancient craft of rose water distillation. Every spring, hundreds of thousands of Damask roses bloom across the mountains, and for centuries, they’ve been harvested by hand. Quest learns that the roses are best picked just after sunrise, when their oil content is at its highest, and that 1kg of roses makes around 300-400ml of rose water.
During his time in Jebel Akhdar, Quest stays at the Alila Resort. Alila Executive Chef Pankaj Walia teaches him how to make Oman’s beloved dish, Shuwa. Made with goat or lamb, the meat is coated in a myriad of spices, wrapped in a banana leaf, and then placed underground to cook. Walia talks about the process, “Tomorrow only, it’s a slow method of cooking so that it will cook for 24 hours.”
Finally, to mark his 100th country, Quest undertakes a bold descent into Majlis al Jinn, one of the world’s largest cave chambers. The descent takes around 20 minutes to complete, travelling a vertical drop of more than 120 metres.
While in the vast cavern, Quest summarises this landmark trip, “My visit to Oman was particularly special because it’s the 100th country in the world that I have visited, and so to the word that best describes all of this is overwhelming, by far. And you’ll want to come here and be overwhelmed for yourself.”
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