“From the moment I stepped off the plane, I felt a wave of familiar calm”, recalls wellness guide Dina Masinova, describing her instant connection with Salalah. Leading women’s wellness retreats from Prague, Dina has discovered in Dhofar Governorate more than a destination — it is a sanctuary where landscape, pace and people merge into quiet healing.
“Many destinations are beautiful, but Dhofar is transformative”, she says. “I didn’t choose it for tourism; I chose it for its soul”. Her retreats combine sunrise and sunset yoga, mindful breathing and guided reflection — practices that seem to naturally align with Salalah’s rhythm. “Women tell me that for the first time in years, they can finally hear themselves again”, Dina adds.
The Omani hospitality that shapes these retreats leaves an indelible mark. “People here give without expecting anything in return. Their humility and kindness taught me to live more gently, with gratitude”, she says. Local families open their homes, sharing stories, food and traditions, creating intimate encounters that go far beyond typical tourism.
Participants discover Dhofar’s diverse landscapes — the desert for clarity, the mountains for perspective and the ocean for softness. At Fazayah Beach, women run into the waves, laughing like children, feeling stress dissolve with each splash. At Kufan Home, they bake bread in clay ovens, sip traditional Omani coffee and learn the ancestral ways of the region. At the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, they explore Islam’s rich culture and the respect accorded to women in Omani society.
Among those touched by Salalah’s quiet magic are Klára Drábová, a municipal office professional and her daughter Adéla Drábová, a student at the Czech University of Life Sciences. Guided by Dina, the mother-daughter duo experienced pods of dolphins in the Arabian Sea, camels grazing along lush wadis and the soft aroma of frankincense lingering in coastal breezes. “We brought home not only new experiences but also the feeling that Oman is a place we would love to return to”, they reflect.
Dina highlights the role of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in enhancing these experiences. “In Dhofar, it is clearly visible how the Ministry is doing an excellent job in Salalah by supporting local communities and creating an environment that allows visitors to experience this beautiful destination authentically and comfortably”, she observes.
The retreats are anchored at Wyndham Garden Salalah Mirbat, a peaceful property she describes as ‘a second home’, where calmness and attentive staff provide the perfect base for reflection. Beyond its wellness offerings, Salalah itself becomes the teacher — a place where time slows and hearts open.
“Oman is a gentle healer”, Dina concludes. “It doesn’t push; it invites. And in that invitation, it transforms”. In Dhofar, travellers like Dina, Klára and Adéla discover more than scenery or culture — they rediscover themselves, carried by the land, its people and the quiet magic of Salalah.
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