author - oman observer

An expatriate in Muscat scrolls through their electricity statement, line by line, almost instinctively. Consumption. Meter readings. Tariff bands. And then, the number that matters most: the total....

When Oman Skate opened its doors in Al Wadi Al Kabir in 2018, it marked a rare moment for a small but determined group of young people who had long been skating on the margins.For years, skateboarders...

A stretch of beach in Mirbat turned an uneasy shade of red, coated in what at first glance could be mistaken for algae or sediment. But closer inspection revealed something else entirely:...

The first time I went to Al Hamra in 2016, it was not a destination in the way we understand destinations today. There were no itineraries, no carefully packaged experiences. What drew people in was...

I have been paying closer attention this week, not just to the headlines, but to the pauses in between them. The way conversations shift when the topic turns to the world beyond Oman. The way a phone...

In recent weeks, social media feeds and travel forums have taken on a distinctly urgent tone. The questions arrive in waves, often stripped to their essentials: “Is it possible to get from Dubai to...

There’s a pattern we’ve all come to recognise. A crisis hits the headlines, uncertainty creeps in, and almost instinctively, people head to the supermarket, not to shop, but to secure. Trolleys...

There are moments when keeping up with the news starts to feel like a burden. One headline leads to another and before long, everything feels uncertain. Conflict, disruption, instability. They build...

Oman is a country of layered traditions, where celebrations shift subtly from one village to another. What may seem uniform at a distance reveals, up close, a rich mosaic of practices shaped by...

This week’s heavy rains across Oman have once again followed a grim and familiar pattern.Following flash floods triggered by intense rainfall, numerous deaths had been reported with search...

For anyone walking through Muscat during these evenings, there is a quiet sense that life is unfolding without disruption. This everyday calm has become a subject of conversation in its own right...

The past two weeks have been particularly challenging for many people across the Middle East, but perhaps none more visibly than travellers. As tensions across the region escalated, uncertainty spread...

As soon as the traffic lights turn red and vehicles come to a halt, a group of young volunteers steps onto the road. To an observer, the movement appears almost choreographed. They fan out swiftly but...

Across the Middle East and the wider Gulf, the atmosphere has shifted and this week has been particularly challenging.Conversations are shorter. Brows are furrowed. Plans are made with an asterisk....

In Oman, iftar has long been the emotional centre of Ramadhan. It is the pause at the end of a long day of fasting, the quiet sip of water, the first date, the gathering of family around a table that...

Just before sunset, outside a neighbourhood mosque in Oman, the lawn begins to transform. Carpets are rolled out in long, careful lines. Plastic bottles of water are stacked in neat rows. Small boxes...

If this is your first time in Muscat during Ramadhan, you might make a common mistake. You might assume the city slows down.It does. But only during the day.After sunset, Muscat rearranges itself. The...

Ramadhan changes the clock. Nights stretch later, meals shift and energy comes in waves. Movement doesn’t need to disappear for a month; it simply needs to align with fasting rather than fight...

Over the past three years, Ramadhan dining across the Gulf has quietly shifted from something simple into something planned, packaged, and often performative. Iftar is no longer just about breaking...

I found myself in a peaceful, charming café just as the winter light began to soften, turning the garden at Dhellah Cafe into a warm, green hush. It sits in Hujrat Al Sheikh in the Wilayat of Wadi Al...