author - oman observer

I have been fortunate enough to visit the Al Jabal Al Akhdhar Festival since its very first edition. I still remember making that drive up the mountain in August 2022. Oman was beginning to breathe...

There's a mistake I used to make every time I travelled to Dhofar Governorate during Khareef Dhofar Season. Like many visitors, I'd plan my days around waterfalls, mountain viewpoints and...

A social media post by a restaurant owner recently caught my attention. It wasn't dramatic or confrontational. It was simply an honest account of how difficult it has become to keep a restaurant...

For decades, fashion shopping in Oman has followed a familiar pattern: international brands launch seasonal collections, malls showcase the latest trends and consumers refresh their wardrobes...

Days before the World Cup final, conversations were already happening across Oman. It was not only about whether Argentina or Spain would win. The bigger question was: where were we going to watch it?...

Long before the first diners entered, before the aroma of seafood filled its rooms and before glasses clinked across its tables, the old house beneath Muttrah Fort had already lived a remarkable life....

One of the things that stayed with me from a visit to Jabal Akhdar wasn't the breathtaking mountain views. It was walking through a farm where rows of strawberries sat beside grapevines, while...

It is a scene I have witnessed more than once in shopping centre car parks. A car pulls into a parking space reserved for persons with disabilities. The doors open and out steps what appears to be an...

Few hotels in Oman have witnessed the country’s modern history as closely as Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Set between the Al Hajar Mountains and the Sea of Oman, the landmark property has...

There is something surprisingly powerful about good branding. It can turn an ordinary coffee cup into a souvenir, transform a landmark into a global attraction, or encourage thousands of people to...

If you drive through Muscat after midnight, you may notice something unusual. Roads are quieter, but cafés are full, hotel lounges buzz and restaurants welcome another wave. Across the city, families...

A few years ago, I was invited to the launch of a new electric vehicle in Oman. At the time, EVs still felt like something for the future rather than the present. The conversation was largely driven...

These baobabs stand like giant sentries, guarding a landscape transformed by the khareef. As clouds roll across Dhofar’s mountains and the desert gives way to rolling green hills, visitors arrive...

A lot of us love flying. For Khareef Dhofar Season, it is often the best option — fast, reliable and efficient. But it also cuts you off from some of the most memorable experiences, particularly the...

The sea had already begun to turn against him by the time Hamdoon Al Hashmi reached the fjords of Musandam. Winter was fading, but the weather had not settled. Waves rolled heavily across the water,...

Not too long ago, booking a quick trip from Muscat to Dubai didn't require much thought. If you planned ahead or caught a promotion, a return ticket for around RO 50 was fairly common. A long...

A few days ago, over coffee that had long gone cold from conversation, a new friend admitted something that many parents quietly fear but rarely say aloud. Her son had just graduated from university,...

At first glance, the Al Hallaniyat Islands do not seem designed for modern tourism. There are no resorts rising from the shore, no beach clubs and no crowds of influencers at a single viewpoint....

A single light cuts through the silence, casting its spotlight on an Omani artist standing alone at centre stage. Slowly, she began to move. Slow at first until she eventually disappeared into a...

For years, Oman’s lifestyle and tourism story often felt overshadowed by its louder Gulf neighbours. Dubai had the skyscrapers. Doha had the spectacle. Riyadh had the scale. But this week, scrolling...