author - oman observer

In a masterclass attended by five selected artists from Oman, he demonstrated what years of experience can do in but a few minutes. Without a sketch or blueprint in hand, he went freestyle etching his...

Somebody has to lead the way.” She said the words with firm conviction you can feel that it was something she was very committed and serious about. “My predecessors have not necessarily thought it...

Italy has given so much to the world. The beautiful craftsmanship and artistry of Leonardo da Vinci are still being celebrated today not only by art masters but even by kids. Milan will always be...

Of the about 60000 pomegranate trees growing in Jabal Akhdhar, he owns more than a hundred of them. Together with the gardens that grow other crops like damask roses, the property in which the trees...

Hassan al Meer’s “Ambiguity” is a video installation that needs to be dissected in order to understand the artist’s layered message. While it may look straightforward, curators understood...

Every morning within the next few months, several boats and yatchs will be scouring the surrounding waters of Dimaniyat Island in search of whale sharks. Beginning the early weeks of September is the...

About 30 minutes from Al Ashkarah is the seldom visited Bandar al Saqla — one of Oman’s hidden treasures made remarkable by its long stretch of uninterrupted golden beach. Here, only the...

Photos by Ahmed Al Jaabri About 430km from Muscat, past the windswept villages of Sur and Ras al Hadd is the unspoilt wilderness of Al Khaluf. A five-hour drive from Muscat, the number of people who...

The location is not an easy place to get to. From Salalah, one will have to travel more than 150kms towards Marmul. From the highway of Marmul, one will have to drive a little farther towards the...

Nine Arab artists coming from Oman, Kuwait, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco flew to China to take part in the 11th Insight of China: Painting Workshop for Famous Arab Artists in China. The nine artists...

Of the many different family celebrations in Oman, Omani weddings are one of the most lavish and well-attended. It’s a life event that today, has taken a regal and glamorous form with families...

In Pakistan, the money they raised helped rebuild a village made of brick and stones after it was diminished into rubble by a catastrophy. Through the 14 different charities they work with, they help...

Ahmed Qatan had always wanted to know what’s hidden within the 17 km stretch of Wadi Darbat. He has been to several of the key areas of Salalah. But his mind always wondered if there was something...

Photos by AHMED AL JAABRI Some residents of Masirah believe that the same winds that visited Khareef in Dhofar are the very same winds that gifted their island with its strong, powerful, cold wind...

There’s not a lot of students taking political science in Oman. In fact, for third year Sultan Qaboos University student Ethar, she can count her classmates with her fingers. Of the nearly ten...

Nakhl is barely a two hours drive away from Muscat. The completion of the Barka-Nakhl Dual Road project, a 14km stretch of road completed in 2018, has made the travel now both convenient and...

If you’ve been to Salalah, then you definitely would have visited Jabal Samhan. And like most mountains in Oman, it’s not just an ordinary mountain but a nature reserve. At 4,500 square...

With almost half of Oman’s population made up of expats, the food scene in the country is continuously evolving. One product of globalisation is also the proliferation of different cuisines from...

On most days, Abdullah sits at the reception, waiting for guests to come in. While he owns Hissen al Misfah or Castle of Misfah, there is not a hint of conceit in his demeanour. Anyone who comes in,...

On the third day of Eid, after the afternoon prayer, Mai al Abria and her family dressed to the nines to join the rest of the villagers of Al Hamra for the Al Razha. “It’s a big celebration...