Re-discovering the dunes of Barka
When one hears of Barka, it is easy to associate it with farms and industrial areas but it hides much more beautiful secrets just waiting to be discovered. On weekends, especially before Covid19,...
Where to find gourmet or high end food in Oman if it's not in your supermarket
The past week posed a real challenge to late eaters. With commercial activities coming to a halt at 8 pm, those who don’t know how to cook were in a bind. Noticeably, the whole Covid-19 saga has...
Renewing interest in Zukait’s beehive tomb
He noticed them from afar — an anomaly in a landscape of barren mountains. He thought they were old houses but were far too many and spread across the top of mountains that it doesn’t connect well...
Facebook unfriends Australia: news sites go dark in content row
SYDNEY: Australians woke to empty news feeds on their Facebook Inc pages on Thursday after the social media giant blocked all media content in a surprise and dramatic escalation of a dispute with the...
It’s time to bring qafeer and traditional weaved bags back to shops
Since the implementation of the plastic ban at the beginning of the year, small scale businesses focusing on recycled totes or grocery bags had started to flourish in the Sultanate. The absence of...
Muscat top 10 safest city globally, #1 in ME and Asia in Quality of Life Index
Muscat, Jan 26 - Out of the different urban cities in the Middle East and Asia, Muscat is currently number one when it comes to the overall Quality of Life Index for 2021. Muscat has bested...
Unlock the mystery of Oman's night sky
[gallery type="slideshow" columns="1" size="full" ids="654141,654140,654139,654138,654136"] It took less than a minute for him to find what he was looking for. With one eye on the narrow viewing...
Oman’s birds of prey
PHOTOS BY Biju Augustine I spent most of my childhood being one with nature and closely watching, hidden from view, animals or birds in the wild. I was not one of those kids who were fond of...
Oman passport can access 80 countries visa-free in 2021
Oman passport was ranked 62nd in the Henley & Partners Passport Index with its citizens able to access 80 destinations visa-free or with electronic travel authorization (eTA). Omanis can access 20...
Cinemas, recreation centres reopen across Oman
MUSCAT: Following the announcement of the Supreme Committee on Covid19 allowing cinemas and recreation centres to re-open, major cinema and entertainment operators in the Sultanate have created...
How do you move on from a COVID-19 nightmare?
The update announced as of this writing by the Supreme Committee went viral as most of their announcements always do. Parks and beaches are finally opened. Access to cinemas, health clubs and for a...
Astounding details of Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat and Suhar
Photos by Sanad Nazer Whenever I went to mosques in Oman for prayers, I never really appreciated their elegance. When I left the Sultanate to pursue my studies in India, it was only upon my return...
Filipinos in Oman advised to participate in serological survey, avail of amnesty
The Philippine Embassy in Muscat urges Filipinos in the Sultanate that if they are randomly selected by the Ministry of Health to take part in the national serological survey, to readily accept and...
This Oman desert camp offers world’s best glamping experience
It’s one of the four nominated in the World Travel Awards as Middle East’s Leading Luxury Desert Resort for 2020. But the ultimate honour cementing its place as best in the world would come from...
Local produce, seafood are just as good as imported products
While the global pandemic has not put a stop into the import of foreign products into the country, it, however, prompted many local business owners particularly those within the food industry to...
Oman Middle East's top cultural, honeymoon destination: World Travel Awards
In the recently concluded World Travel Awards, considered the Oscars of Travel, Oman won as the leading cultural and honeymoon destination in the Middle East. This is the second time that Oman has...
How a Trans-Siberian trip on a bike with sidecar led to a deep appreciation for Oman
So what happens when you put five men — a hotel manager, an oil and gas expert, an executive chef, a magazine editor and a mechanic — with a collective interest in BMW R75 replica in one...
Warmth, hospitality, and charm will keep bringing people back to Oman
As the chief operating officer of Marriott International in the Middle East, Guido de Wilde has seen first hand the massive impact Covid19 has in the tourism and hospitality industries. “Covid-19...
German minister warns of 20,000 new daily virus cases within days
BERLIN: The number of new coronavirus infections in Germany is likely to reach 20,000 a day by the end of the week, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said on Tuesday as authorities readied new curbs to...
A step into preserving Jabal Akhdhar’s natural treasures
[gallery type="slideshow" columns="1" size="full" ids="636994,636995,636996,636998,636997"] It’s easy to mistake them for furry goats and perhaps it is for this reason that they’ve become an...