Top Things to Do in the Muscat | Must-See Attractions & Experiences

Plan Your Travel To Muscat

Places To Visit In Muscat

Al Alam Palace

Al Alam Palace, also known as Sultan's Palace and the Sultan Qaboos Palace, is one among the six royal residences of Sultan Qaboos located in Muscat. It looks out to the Gulf of Oman. The ruling monarch’s residence was built in 1972 which holds a history of 200 years. The palace is known for its flamboyant Islamic architecture which is surrounded by lush green garden and the Mutrah Harbour. This official residence is used to receive distinguished guests who visit the country. Al Alam Palace was built by Imam Sultan Bin Ahmed who is the seventh direct grandfather of Sultan Qaboos. It was initially called the Bait Al Alam and was rebuilt in 1972 as a royal residence. However, visitors will only be allowed to see the Palace from outside the gates and can take photographs from there. Read More

Al Araimi Boulevard is a destination for leisure shopping that has been designed in the lines of Westfield, London. The mall occupies a large area measuring 187,000 square meters spread over two floors in the prime location of Al Khoud within Muscat. More than 200 retail stores are open for business here at present with a family entertainment centre occupying the remaining 6,000 square meters. A 10-screen cinema greets the movie buffs inside the mall with 4D cinema being the main draw. Families find it convenient to do their household shopping at the Carrefour hypermarket and to drop into any one of the casual restaurants to enjoy their dinner. Al Araimi Boulevard boasts of the largest family entertainment centre in the Sultanate of Oman with the young people being delighted with the trampoline park and virtual reality centre offering a number of unique activities. The entire space consists of multiple water features including fountains and landscaped gardens in the front. It is topped by a huge glass dome that fills the mall with light while keeping the heat out. Read More

The massive Al Jalali Fort, also known as Ash Sharqiya Fort, was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Interestingly it once used to be a prison which has been converted to a heritage private museum. Being located on the harbour, the Al Jalali Fort offers a beautiful view of the entire city of Muscat. The only entrance to this place is through a steep flight of stairs in the front. The entry to this fort is strictly by permit only. You can apply to the Ministry Of National Heritage through the contact page on their website. During specific palace military occasions, bagpipers are seen to put up a show at the Al Jalali Fort battlements with the Royal Dhow and Yacht being sailed into the harbour with complete grandiosity. The lights from the fire-works make the mighty fortress come alive and look gorgeous on such nights. Read More

Al Mirani Fort in Muscat was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. It, along with neighbouring Al Jalali Fort, looks out to the Gulf of Oman and would guard the port of Muscat in the past. The Mirani Fort and Al Jalali Fort are located on either side of the palace. Although closed to the public, visitors can view this fort from outside. This fort was extremely instrumental in the downfall of the Portuguese. The fort has many ancient war tools on display. Read More

Amouage Perfumery, Muscat

At Amouage Perfumery and Visitor Centre in Muscat, you’ll get a chance to witness how this world-famous company creates their amazing fragrances from scratch. Starting from obtaining ingredients from their in-house facilities to distilling, filtering and packaging, this tour will give you a close-up look at everything that goes behind producing Amouage’s signature products. The factory tour is free and quite informative. After the tour, you’ll also get to visit the Amouage factory’s own shop that allows you to sample their large range under one roof and even get to purchase some Amouage Perfumes. It’s no wonder that Amouage is called the ‘scent of Oman’ - they may be an international luxury fragrance brand, but they’ve opened their factory doors to the public to keep Oman’s perfume-making tradition alive. If you’re in the area of Seeb, it is a pretty fun tour that’ll teach you more about the history and art of fragrances in the Middle East. Read More

Bait Al-Zubair is a private museum located in old Muscat city and contains relics from Oman’s military, social, and cultural past. It opened its doors to the public in 1998 and is founded and funded by the Zubair family. The family’s extensive collection of Omani artefacts such as weapons, khanjars, jewellery, household items and costumes are considered to be the finest privately owned collection that offers an insight into Arab and Omani heritage. The Bait Al Zubair complex is an architectural icon. It consists of 5 buildings (Bait Al Bagh, Bait Al Dalaleel, Bait Al Oud, Bait Al Nahdhah and Gallery Sarah) and a garden, as well as a café and a gift shop. It has four floors of an ever-growing permanent art collection and is considered to be the most extensive art collection by Omani artists. Bait al Dalaleel allows you to see how Omanis lived in rural and urban Oman over 100 years ago. Gallery Sarah is one of Oman’s houses of contemporary art and even allows local Omani artists to sell their artwork abroad. The gallery also doubles-up as a meeting place for artists. From the gift shop, you can choose from a hand-picked selection of handicrafts, books, postcards, jewellery, clothing, and much more. Head to the garden to see the barasti (traditional hut made of palm fronds), frankincense trees, and local herbs. There is also a model of a traditional Omani village which shows the Aflaj irrigation system used in Oman. Read More

Also called Hawiyat Najm, Bimmah Sinkhole is located in the ‘Muscat governorate’ of Oman. Situated between the towns of Bimmah & Dibab, it is ideal for swimming and enjoying the beautiful landscape of the region. The local municipality has created the Hawiyat Najm Park that surrounds the Bimmah sinkhole as a form of protecting the attraction. Visitors passing through the area often stop here for a few hours of respite from the scorching sun. According to the local folklore, the Hawiyat Najm (Fallen Star), or Bimmah Sinkhole as it is more popularly known, was created by a meteor that crashed into the region thus forming the deep crater. The geologists, however, have a different explanation for its formation and hold the erosion of limestone rocks responsible for forming the Bimmah sinkhole. The rocks that collapsed went deep into the ground creating the crater like hole. Many believe that the crater is linked to the sea via an underground tunnel thus explaining the exquisite turquoise color of the water here. Read More

City Centre, located just off Al Illam Streetin Muscat, is one of the top shopping destinations for residents of Qurum. Termed as a ‘lifestyle destination,’ City Center first opened its doors in Qurum in 2008 and has been witnessing a steady stream of visitors ever since. It occupies over 26,000 square meters of space, housing more than 80 exclusive retail stores along with 15 dining establishments. It is also the best entertainment location for both locals and tourists eager to experience the wonders of Magic Planet and obtain a world class film viewing experience at the 7-screen VOX Cinemas located within the mall. Read More

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat is Oman's biggest mosque with an area of 416,000 m2 and has a capacity of over 20,000 worshippers; 8,000 people can fit inside and the courtyard can easily hold up to 12,000 people. This mosque is one of the few mosques in Arabia which allows entry for non-Muslim visitors. The mosque is a wonder of modern architecture and is a fusion of Omani, Islamic, and Middle-Eastern architectural styles. The mosque has four main sections: the men's prayer hall, a Musalla (prayer hall) for ladies-with a capacity of 750 worshippers, a library and a lecture theatre. There is also an Islam Centre where you will be served free dates, coffee, tea, and other refreshments and you can interact with local Omani women. An ablution room with a fountain in the centre is also open to visitors at non-prayer times and is where worshippers perform purification rituals before prayer times. Read More

Muscat City Centre, also known as City Centre Muscat, is a shopping mall located on Sultan Qaboos Road, Seeb, Muscat. It houses 142 international and local brands offering a wide variety of products and services, providing you with multiple shopping options. It is one of the leading destinations for shopping and lifestyle in Oman. The Muscat City Centre is located 3 km away from Muscat International Airport, giving you easy access for your last minute shopping! Muscat City Centre is designed keeping in mind the Omani architecture, one of the most unique Arabian architectures in its design, style and decoration. Further, the different events organised within the pall premises will contribute to the fun element of entertainment. Read More