Oh Man! Oman!

A fortuneteller once told me, “You will have more adventure than you can ever imagine.” This prediction thrilled me no end, for there is nothing I love more than daydreaming and to know that my reality would somehow exceed my fantasy gave me hope for my future. I have always equated adventure with travel, and I have indeed gone on my share on wondrous journeys. But ever since airport procedures have gone from tedious to ‘are you serious?’, much of the excitement and sense of anticipation in travel has diminished. There are still however, destinations that are worth the indignities of being so unceremoniously unshod. Places that still have that magic of discovery. Oman, a sultanate on the edge of the Arabian peninsula, bordered by Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, is one such place.

Though our modern era associates the Arab world with petrodollars and now sadly, uprisings both bloody and peaceful, during the times of even the earliest days of Roman Empire, it was christened Arabia Felix, or Joyous Arabia. Arabia was a land of mysticism and exoticism, of spices and frankincense, once more precious than gold. In fact, the spice and frankincense trade was the first source of Omani wealth and prestige.

I first became curious to explore Oman when I stayed at The Chedi in Chiang Mai, and saw in the hotel literature a photo of a glorious, lofty space, that was tented and then decorated with a carousel of lamps. I read the caption underneath and saw that it was The Chedi in Muscat, Oman. A quick thought ran through my head as I perused the hotel magazine and saw more photos: "This hotel is worth getting on a plane for." Soon after, I came across an article written by the first Western tourist to be invited to Oman, and she wrote of a country that was once frozen in time, but that had quickly embraced modern life, without losing its essential character. And yet, though Muscat is one of the oldest ports in the world, Oman remained, until the 1950’s, one of the most unexplored countries in the world, even more unknown to the Western world than Tibet. And then a few months ago, my friend Ana Katigbak-Lim mentioned that a family friend and business associate had invited her to see his country, Oman. Our friends said, “Amman? In Jordan?” She called a meeting and showed us briefers on Oman and our itinerary. I was giddy with excitement, and while the rest of our troop still had their apprehensions, they still gamely said, “We’re going.”

LEGENDS, ANCIENT AND PRESENT

The proximity of Oman to such sparkling capitals as Abu Dhabi and Dubai makes its low-key charm all the more, well, charming. Though a new international airport is now being built, its small airport is manageable and a change of pace from the overwhelming scale of the newer hubs. Our host had arranged for our trip to very ably organized by Eihab Travels: Destination Management and when we arrived, instead of the usual long lines, we were ushered into a traditionally Arabian reception area, with intricately carved wooden doors and gilt walls and ceilings. Two gentlemen in starched white dishdasha, the traditional robe of Oman, entered ceremoniously and offered us coffee spiced with cardamom and dates sprinkled with sesame seeds. Dates and coffee are the traditional welcome fare of the Bedouins and it is a tradition that lives on in Oman.

Our affable and knowledgeable guide Kamil quickly filled us in on Omani customs. He said the favorite greeting of Omanis, after the traditional Salaam, is, “What’s the news?” Until 1970, there were no radio or television stations in Oman, and so people got their news the old-fashioned way. But then Oman has had a glorious past. Legend holds that the Three Kings came from Oman, perhaps because of the abundance of frankincense trees in its southern provinces of Sur and Salalah. Sinbad the Sailor also came from Oman, from the town of Sohar. Oman was also the first Arabian nation to have diplomatic ties with the United States. Their sultan sent a gift of Arabian steeds to then President Andrew Jackson, who then wondered who was this Arabian king who sent such a lavish gift, and thus were the ties of this land and our only present Superpower established. Oman’s ties with Europe are stronger. The Portuguese set up a trading station in Muscat as far back as the 1600s. British explorer and writer Sir Wilfred Thesiger explored the Empty Quarter and much of Oman from the 1930s and 40s, and his memoir is still the definitive book on modern Omani exploration. The current Sultan could rightly be considered the Lee Kuan Yew of the Arab world. From the backward, ragtag state he inherited when he took over from his father in 1970, he has orchestrated a true modern country. He has invested the country’s holdings from oil and natural gas into impressive roads, universities and schools and his crowning achievement, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. There is free education and hospitalization for Omani citizens. Sultan Qaboos has opened up Oman to the world. Whereas during the reign of his father and grandfather, visas were practically impossible to procur, and one had to be personally invited to Oman, it is now the favorite weekend getaway of expats from the UAE.

Recently, I was chatting with Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Bert Romulo and when I mentioned that I had just visited Oman, he reminisced, “I went there with then President Ramos, and I met Sultan Qaboos. What I really remember is how clean it was.” Just like Singapore, not only is Oman pristinely clean, its public spaces are gorgeously landscaped and flowers bloom everywhere. The flowers in a desert land are a beautiful symbol of an enlightened leadership.

MOSQUE OF ALL

Our first stop in our Muscat itinerary was the Grand Mosque. Completed in 2005, it was the Sultan’s gift to the Omani people. Kamil put it thus: “Our sultan wanted us to be proud to be Omani, and when people tell us how beautiful this mosque is, it really makes us proud.”

The mosque was meant to be the best of the East and West. The architect was an Englishman, but the materials are from all over the world. The marble is from Italy, the carpets were woven in Iran, and took 600 Iranian women to weave. The chandelier is one of the largest in the world, and is composed entirely of Swarovski crystals. The mosque is so large that it can accommodate 20,000 worshipers. There is also a library and an Islamic school. One of the corridors is a tribute to all the great Islamic civilizations: Persia, Mesopotamia, Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire. The main dome is covered in a latticework of gold and five large minarets represent the five main tenets of Islam. Publicist Keren Pascaul, whispered to me, “There’s a wow factor, on the level of the Taj Mahal.”

NATURAL PHENOMENA

It’s not just buildings that make Oman. It’s also that combination of a shoreline dotted with magnificent stone formations. The Muscat Corniche is an old port cradled by rock formations, making it a picturesque site for promenading. After a quick stroll on by the shore, tuck into the Muttrah souk. Its elaborately carved ceilings and maze-like layout will transport you to the days of Aladdin and Ali Baba. As you search for pashminas, and accessories and perfumes, the smoky waves of frankincense will intensify the sensory experience. The first jewelry shop we entered was groaning with jewelry and bric-a-brac. The owner asked us, “You know Kate Moss, You know Kate Moss?” He then led us to the back of the shop and sure enough, there was a photo of Kate, bejeweled but looking a bit, well, out of it. The shopowner then said, “She’s crazy, she buy 1,000 euro worth of things!”

But the true natural wonders are outside of Muscat. On our way to Jaber Al Shams, the highest point of all in Oman, we witnessed magnificent gorges and stone cliffs ranging from sandy beige to darkest basalt, and all as dramatic and awe-inspiring as the Grand Canyon. The rough roads do take their toll on your joints and equanimity, but the sheer, breathtaking majesty of the mountains is more than a just reward. On our way up these peaks, we stopped in lovely clearing of cliffs and frankincense trees, and as we picnicked we were joined by friendly mountain goats.

After our mountain escapade, we then drove to the Wahiba Sands. This is a desert land that is a nation unto itself. It covers an area of 8,000 square kilometers, and hundreds of species of flora and fauna. There are long ridges of dunes with flat, open valleys between them, and we spent a night in the 1,001Nights Desert Camp. The sensation of seeing the desert in all its vastness can only be compared to being a child and seeing the ocean for the first time. One feels small and insignificant and yet at the same time, uplifted and enlightened. The rooms are tents with all the modcons, so you get the sensation of the being part of an ancient desert caravan with all the amenities of a five-star hotel.

FORTRESS AROUND YOUR HEART

Though Oman is now politically stable and economically prosperous, it still was a land of various nomadic tribes, and a long history of war. There are more than 500 forts and fortified palaces in Oman as testament of this war-torn past. The Jabreen Fort is considered the most beautiful because of its intricately painted ceilings. In olden days, a fort was not only a defensive station, but a residence for the ruler, a courthouse to try cases and a school for young scholars. The Jabreen Fort and the Nizwa Fort have both been meticulously restored. At the Nizwa Fort, you can even watch movies of Oman’s history either before or after you go through the rooms. The Bahla Fort, the largest and only one listed as a heritage site, was still being restored and you can only take photos of its façade.

HOTEL HOPPING

As hospitality is a trait that Arabs take pride in, the hotels in Oman are magnificent. The Chedi did not disappoint when we finally got to see it. It was fully booked so we just had a long, leisurely lunch. Its clean, contemporary décor was still authentically luxurious, with that perfect balance of a sense of space and sumptuous food. The Al Bustan Palace is one of those rare hotels included in the 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Make sure to tour the grounds, and make a reservation in the restaurant by the sea. The Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa has three hotels: a six star hotel, a condominium with hotel service, and a more family-oriented hotel. There is a Chi spa that even offers our very own hilot! If you choose a body treatment that requires scrubbing, you can even shower outdoors, under the desert sky, with the stunning rock formations also within view.

EPILOGUE:

When we got home, we all still had an Omani high. We had three dinners, to look over our photos again, and again, and again. That fortuneteller came back to my mind as I unpacked my bags. She was right. There was no way I could have ever imagined just how magnificent my trip to Oman would be. And it’s a rare blessing for reality to exceed even your highest expectations.