Sur Plaza

Adventurous Oman

12 days of self-drive adventure around Oman's highlights.

Wildlife & Nature Adventure + 2 more + 3 more

from £3,270 pp

Unexplored Oman

Experience Oman, beyond the usual tourist trail.

Wildlife & Nature Off-the-beaten-track + 2 more + 3 more

from £4,065 pp

Oman Family Holiday

12-Day family adventure with deserts, beaches, mountains & wildlife.

Family Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

from £3,775 pp

Musandam Moments

Wildlife & Nature Adventure + 1 more + 2 more

Explore the Musandam Peninsula, Oman's 'Norway of Arabia'.

12 days

from £4,745 pp

Dubai & Dhows

Oman, Dubai

From Dubai’s skyline to Musandam’s fjords, this is Arabia at its best.

Luxury Beach + 1 more + 2 more

from £6,140 pp

Ultimate Oman

Wildlife & Nature Ultimate + 3 more + 3 more

Our most comprehensive 16-day grand tour of Oman.

16 days

from £6,580 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in Oman

The Coastal Road to Muscat

The tarmac road linking Muscat and Sur is a relatively new development and has dramatically shortened this journey. You still pass sweeps of stunning white sand beaches, and through the picturesque wadis of Shab and Tiwi, where streams trickle out from steep, mighty canyons and through small fishing villages down to the sea, and a short way from the road you can stop at the ruins of ancient Qalhat, most notable for the distinctive tomb of a local saint, Bibi Maryam. At Bimmah you’ll find a sinkhole, a large collapsed cave dropping some 20 metres from the limestone surface to the clear water below. Just outside Sur the modern world intrudes in dramatic fashion, with the vast mechanical workings of the LNG plant, exporting gas, Oman’s most precious natural resource.

Turtle Watching

Green turtles nest on the knuckle of the Arabian Peninsula where it juts into the Indian Ocean near Sur, a headland known as Ras al-Jinz (Headland of the Genies). Turtle watching is more regulated than in the past, and you’ll need to join a group heading down to the beach from the Ras al-Jinz Visitor Centre. Turtle watching in Oman can be a bit disappointing; partly this is because group sizes can get large and unwieldy and partly because it’s not unknown for the turtles to be denied the space and privacy they need when nesting. In addition, although some turtles nest year-round, the main nesting season is June to September, which is the height of summer and too hot for most people to consider visiting Oman!

Sur

As you wonder through the streets of Sur, your eye will be caught by traditional architecture everywhere – pointed windows, wind towers and intricately carved wooden doors all compete for your attention. Eventually, it seems, all streets lead to the harbour where you’ll see traditional dhows riding at anchor. A stroll around the harbour and along the beach will probably pass at least one dhow under construction, the master shipwright ordering his men around, employing techniques largely unchanged for centuries.