From exotic souks heaped with silk carpets, stunning silverware and pungent spices, to bewitching wadi wilderness, to five-star hotels and wonderful hospitality, this guide sensitively explores the little-visited but fascinating sultanate of Oman. Located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula, the Sultanate of Oman is a land of great contrasts, from the rugged, weatherworn Hajar Mountains in the north, across the barren desert of the Central Plains to lush Dhofar in the south, where tropical humidity allows a lush greenery. Modest oil reserves have allowed Oman to develop, but rather than get caught up in the Gulf State oil mania, the Omani people still identify more with their age-old traditions as a trading and seafaring nation. A stable and hospitable state, Oman provides, perhaps more than other Middle Eastern country, an enchanting blend of colorful, exotic landscapes, rich history and culture, and an understanding of and careful integration with the modern world.
