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Post-lunch at Nizwa, we carry on towards
Ras Al Jinz, a nesting site for the endangered green
turtle—one of the fi ve of a total of seven species
of sea turtles—numbering over 20,000 annually—
in the world that migrate from the Arabian Gulf,
the Red Sea, and Somalia to lay their eggs in the
Sultanate. I check into the low-key but comfortable
government accommodation to prepare for the
escorted night walk to the beach. Around
9.45 pm, our guides lead us in torchlight onto the
beach and proceed to gather us (in small groups)
around a large female turtle vigorously digging
a hole in the sand with her fl ippers. It feels like
we’re intruding upon a private moment—of an
endangered animal that easily weighs above 130
kilograms—so we keep a respectable distance. Our
guide then takes us to another location in the sand
where he scoops up three-day old turtles that are
prepping for the most dangerous journey of their
lives by determinedly scuttling up and falling down
their temporary sandy home. These tiny turtles
will soon make a dash for the sea while avoiding
predators like foxes, crabs, and birds.
The fl edgling start of this epic journey is best
viewed between July through October, but even on
an off -night, it’s still a compelling spectacle... much
FROM ABOVE: COURTESY OF THE CHEDI MUSCAT; MASSIMILIANO CREMASCOLI/ALAMYlike the Sultanate itself. ▪
MUST DO IN MUSCAT
► Go on a 90-minute
dolphin-spotting coastline
tour starting at the Marina
Bandar Al Rowdha
(azzahatours.com) with an
option for snorkelling.
►^ The Chedi Muscat
offers rooms and suites
with sweeping vistas of the
sea, manicured gardens,
and the soaring Al Hajar
Mountains. ghmhotels.com
► For a traditional Omani
meal (including the festive
shuwa, a slow-cooked
pit-roasted lamb dish)
in a majlis-style setting,
visit the famous Kargeen
Café (kargeen.com) atAl Bashair Street. Take
a day trip to Al Sharqiyah,
for an adventurous two-
hour trek and dip in at
the Wadi Shab gorge,
followed by a leisurely
swim in the crystal clear
waters of the all-natural
Bimmah sinkhole.
► The Bait Al Zubair
Museum in Old Muscat
houses one of the largest
heritage and permanent
art collections in the
country, including
traditional costumes,
jewellery, and a garden
with a miniature Omani
village. baitalzubair.comThe Nizwa souk is more
engaging than the ones
in the city with a massive
shop to stock up on over
100 varieties of dates.