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APARNA PEDNEKAROmani, with signature notes of myrrh and frankincense.
The sweet, deep, woody, and citrusy frankincense (luban
in Arabic)—one of the gifts given to baby Jesus by the
Magi—is grown in the Dhofar Mountains in South Oman,
and the tree remains a benign national symbol to this day.A DATE WITH TURTLES
The weekend begins with a drive southwest of Muscat,
punctuated by mandatory highway stops for karak
chai and khubz rakhal, crispy dosa-like pancake thinly
smeared with goats cheese and honey. Our fi rst stop is
just two hours in, at the sixth-century Omani capital
city, Nizwa, located at the base of the Hajar Mountains.
We walk around the former wilayat, inspecting the
ingenious afl aj (gravity-fed irrigation systems) listed
as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Nizwa souk is
even more engaging than the ones in the city. There’s an
ammunition store and a massive shop to stock up on over
100 varieties of dates. There’s also a goat souk, should
you ever chance to drop by on a Thursday or Friday to
witness the sort of adrenaline-pumping action that would
put the NTSE trading fl oor to shame. But Nizwa’s tour de
force is its sprawling fort, most notable for ‘murder holes’
through which soldiers would pour boiling date syrup
from the roof onto enemy entering the towers.From jewellery to
khanjar, you’ll fi nd
an array of souvenirs
at Muttrah Souk in
Muscat. Opposite,
from above: The
terrace of an ocean-
view suite at The
Chedi Muscat;
the fort in Nizwa.BEYOND
DiversityThe sweet, deep, woody,
and citrusy frankincense
is grown in the Dhofar
Mountains in South Oman.
converted, soaked in the sublime scent
of musk, rose, and frankincense.
The bukhoor—powdered scent
bouquet used at the mosque—
creates an olfactory trail to my next
stop for the day, the Amouage factory
and boutique at Rusayl. The luxury
perfume brand was founded by the
royal family 25 years ago to preserve
Omani alchemist traditions and now
boasts of a presence across
65 countries. The products—
packaged beautifully with local
motifs like the khanjar-shaped bottle
cap—are frightfully expensive,
given that they are created in Paris,
Grasse, Geneva, and New York.
But the brand’s heart is resolutely