I Explored The Spectacular Coastline Of Muscat!

Muscat, the capital of Oman.

It’s a city that has been shaped over the centuries  by its mountains and by the sea.

On one side high mountains fringe the city. These mountains have defended the city for centuries but now are being built over and eroded by the ever increasing urban expansion of the Omani capital which needs to spill into the empty space and desert beyond the rocks.

On the the other side is the Ocean. More than anything it is the ocean that has defined Muscat, and has defined the people that call this city home.

Within the shelter of the high mountains, the people of Muscat took to the seas, their homes and their port defended by natural obstacles, and just the ocean ahead of them, to fish and to sail and to travel for trade to distant lands.

Muscat grew and developed along this coastline. Mountains and desert loom in the background, but along the beaches and the cliffs are where the Omanis have traditionally lived and worked.

I explored Muscats long and extensive coastline, walking the beaches and the Corniche, and seeing life unfold along its shores.

I took a Dhow boat out into the ocean too, travelling along the city’s coastline and seeing from afar how Muscat would look to those visitors arriving by sea or those Omanis returning home from long voyages abroad.

It’s a city defined by the sea and by the mountains, a city that now sprawls along a narrow strip of coast. It’s this spectacular coastline that has to be explored by any visitor to Muscat, to really understood the forces that have shaped this city into the capital it is today.

Here are my Photos From The Road, the best pictures from my exploration of Muscat’s spectacular coastline! 

I explored the spectacular coastline of Muscat. This coastal city is on the edge of the Indian Ocean and is the capital and largest city of the Arabian nation of Oman.

Muscat is spread along the coast, with long sandy beaches fringing the city. On the other side, there are mountains. And beyond that, just desert. The proximity to the sea has defined the city’s culture, history and position of prestige and status within Oman over the centuries.

Life in Muscat is focused on the sea, and the coast. The old markets and souqs face out the ocean, in prime position to trade and receive goods from merchants arriving in the city’s natural harbour. The beaches are full of fishermen hauling in their day’s catch, and s the sun sets each night the beaches are the place to be walk, run and relax in the cooler weather.

The rocky mountains that surround Muscat form a natural defensive position, which over the years have been strengthened by walls, forts and watchtowers which now, in times of peace, simply form a part of the city’s intriguing history and make for a spectacular sight along the coast.

Muscat’s position near the Strait of Hormuz has always led it to have a strategic value for nations toying for influence in the region. Graffiti on the rocks by the harbour is testament to the passing ships of the British Royal Navy who frequently called in at the port during the days of the British Empire.

In this day you are more likely to see a traditional Dhow boat rather than navy ships patrolling the coastline. These Dhow boats are filled with tourists setting out from the harbour to explore the city from the sea, and to catch the best views for sunset over Muscat.

The coastline of Muscat Oman is really a spectacular sight to explore.

All Photographs Property Of Richard Collett

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