Beaches

Golden sands, glowing crystal waters, clear blue skies, colorful birds and breezy weather: Salahah is a perfect place to relax and enjoy an unforgettable beach vacation. Below are a few beaches worth checking out in the Salahah area:

Al Mughsail - The drive to Mughsail is stunning, with the azul colored ocean on one side and huge mountains on the other side. Enjoy the scenic limestone Mountains on your drive to the beach, and the thrill of the roller coaster roads. The beach is a beautiful 3 mile stretch of blue water and white sand with mountains on both sides, a picture perfect spot.

Al Fazayah Beach - On the western side of Salalah, the drive here is another roller coaster of hairpin roads that leads to the softest white sand beach. It is a treasure hunt to get here, but worth the ride to enjoy the 3 mile long pristine white soft sand with clear water and a stunning landscape as the backdrop.

Ad Dahariz Beach - Located on the eastern side of Salalah, this beach is easily accessible by a 15-minute drive from any part of Salalah. This white sand beach is surrounded by coconut trees and has a beautiful gazebo to sit under the shade on the benches and enjoy the view of this stunning beach.

Al Haffa Beach - Located within the city, the Al Haffa Beach is a major beach in the area great for bird watching and since the port is near, you can enjoy the view of ships from afar.

Taqah Beach - Located in the coastal town of Taqah, about 20 miles from Salalah, Taqah Beach is a unique spot where mountains, desert and sea provide a picturesque landscape, perfect for bird watching. It is also a fishermen’s hub, with lots of fishing boats. The town itself is famous for its historical Taqa Castle.

Shopping

Options in Salalah for shopping are increasing with construction of new shopping malls and commercial centers. The major mall is Salalah Gardens Mall. Al-Husn Souk is the souk (market) spread over a number of alleyways next to the sultan’s palace. It is a colorful, lively souk scented with aromatic frankincense and one that has many traditional garments and items to purchase. The main chains of supermarkets are Carrefour and LuLu. They are open daily from 8am - 10pm. On Fridays most supermarkets are open all day and the shopping malls are open from 10am until midnight.

The most common souvenirs are tea sets, jewellery, saucers, pitchers and Omani dresses. You can get handmade Omani crafts at the Souks and museums.

Nightlife

Given that Oman is a very conservative and traditional country, the nightlife is quite subtle and low-key. It's more common for the locals to go to coffee shops and relax with shisha and a cup of coffee rather than go clubbing. However, there are bars in hotels. But tourists can hit the growing nightlife scene in Salalah by checking out the many pubs, live music venues and coffee shops. Top bars of Salalah include: Holiday Inn Bar, Al Mina Restaurant and Bar, the Oasis Club, Hilton Hotel Bar, and Crowne Plaza Bar. It is worth noting that alcoholic establishments are pretty much exclusively located at the many hotels and resorts that are dotted throughout the region.

One thing the nightlife does not lack in Salalah is a wide variety of music. While other locations may have a certain culture or genre that their live music clings to, here you’ll find a broad scope to explore. Hit the town and experience music from Arabic, African, Indian, Lebanese, South-Indian and Filipino bars.

If you’re looking for an English sports pub sort of atmosphere, there’s Mayfair. It is a very popular place for people to gather and watch their favorite sporting events over a few beers. The bar is also popular for its elegant atmosphere, with dark brown furniture and a cozy feel.

For something a bit more lively, there’s the Al Luban Night Club. It is an exuberant locale featuring exquisite food and performances by artists both locally and internationally renowned.

One of the most popular night-time hotspots in Salalah is the Al Khareef Pub, which is completely lively with activity during certain seasons. It offers a sophisticated yet casual ambiance with a spectacular backdrop of the Arabian Sea.

Food

Most of the food served up in Omani cafés and restaurants comprises a mix of Arabian standards (shwarma, kebabs and meze) alongside the ubiquitous biryani and other lacklustre Indian and Pakistani-style fare.

Arabian (aka “Lebanese”) food is based mainly on grilled meats. If you want to eat well and on a budget in Oman, your best bet is the humble shwarma, spit-roasted chicken and/or beef carved off and served wrapped in bread with salads – the Gulf version of the doner kebab (also served laid out on a piece of bread on a plate with chips and salad – the so-called “shwarma plate”). Other Lebanese- and Turkish-style grilled kebabs are also common – places styling themselves as “Turkish” cafés/restaurants are often the best for this sort of food. Common dishes include the Lebanese shish taouk (chicken kebabs served with garlic sauce) and Turkish-style kofte (minced spiced lamb) kebabs.

Traditional Omani dishes provide an interesting, lightly spiced blend of Indian and Arabian culinary cultures, although they only rarely make it to restaurant menus. The nationwide Bin Ateeq chain is doing its best to revive local culinary traditions, while in Muscat places like Kargeen and Ubhar serve up old-fashioned creations like harees laham (lamb with wheat in cow ghee) and shuwa (slow-roasted meat cooked in a clay oven).

Note: If you decide to visit places outside Salalah city (good advice for traveling anywhere in Oman), remember to carry some food packed for emergencies (fruits, fruit juices, sandwiches recommended) as there are few restaurants outside the city.

Drink

Perhaps the most distinctive local drink is traditional coffee (gahwa) – although this doesn’t bear much resemblance to European coffee. Arabic coffee is traditionally served in tiny handleless cups, without milk and sugar but flavoured with spices usually including cardomom or cloves – intense, aromatic and slightly bitter.

More conventional coffee, often described as Nesafe (or “Nescoffee”), is also available, as is tea. Fruit juices are also often good, especially in local shwarma cafés and other Lebanese establishments. You may also come across laban (buttermilk).

One of the most unique local shops in Salalah is its famous fruit huts. They can be found almost everywhere near the roads and on the beaches. They serve natural fruit juices, but are most famous for their mouthwatering coconut drink, which they serve in its shell.

Alcoholic drinks are relatively difficult to come, and often expensive. Beer is usually a stereotypical selection of European lagers (Heineken, Carlsberg, Amstel, Tuborg and so on), either canned or on tap. Alcohol is available at high end hotels, Woodlands Restaurant (in the airport) and Oasis Club (near the port). Liquor permits are only available to non muslim expatriates.