Grand Escapades
Travel Photography & Travel Experiences of Africa, South America, the Middle-East & Asia
Oman is special. Where else on the Arabic Peninsula has some of the “Sinbad the Sailor” feeling survived? Besides this 1001 Nights flair, we were stunned by lush oases, ancient fortresses, sandy beaches, dramatic mountain scenery, rolling desert dunes, picturesque wadis, deep fjords and overly friendly people. All in one country! – Here you find a selection of 36 pictures from Oman Continue Reading →
View of Nizwa Souq from Nizwa Fort
Oman is special. Where else on the Arabic Peninsula has some of the “Sinbad the Sailor” feeling survived? Besides this 1001 Nights flair, we were stunned by lush oases, ancient fortresses, sandy beaches, dramatic mountain scenery, rolling desert dunes, picturesque wadis, deep fjords and overly friendly people. All in one country! Continue Reading →
At the Cattle Market in Nizwa
Oman is an upscale and expensive destination, no matter how you travel and how hard you try to save money. Continue Reading →
Wedding Ceremony in Khasab, Musandam, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula
A small procession was moving down the street, women and men together, blocking traffic. Some of the men were firing shots from ancient rifles. What could be it possibly mean? Continue Reading →
View of Musandam, Flight from Khasab to Muscat, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula
All day speedboats from Iran arrive in the harbor of Khasab bringing goats, fruits and vegetables. They return with everything ranging from TV sets, perfume to cigarettes. Rumors have it that even small cars are loaded into the small boats. Continue Reading →
Khor as Sham, the longest Fjords of Musandam, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula
Our little propeller plane slowly descended on the Peninsula of Musandam, Oman’s most northern enclave. We could make out Iran in the distance and big oil tankers below us in the Strait of Hormuz. Then suddenly, the incredible coastline of Musandam glided into full view for those sitting on the right side of the aircraft. Cameras clicking and gasps of excitement filled the small plane. For those with a more untamed mind, the rigged coastline resembles giant crippled fingers reaching out into the ocean. Steep slopes of bare rocks, completely void of vegetation, line these long inlets. The longest of these fjords, Khor al Sham, is 17 kilometers deep and a popular place to visit by Dhow. Continue Reading →
Nomadic Desert Camp, Wahiba Sands, or Ramlat al-Wahiba (also called Sharqiya Sands), Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula
Numbers are rising. Two millions tourists came in 2011, quite an increase considering that 30 years ago there were none. Ambitions run high, Oman’s tourist authorities aim at 20 millions by 2020. The very symbol for these efforts is the immense constructions site of the new airport. And the sultan doesn’t want to give it away cheaply: the focus is clearly on upscale tourism. Continue Reading →
Wadi As Shab, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula
Very long stilts – like the legs of giant spiders – support the six-lane highway spanning the mouth of Wadi Shab, right where it empties into the ocean. A surrealistic view! Deep down in the valley, shaded by the wide concrete band of the highway starts Wadi Shab, a canyon guiding a small river lined with the palm trees. After exiting the highway, a small road winds its ways down to the valley floor. To start the hike into the 14 kilometer long Wadi, we had to take a small boat across. Immediately we noticed the damaged palm trees caused by a hurricane back in 2007. The path is easy in the beginning, but gets more and more difficult and is obviously neglected. Probably another result of the storm… Eventually the walk turned into a climb, since the valley is filled with huge rocks that seem to have been thrown around by a giant’s hand. Continue Reading →
In Khasab, Musandam, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula
Driving along excellent roads and looking at all the buildings that have gone up in the last forty years, you wonder how Pakistan has been able to supply all this manpower needed to support the incredible development of Oman. And Oman is not even “using” that many: only 25% of its population are expatriates. This is nothing compared to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States, where their numbers climb as high as 90%. There is clear order. Bangladeshi work the fields, Indians run shops and restaurants. Young women from South East Asia seem in high demand as waitresses, hotel staff and flight attendants. Continue Reading →
Dhow Traditionnal Building, Sur, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula
Dhows have been plying the oceans for thousands of years, taking Arab traders to India and as far as China. The city of Sur has a long tradition of building these wooden vessels, especially the very big ones, called Ghanjah. Of course, nowadays modern container ships do the job, but dhows have not disappeared and the dhow shipyard in Sur is the largest of all the Arabian countries. Continue Reading →