Highlights of the Day
Today we explored Muscat Muscat, the capital of Oman. We visited the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque , Riyam Incense Burner, the Old Town, souk, Royal Palace area, and the National Museum. Since it’s Ramadan, we experienced what it’s like when restaurants are closed during the day—our first time facing a no-lunch situation. But we were also warmed by the generosity of locals sharing dates by the beach. We wrapped up the day with the best Chinese meal of the trip.
Logistics
Accommodation: DoubleTree by Hilton Muscat Qurum
Transportation: Rental Car
☀️ Breakfast Behind Curtains – Ramadan Vibes
At breakfast this morning, we noticed that the hotel restaurant was covered with curtains from the outside. Clearly, Oman takes Ramadan dining restrictions more seriously than the UAE. We weren’t sure what lunch would be like, so we decided to play it by ear.
🕌 Visiting the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Our first stop was the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It’s open to the public from Saturday to Thursday, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., no reservation required. The mosque isn’t as large as the one in Abu Dhabi, but it has a calm, stately feeling.
At the entrance, we saw shoe racks—yes, you need to take your shoes off to enter the main prayer hall.
Inside, we were immediately struck by the massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A staff member told us it weighs 8 tons and contains 1,121 Swarovski crystals. It was built in Munich, Germany, and it’s more like a work of art than just a light fixture.
The carpet here is also famous. Once the largest single handwoven carpet in the world, it was crafted by 1,200 Iranian artisans over 4 years. Now, Abu Dhabi holds the record.
Another impressive feature is the interior decoration—lots of turquoise-blue tiles with floral and geometric designs, all hand-set.
The mosque has five minarets. Four of them look alike, but one is taller. We later learned this symbolizes the five pillars of Islam, with the tallest representing Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.
🔥 Incense Burner & Old Town Walk
Next, we headed to Old Muscat to check out the famous Riyam Incense Burner, designed to resemble a traditional mabkhara incense holder. It’s a symbol of Oman’s ancient frankincense trade.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t drive up close, so we just snapped a few photos from a distance.
The Old Town is located by the sea, and we saw a few large oil tankers in the harbor. There are also international chains like McDonald’s and KFC lining the street—it felt quite modern.
Walking through the souk felt like stepping into a movie. Stalls sold spices, traditional clothes, and small souvenirs. It was vibrant and full of local character.
👑 Royal Palace & National Museum
We then visited the Royal Palace area. While the palace isn’t open to the public, you can take photos from outside. It’s not very large, but the spacious plaza in front and the nearby Mirani and Jalali forts give the whole area a grand feel. These forts were built by the Portuguese in the 16th century to defend the coastline.
The National Museum is right across from the palace. We thought we could grab lunch at its cafe, but staff told us it was closed for Ramadan. We tried nearby restaurants too—also closed.
Eventually, we returned to the harbor area hoping to grab fast food—but even KFC and McDonald’s were shut. It was the first time on this trip we truly experienced the “no lunch during Ramadan” reality.
🌇 Back to the Hotel & Seaside Walk
With no other option, we went back to the hotel and cooked our own lunch. After resting a bit, we went out again for a seaside walk and some photos.
We climbed 129 steps up to a small fort built along the coastline. The view of Muscat from there was stunning—ocean and city all in one frame.
🌅 Sunset at Qurum Beach & Sweet Encounters
We made it to Qurum Beach just before sunset. The beach wasn’t big or particularly scenic, but the sunset was beautiful, with pink and purple streaks across the sky.
Many locals gathered to enjoy the evening and picnic. A group of Omani men passed by, and when we asked if they were having dinner, they warmly invited us to join. One even opened his container of dates and insisted we each take one. Their kindness was truly touching.
🍴 Best Chinese Food of the Trip
For dinner, we went to a Chinese restaurant called “Kung Fu.” The food was great—flavorful and authentic. Easily the best Chinese meal we’ve had since arriving in the Middle East.
🗺️ A Note on Navigation
One funny thing today: Google Maps kept reading road names that didn’t match the actual road signs, so we often exited a bit early or late. We switched to the Chinese Gaode map app, which was more accurate—but it didn’t read road names at all. In Oman, driving by GPS still takes some guesswork.
🌍 What’s Next?
Stay tuned for Day 10 as we take day trip to Nakhal Fort!
Have you ever visited Muscat? What part amazed you the most?
Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear them!
If you’d like to learn more about the itinerary, please click the button below to download a free copy of the customizable itinerary.
