For those who want to experience the true joy of being in nature’s lap, Omani wadis (valleys) are a like spa for the mind. Here, in the interiors of Oman, a genteel air of comfort and a crisp and clean environment reign over the place. The silence of the wadi with the soft gurgle of the wadi waters in the background can be overwhelming on ears used to the din of rush-hour traffic.
Oman is punctuated by a string of wadis with lush date plantations growing along their banks. These pockets make interesting places for picnicking and excursions.
A wadi is basically a dry riverbed, which comes to life after heavy rains, when the streams start flowing again and the vegetation is restored. Some wadis have year-round running water, with deep, cool pools in which it is quite safe to swim when the currents are slow.
About an hour’s drive out of Muscat we approached Quriyat and took a right turn about 7 kilometers before the town. Within 15 minutes, following the signs, we rushed headlong into the lush scenery of Wadi Dayqah. As tires crunched over the pebbled mud road, an awesome vista unfolded before our eyes. A well-maintained park built across the dam overlooked a vast pool of water.
Wadi Dayqah is the most easily accessible wadi for residents of the Muscat Governorate. The wadi links the Sharqiyah region with Muscat, meandering from the eastern Hajar mountain range from Wilayat Dima and Taieen.
With an alignment that touches some scenic spots in the landscape and heritage spots, the new Quriyat-Sur dual carriageway is expected to add considerably to the tourism potential. Among the tourist spots that would be connected are Fins beach, Wadi Shab, Tiwi Beach, Wadi Tiwi, Bimmah Sinkhole and the historical town of Qalhat (known for the Bibi Maryam mausoleum).
Next stop is Wadi Shab, one of the most beautiful and picturesque wadis in Oman. The pretty stream, wedged between high rocky cliffs, lies 76 kilometers from Quriyat. The wadi combines the attraction of coastal pockets with inland wonders. The entire stretch of the wadi has seven pools of shimmering emerald green waters studded with boulders.
One of the pools is in a cave where light streams in dramatically from above and there are fantastic echoes as you swim and splash about. Tourists often come here to camp the entire night, enjoy the serenity of the area and dip into the cool waters.
As part of the Quriyat-Sur carriageway, a bridge has been constructed over Wadi Shab.
About 7 kilometers from Wadi Shab starts Wadi Tiwi, which extends 36 kilometers inland and ends at Mibam, a mountain hamlet. Many groves and fruit trees grow along the course of this wadi. The azure blue sea is visible as you ascend the hills and descend into the valley.
On another day, we visited Oman’s most popular wadi, Wadi Bani Khalid. Here, the elements of nature blend. The serenity of the place offers a balm for the body and soul. This wadi is filled with water throughout the year — still and glistening in the sun.
The wadi is famous for its lush green oases, water pools and deep canyons. Most visitors to this spot are awestruck by its serenity and almost unreal pace of life.
Wadi Bani Khalid is one of the six major wadis in the Sharqiyah region and is located about 250 kilometers from Muscat on the way to Sur via Ibra. The tarmac road takes a turn from the main road and leads you to the town of Wadi Bani Khalid. Later you have to cross the foothills of the Eastern Hajar Mountains to get to the wadi.
On the way, you get spectacular views of the steep mountains and fertile wadis dotted with date palms. The actual Wadi Bani Khalid is serenely ensconced in high mountains. The visitor has to park his car and walk to reach the turquoise and green pools of water. Even as you walk, you will notice the water flowing through the falaj system. This is essentially a network of underground aqueducts through which water flows, by gravity, from springs or wells to villages and farms.
Surrounded by date palms, the wadi is an oasis in all senses of the word. There are two pools of water here. One is the deep pool where only expert swimmers can have fun by jumping from a small bridge laid out against two rocks like a diving board. A word of caution about this pool: it is deep on the edges and shallow in the middle.
The water seems to be springing from the mountainside and flows down to the smaller pool, which is not very deep. Children and women generally frolic in this pool.
The Moqal Cave is also found in this area and you will need to cross the pools to reach the cave. The path is clear along the wadi and lined by trees. But as you progress, the path becomes steep and is not suitable for children. As you follow the shiny path on the rocks, you finally reach concrete steps on the right side of the wadi where the entrance to the cave is located.
Using flashlights, one can enter the cave but it is difficult to get through the cave because you need to be on your hands and knees to get inside.
Yet another wadi where you will find water throughout the year is Wadi Hoqain on the road to Rustaq. The wadi is endowed with a plentiful concentration of mineral springs — some gentle, some gushing. Wadi Hoqain courses through the main part of the village.
Cool springs emerge from granite sub-strata and join forces with the main stream along its course. In many places, the wadi scythes through granite rock and, at one point, cascades down a height of 10 meters to form a natural waterfall and collects in refreshingly cool pools that are a popular attraction with tourists and local townsfolk.
The Wilayat of Ibri in Dahira region is also blessed with wadis in addition to some archaeological treasures. Wadi Dham is a perfect place to unwind and de-stress your mind. Dham, which means easily hidden, is an apt name, as the graded road leading to the wadi does not provide any clues on what is in store for visitors.
There are many pleasure walks around the outcrop of Jabal Khawr Mountain from where Wadi Dham originates. Here, you need to park your vehicle and trek to unravel nature’s hidden secrets.
The place is characterized by huge rock formations that can overwhelm any visitor who is interested in geology.
Yet another picturesque wadi is Wadi Bani Awf near the town of Rustaq. Snake Canyon lies not far ahead, with its sheer rock faces, cool springs and gurgling streams.
Wadi Al Hawasnah in Al-Khabourah in the Batinah region is known for its unique geological formations. The wadi traverses through an airhole of ophiolite rocks known geologically as Al-Hawasnah Airhole. Here tourists can feast on nature’s engineering skills. The area is unadorned in its primitive beauty and awe-inspiring for its sheer size. The entire area serves as a good source of knowledge on geology. One can see rocks that were originally found on the bottom of the ocean.
This particular geological structure is an essential path passing through a rocky belt extending from Al-Batinah Plain in the East as far as Ibri in the West. The wadi, sloping down the lofty western Hajar Mountains bordering the Wilayat Ibri, is characterized by its content of igneous rock structures such as cushion lava, sharp-edged rocky blades and columns.
The wadi is fed by several tributaries, such as Wadi Dhila, and drains its water into the Gulf of Oman between Qasabiyat Al-Zaabi village and Qasabiyat Al-Hawasnah in Al-Khabourah.
The wadi gushing water in the vicinity of Ghab village and Falaj Al-Majajah and the picture-postcard scenery of Al-Badia Village are a feast for sore eyes.
One of the most popular wadis in the Batinah region is Wadi Al-Abyadh, which lies some 30 kilometers away from Muscat on the Sohar Highway. Pink oleander trees and many beautiful birds live in this wadi.
Wadi Bani Ghafer, one of the longest wadis in the Wilayat of Rustaq, starts in the Wilayat of Ibri and ends in Balad Khafd in Rustaq. Wadi Sadaq is one of the most important branches of Wadi Bani Ghafer.
The Wilayat of Dhank in the Dahirah region is blessed with an abundance of water resources like Wadi Feda. The wadi is set in a verdant landscape.
Among other wadis that can be explored are the ones in Samayil, Fanja and Al-Ayn.
Most of the wadis offer a relaxed atmosphere to visitors, enabling them to break the monotony of routine and get away from the strenuous city life of Muscat.
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