The three Muscat'eers'

There are a lot of destinations in the Gulf region where one can take a small break. GulfWeekly reporter Anasuya Kesavan spent a short but sweet six days in Muscat with her husband and daughter.

The beauty of living in this region is that to take a short break you don't have to spend too much time on travel and there are a number of exciting destinations to choose from.

This school break we decided to spend time with friends in Muscat. We took advantage of online ticketing, which with most airlines engaging in a fare-war, was also interesting. With visas taken care of on arrival, all we had to then do was to pack a suitcase and get to the airport on time.

I was introduced to the capital of Oman when it was resplendent with its night lights. The city is nestled between the Al Hajar Mountains and the sea. Driving in this country is absolutely amazing with winding roads that dipped and swerved as we moved across Muscat and beyond.

A distinct Omani architecture also sets apart this city from its neighbours. There are no high-rise buildings and I don't think I spotted any all-glass structures. Most were in creams, whites or ochre stone that merged with the surrounding environs. Official buildings had remarkable gates and were topped with colourful domes. The roads were lined with petunias of all colours and swaying palm trees made the view absolutely remarkable.

I got the feeling that Muscat is at peace with itself. They are not in a hurry to emulate another more modern city and it is not in the midst of mad construction. This aura of dignity lends a different charm to this beautiful metropolis.

Our holiday lasted just six days. We went there to relax and get away from early school days. We did that and with friends went on long drives - amazing ones in and around Muscat.

The first was a 200km trek to the Wahiba Sands. I don't think my words can do any justice to this experience. We zipped past Bedouin villages with the mountains and blue sky for company. The stunning red desert came suddenly upon us and our Pajero was filled with screams of delight. Friendly Omanis waited at our resort to take us sand bashing.

Children and adults alike delighted in sinking our feet in the smooth as silk sands and sliding down the dunes. Buggy rides followed and this sense of exhilaration was washed down by spending the night under stars, eating dates and listening to music.

On the way back we stopped over at Wadi bani Khalid, an oasis in the middle of nowhere. It is a pool of flowing spring water that is surrounded by flowering trees and green vegetation - a perfect picnic spot.

Another amazing drive was the route to the Qantab beach. It is a lagoon surrounded by cliffs and rocks. We went boating in the sea with the locals and the children made sand castles on the beach. The only disappointment here was the lack of waves that reduced the experience of sea waters.

The city sights we enjoyed were the Corniche, the Grand Mosque, a brief glimpse of the Qurum Natural Park, which was unfortunately closed for a month, and the museums - Bait al Baranda and Bait al Zubair. We also saw Qurum beach which was severely ravaged by Cyclone Gonu.

We prayed at the Siva temple which is said to be around 300 years old and what struck me as beautiful was the co-existence of cultures. Here, locals were selling flowers and coconuts to visiting devotees.

A visit to the Muttrah Souk is an absolute must. There, I longed to buy some amazing Persian carpets but sadly they did not fit my budget. I also met a 65-year old Indian merchant from Surat whose family has been settled here for over a century and bought beautiful Omani costumes for my little one.

Of course the best part of my holiday was eating out. As a vegetarian, Muscat offers a whole range of restaurants and it was a delight to dine in four that offered totally different types of cuisines.

Today, I am back to the grind - much refreshed and energised. However, the list of places to visit in this Sultanate is long. I have to go back to soak in this fabulous offering from nature and go to the turtle beach, Salalah and Musandam. And there are no marks for guessing where my next self-drive safari is going to be.