00:00Legends of Ancient Oman
00:02And this brilliantly illustrates the sheer, mind-boggling span of Oman's timeline.
00:07We're talking about massive events stretching from 8,000 years ago
00:11straight through to modern geopolitics.
00:13I mean, did you know that back in 1958,
00:15Oman actually sold the Gwadr port to Pakistan for exactly $3 million?
00:20It's wild to think about, but what really captures the imagination
00:22is what happened right at the very beginning of this timeline.
00:25So going way back, 8,000 years ago,
00:28there was this guy, King Shadad.
00:30He was a ruler with unimaginable wealth,
00:33but he was just drowning in his own arrogance.
00:36According to ancient accounts, he decided,
00:38you know what, I'm going to build my very own heaven right here on earth.
00:41He ordered this magnificent paradise built near Salala,
00:45complete with rivers of milk and huge structures
00:48made entirely out of solid gold bricks.
00:50But before he could even take a single step inside this false heaven,
00:54divine wrath struck.
00:56He and his entire city were wiped out.
00:58And the crazy part?
01:00Today, you can actually visit the ruins of this doomed city.
01:02It's called Ubar, located just 80 kilometers outside of Salala.
01:07But it doesn't stop at Ubar.
01:09Oman is dotted with these incredibly profound spiritual sites.
01:13It's said that Samiri, the magician,
01:15yeah, the very same man who misled the Israelites
01:18with the golden calf during the time of Prophet Musa,
01:20was exiled and actually ended up taking refuge
01:23right near the Oman-Yemen border.
01:25And for those seeking something a bit more spiritually reflective,
01:29Salala holds the blessed tombs of Prophet Amran and Prophet Ayyub.
01:33Standing up on the mountain where Prophet Ayyub is buried,
01:35you can literally feel the heavy, sacred history hanging in the air.
01:40Section 2.
01:41The Invincible Nizwa Fort
01:43Jump forward a bit to about 300 years ago,
01:46when Nizwa was the capital of Amman.
01:48It is home to a fortress that was practically impossible to conquer.
01:52Why?
01:52Because if you were an intruder who somehow miraculously breached the entrance,
01:56your nightmare was literally just starting.
01:58The defense system was terrifyingly brilliant.
02:01The second you stepped inside,
02:03traps were triggered right above you,
02:04dropping massive rocks or pouring boiling hot oil directly onto your head.
02:08Ouch, right?
02:09And if that didn't stop you,
02:11hidden trap doors would instantly snap open,
02:13dropping any surviving attackers straight underground.
02:16It is an incredibly intense,
02:18almost movie-like piece of military architecture.
02:21Section 3.
02:22Exploring Muscat and Salala
02:24Now what's really interesting here
02:26is the stark contrast with its neighbors.
02:28When you think of modern Arab nations,
02:30you're probably picturing towering glass skylines,
02:32and economies heavily driven by massive expat communities, right?
02:36Well, Amman intentionally rejects all of that.
02:39They are fiercely protective of their culture.
02:41You will not find ultra-modern high-rises here.
02:44And unlike other Gulf nations
02:45where taxis are almost entirely driven by expats,
02:48in Amman, you'll see local Ammanis driving the cabs
02:51and running the everyday local businesses.
02:53It perfectly maintains that charming, authentic 100-year-old vibe.
02:57To put the scale of their craftsmanship into perspective,
03:00right in the heart of Muscat is the stunning Sultan Kabuz Mosque.
03:03Inside, there is a breathtaking 60,000-square-foot handmade carpet.
03:08Yep, 60,000.
03:09It's actually the world's second-largest handmade carpet.
03:12It is just an absolute masterpiece
03:14that draws tourists from all over the globe
03:16who want to marvel at the sheer scale and detail of it.
03:19But if you travel down south to Salala,
03:21the vibe shifts entirely.
03:23This is one of the oldest cities in the world.
03:25Down here, you'll find locals cooking
03:27some of the most delicious camel meat
03:29directly on sizzling hot stones.
03:31It's culturally fascinating, too.
03:32In certain areas, you'll still see women
03:35wearing traditional leather masks,
03:36which is a practice deeply rooted
03:37in their unique regional heritage.
03:39Plus, you have these incredible natural spots
03:41like Wadi Darbat,
03:42which features crystal-clear waterfalls
03:44that honestly look like they belong in a tropical jungle,
03:46not the Arabian Peninsula.
03:48Section 4.
03:50Traveling Safely in Oman
03:52So, Oman has a relatively small population,
03:55hovering right around 5.3 million people.
03:58But what is truly remarkable about that number
04:00is that within this population,
04:02the crime rate is, well, it's virtually zero.
04:05You heard that right.
04:06Almost non-existent.
04:08This insanely peaceful environment
04:10is mostly due to incredibly strict laws
04:12and a highly respected, deeply trusted police force.
04:15Because of this,
04:16women can roam freely without a second thought.
04:19This absolute peace of mind
04:21is largely thanks to those local Amani taxi drivers
04:23we talked about a minute ago.
04:24They're actually widely considered
04:26to be the unofficial eyes and ears
04:28of the country's security network.
04:30It's this brilliant, community-driven safety net
04:32that keeps everything incredibly peaceful
04:34for tourists and locals alike.
04:36Now, to maintain this societal hominy
04:38and that pristine aesthetic,
04:40Oman enforces some rules
04:41that you might find pretty surprising.
04:43For instance,
04:44you are literally banned
04:45from painting your house a dark color.
04:47No joke.
04:48Doing so can result in heavy fines
04:49or even jail time.
04:51Homes must be painted white or light brown
04:53to keep the visual identity
04:54of the towns pure and uniform.
04:56Furthermore,
04:57their entire financial system
04:58strictly adheres to Islamic principles,
05:01meaning that generating interest,
05:02or RIBA,
05:03is completely banned
05:04in their standard banking practices.
05:06Section 5.
05:07Budget Tips for Tourists.
05:09So the crucial point is,
05:11what's the actual damage to your wallet?
05:13Based on the source data,
05:14if you're traveling
05:14from the South Asian region,
05:16say Pakistan,
05:17a tourist visa is going to run you
05:18between 15,000 to 20,000 Pakistani rupees.
05:21Round-trip flights?
05:22Roughly 70,000 to 80,000.
05:24Once you actually get to Muscat,
05:26you can do paramotoring
05:27right over the beautiful coastline
05:28for just 20 Omani rials,
05:30which is an absolutely incredible way
05:31to see the city.
05:32And then there's a water experience
05:33you simply cannot skip.
05:35Let's move to how this builds
05:37into just crazy travel value.
05:39For 50 bucks,
05:40you can book a full-day boat ride in Kassab.
05:43People actually call this area
05:45the Norway of the Middle East
05:46because of its spectacular fjords
05:48and these massive mountains
05:50jutting straight out of the water.
05:51For that $50,
05:53you spend the entire day
05:54on the pristine sea
05:55and they even include your food.
05:57It's just an unbelievable value
05:59compared to those pricey,
06:00over-commercialized destinations
06:01everyone else goes to.
06:03So think about the whole shebang here.
06:06No overwhelming crowds,
06:07no generic glass towers,
06:09just raw history,
06:11mind-blowing natural landscapes,
06:13and an incredibly safe,
06:14welcoming environment.
06:15Are you ready to trade
06:17the typical tourist traps
06:18for a genuine adventure
06:20through ancient legends?
06:21No.
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