- 2 days ago
Let's Explore Muscat! It is the capital of Oman. This city is not so well known but it has a lot to offer! Great beaches, world class Royal Opera House and friendly local people!
Let's visit the sights and see if Muscat is a great travel destination and can compete with Dubai.
The girl driving the convertible is Reno. She has a big following on Instagram so check her out!
Let's visit the sights and see if Muscat is a great travel destination and can compete with Dubai.
The girl driving the convertible is Reno. She has a big following on Instagram so check her out!
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TravelTranscript
00:07Hey guys, how are you? In this video we'll explore the beautiful capital of Oman, Muscat.
00:12The city lies on the Arabian Sea along the Gulf of Oman. Low-lying white buildings typify most
00:19of Muscat's urban landscape. Muscat has a rugged terrain with central Hajar mountains dominating
00:24the landscape. When you land at Muscat International Airport, it's a good idea to rent a car right
00:31away. Public transportation is almost non-existent. Prices for cars range from 30 to 100 dollars
00:36a day depending what kind of car you want, a Toyota Corolla or a Land Cruiser. And 30 minutes
00:42later, we are in Muscat. Welcome to the city of Muscat. It's the largest city and the capital
00:47of Oman. They call it the gem of the Arabian Peninsula. Well, let's walk the streets, let's
00:53visit some sites, and of course, let's talk to locals. So, let's begin.
00:57Muscat is the nation's capital and the largest city with a population of 1.3 million people.
01:03It sits on the Gulf of Oman, surrounded by mountains and desert. The city stretches along the coast
01:08for 50 kilometers and is made up of several districts, or wiliets as they are called in
01:13Oman, like Rui, also known as Central Business District. This is where you find bank headquarters,
01:19the Muscat Securities Market, and Rui Clock Tower. There's a lot of business activity going
01:25on, but not much to do for tourists. So, let's go over to the next wiliat, Matra.
01:36Before the discovery of oil, Matra was the center of commerce. Today, it's the most recognized
01:42part of Muscat. This is where you find such landmarks as Matra-Kurnish, which is a three-kilometer-long
01:47waterfront promenade lined with restaurants and markets.
01:53Matra Souk. This market is at least 200 years old, and it's made up of a complex maze of
01:58narrow walkways leading to hundreds of small shops that sell everything from halwa and frankincense
02:03to kumas and spices. The market's name in Arabic is Al Dalam, which means darkness because
02:09of the crowded stalls and lanes where the sun rays do not infiltrate during the day.
02:13Well, I think you can pass for local. This is called kumam, and this is called didasha.
02:19Learning the local traditions. Welcome to Oman.
02:22What are you guys selling?
02:23Masar. Scarves.
02:24Scarves.
02:25Scarves, okay. How much is one scarf?
02:2945 riyals.
02:3045 riyals.
02:31Yes.
02:32Okay. Expensive.
02:34It's made in Kashmir.
02:36Oh, Kashmir. Okay, that's why.
02:38It's handmade scarf. We usually wear it as a formal dress. So this is not a formal dress.
02:43This is a casual cap that we wore during the day, but at work we have to wear these things.
02:49They're called Pashmina. They're made in Kashmir. They're handmade ones. That's why they're all
02:54expensive ones. So yeah, this is our formal dress. It's very soft. There's a fish market nearby.
03:03Let's see what they have to offer. What are you selling?
03:11Okay. Did you catch these this morning? Yeah, this morning catch. Oh, morning catch. Okay.
03:1713 kilo kingfish. This one goes for 36 riyal.
03:27Sultan Qaboos port is one of the main commercial ports in the country. This is where you see the
03:31traditional boats of Arabian Peninsula named Daos and the luxury yacht Al Saeed owned by the Sultan of Oman.
03:39Hello guys. Where do you come from? I'm from India. Nice. What are you doing in Muscat?
03:44I'm working here. I'm a facility manager. Oh, yes. So have you enjoying the Oman?
03:51Yeah, it's nice. Very good. So welcome. Thank you very much. Okay. See you guys. Okay. Bye.
04:02If you want to get a good view of the carnage, go to Matra Fort.
04:10There are many forts in this area and this one is called Matra Fort. It's believed to have been
04:16built in 1507 and later it was strengthened and upgraded by the Portuguese during their occupation
04:22of Oman. And it sits on a dominating strategic position overlooking the natural harbor of Matra.
04:29One of you. So let me tell you a funny story. I was walking along the waterfront with my camera.
04:35And before you know it, this happened.
04:40All right, let me explain. I saw a convertible with these two girls and a driver.
04:44They saw that I had a camera and asked me if I wanted to go for a ride with them.
04:48You serious?
04:50So let's go for a ride in a convertible. Do you love it here?
04:53I love it here.
04:54You're going to go back?
04:56Absolutely.
04:57You must go to Egypt. I'm from Egypt. I'm Renad from Egypt.
05:01And you must visit it.
05:12These girls are from Egypt and Syria. I told you tourism is on the rise.
05:16Needless to say, a retro convertible gets a lot of attention in Moscow.
05:20Yeah. These girls were so nice. They even taught me some Arabic.
05:25Say, ma salama.
05:27Ma salama means bye bye.
05:29Yeah.
05:30Ma salama.
05:30Ma salama means bye bye.
05:32And what else?
05:35Shukran.
05:36Shukran.
05:37It's thank you.
05:38You know it, yeah?
05:40I heard that one.
05:42Yes, shukran.
05:44How do you say? That was tasty.
05:46Tasty.
05:47Tasty.
05:49Tasty.
05:50Tasty.
05:50Laveed.
05:52Laveed.
05:52Laveed, yeah.
06:01Another attraction in this old part of Muscat is Al Alam Palace.
06:05It's one of the six residences of the Sultan.
06:08It's over 200 years old and it was built under the watch of Imam Sultan bin Ahmed.
06:13Now, in 1972, it went through a renovation to become a royal residence.
06:18You're still not allowed to go inside, but you're welcome to come to the gate and take some wonderful pictures.
06:23One of the most notable new projects is the Oman National Museum, opened in 2016.
06:29You're going to learn a lot about Omani culture, history and heritage.
06:32You're going to learn a lot about Omani culture.
06:38Did you know that Oman had no hotels, zero, until 1970?
06:43The country shut itself off from the outside world in the mid-19th century and remained that way until 1970,
06:49when Sultan Caboose came to power and began a modernization program.
06:53Matra Hotel is the first and the oldest hotel in the Sultanate of Oman, built in 1970.
06:58We are in Matra Hotel and this hotel is the first hotel in Oman.
07:09Muscat is a world-class city and it has an opera house.
07:13This is Oman's premier venue for musical arts and culture and it reflects unique contemporary Omani architecture.
07:19In 2001, Sultan Caboose decided to build an opera house because he was always a fan of classical arts and
07:26music.
07:26The construction started in 2007 and was finished in 2011 and today it can accommodate 1,100 guests.
07:34The opera house complex consists of a concert theatre, auditorium, landscape gardens, luxury restaurants and outside venues.
07:41We attended folk music festival that was taking place in January 2023 and represented folk music from Brazil, Romania, the
07:49Philippines and Oman of course.
07:59The city has numerous fascinating mosques including Al-Quru Mosque with an interesting design and color of domes, Al-Amin
08:07Mosque built in 2014 and of course the largest mosque in Oman, the Sultan Caboose Grand Mosque.
08:14The mosque was constructed in 2001 using 300,000 tons of Indian sandstone.
08:20The prayer carpet covers the floor of the prayer hall and contains 1.7 billion knots, weighs 21 tons and
08:26it took four years to produce.
08:28Look at the carpet, it's enormous. It's the second largest in the world after the one in Abu Dhabi.
08:39Sultan Caboose Ben Said in 1992 said this country needs a grand mosque so they decided to build one and
08:47it took six years, seven months and finally in the year 2001 the building was completed and right now it's
08:54one of the largest mosques in the world.
09:09In 600 meters slight right to stay on route one.
09:12Getting from one district to another is easy and the traffic is fine.
09:15Sultan Caboose Street is a major highway in Mosque following the coast and it can take you from Mutra all
09:21the way to the airport but we're not leaving yet.
09:24One of the most popular places in the city is the waterfront. There are many foreign embassies located in this
09:30area.
09:31In the evening, this is where you will see fancy cars, busy restaurants and hundreds of people on the beach
09:37having a good time with their families playing soccer and doing other sports.
09:48Great vibes, endless beach friendly people and lots of dining options. It doesn't get better than this.
09:54Also Mosque is a very safe city. It was ranked the 14th safest city in the world in 2022 by
10:00Nambio.
10:04Let's talk to some locals.
10:06What are the top three places, your favorite places in town?
10:10Specifically in Mosque, I'd say go to Mutra. Mutra embraces Oman's culture and tradition.
10:17They explore, you'd find like old dish dashes, old women clothing. It's a very nice opportunity for new tourists to
10:27explore the country and its heritage basically.
10:29I'd say Jabal Shams and Jabal Akhtar. These are my favorite mountains. They're cold, like the weather is amazing and
10:37the views from top there are just marvelous, marvelous.
10:40Indescribable.
10:41Yeah, like yeah. Those are two, yeah.
10:44Thank you very much.
10:45You're welcome.
10:46Enjoy your day.
10:47Mosque is surrounded by mountains and if you want to get a good view of the city or go hiking,
10:52you can drive to the El Amaret Hills.
10:54Wow, there's so much climbing involved and so what I do, I just switch to manual and I keep it
11:02in the second gear.
11:03This way the car can handle it easily, even with an automatic, you know.
11:08Wow, it's really going up, oh my god.
11:18Let's take a look at Muscat from above, shall we?
11:21So I have driven to one of this spectacular view spots.
11:25So let's take a look.
11:38Overall, Muscat has this laid-back vibe.
11:41Lots of beaches along the coast and numerous parks.
11:44They had Muscat Nights Festival running at a few locations in January.
11:48One of them was Kurum Park.
11:49It was fun.
11:51You can try some local street food like small burgers or shish kebabs.
11:55American burger.
11:56American burger.
11:57American burger.
11:59King burger.
12:01Okay.
12:02And now I'm going to be trying some local street food and it's a skewer of beef.
12:15So good.
12:16Very salty.
12:18Very juicy.
12:19I like it.
12:20And around 10 pm, they had a laser light show.
12:36Coffee shops are super popular.
12:38I haven't found an empty one.
12:40Starbucks at Kurum Beach was my favorite location.
12:43From the top floor, you get a great view of the mangroves and the beach.
12:47And it's just a cool crowd of people.
12:49When is the best time to visit Muscat?
12:51Definitely in the winter.
12:53The summers are scorching hot.
12:54I was there in January and actually got to see the rain, which is anything but typical.
13:05Muscat is growing fast and now you have new modern neighborhoods like
13:10Al Mouj, which means the wave.
13:12One of the few areas where foreigners are allowed to buy real estate.
13:16It's a great neighborhood for a peaceful and enjoyable living.
13:19You'll find plenty of restaurants, five-star hotels, a serene beach,
13:23an amazing marina and greenery all around.
13:25In case you're curious, prices start at $250,000 for a one-bedroom apartment,
13:31all the way to $2,000,000 for a five-bedroom villa.
13:34If a foreigner purchases a property or several properties worth at least
13:37250 omani rials, that is $660,000, they can apply for a five-year residence permit.
13:44And then renew it multiple times, as long as they still have the property.
13:57Overall, the city is very much car-dependent, just like the rest of a mine.
14:01But you don't have to drive far to have fun.
14:03How about going dune bashing right in the city?
14:06The sands at Boshar is a perfect place for an afternoon of fun.
14:21All right guys, we're all good.
14:25Making the most of my time in Muscat.
14:34Modern shopping malls are spread out throughout the city,
14:37including the largest of them, Mall of Oman, that even has a snow park.
14:45In Oman, perfumes are very popular, so in the malls you'll constantly be surrounded by mixed smells of
14:51frankincense, perfume oils, fresh jasmine and spices.
14:56If you're into that, you can visit Amouage.
14:59This is one of the world's most valuable perfumes with an unmistakable scent, produced here in Oman.
15:04It's a luxury fragrance brand that was started in 1983, at the request of Sultan Caboose Bin Said.
15:12And ever since then, they've been expanding, and today they're exporting to over 80 countries
15:17from around the world. Some of the biggest buyers come from the US, China, and before COVID it was
15:23Russia, and now one of the fastest growing destinations is Southeast Asia. The name Amouage
15:30means in Arabic it means waves, and Amour in French means love, so it's waves of love.
15:37The company was founded at the request of Sultan Caboose Bin Said in 1983 in Muscat. Amouage's
15:43factory in Muscat has the capacity to produce approximately 25,000 bottles a week. You're welcome
15:49to come to the visitor center and get a free tour. You'll get to see the production and smell all
15:53the
15:54varieties of scents. Since the accession of Caboose Bin Said as Sultan of Oman in 1970, Muscat has
16:01experienced rapid development that has led to the growth of a vibrant economy. The city's economy is
16:07mainly centered around the oil sector. Besides oil, the traditional exports of the city include dates,
16:12mother of pearl, and fish. Muscat has a lot of expats. Let's ask them how easy it is with the
16:18paperwork and
16:19visas.
16:20Is it easy for expats to get the visa and all the paperwork done?
16:24Oh yeah, it's pretty much easy. You just have to have the PRO with you. So all the things are
16:30getting done by the company. The visa process is very easy. And also they're easing so many things.
16:40If you have US visa, you can get the visa on arrival for most of the nationalities like that.
16:44Okay. Okay. And in terms of taxation, is it better here or in Dubai?
16:50Both are the same. About the same? Both are the same. Almost the same. Even there 5%
16:55back they are charging. Even here it is 5%. Okay. Yeah. It's the same actually. You said you've
17:00lived here for a number of years, right? Here? No. Here, for me, it is only hardly five months or
17:05so.
17:06Oh, probably. Yeah. For him, it is like seven years in Dubai and seven years in Oman. It's equally shared.
17:11Over those seven years, how do you see the country developing?
17:14It's been developed a lot. Initially, when I come here first from Dubai, it was very difficult for
17:20me to get taxi, I suppose. I used to stand and wait for taxi to come over and to pick
17:26me up. But
17:27in the last few years, it was developed digitally very well. And we have so many apps, mobile apps,
17:32especially for taxi, where you can get taxi from anywhere, any place. And it is one of the main
17:38features. And also, the digital cashless, you can pay by cardless. I mean, cardless,
17:44you can withdraw money from cardless. Only by OTP, you can withdraw. And so many other features.
17:51Digitally, it was developed a lot. There are so many developments that are taking place in Oman.
17:54Okay. There are so many resorts that have come in. There are so many hotels that have come in.
17:58So, there are a lot of things you can do over the weekend, basically. It's a go-to place.
18:04Sounds great, guys. Thanks for the interview. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much.
18:08What's it like living in Oman as a woman? Is there any limitations to being in Oman as a woman?
18:16No, there's nothing that I would ever say I felt has held me back.
18:22I can do everything that I've ever wanted to do. I feel as long as you're respectful of the country,
18:30of the culture, of its customs. You know, you dress appropriately and you're just aware of that,
18:37which to me is just a basic respect. There's never been anything that's been an issue for me.
18:43You know, I can go hiking. I can go wherever I like. I've never had an issue with anything here.
18:55Now, how difficult when it comes to all the paperwork and everything to stay here legally as a foreigner?
19:02So, you need to have a sponsor. So, you would need to come here with a job offer, really.
19:10Obviously, it's very easy to come here as a tourist. Oman is incredibly welcoming and very, very good for tourism.
19:17But you need to have a sponsor to stay here. So, you could either set yourself up with your own
19:23company.
19:23That's something that you can do as a man, a woman, whatever it might be.
19:28Or you can have a sponsor where a company that's already established will offer you employment.
19:33And then you come here under their sponsorship.
19:36So, you can take it. Yeah. But even doing that, as with everything, paperwork can take time.
19:45Right. As with everything. But I feel like the system works, you know, it rolls through.
19:53It can take you a little while sometimes, but you get there.
19:55Women today can pursue careers and professional training and soon will be able to drive taxis.
20:01Also, for female tourists, it's absolutely okay to drive solo in Oman.
20:12What are the salaries like in Moskatt?
20:14According to Numbio, the average salary in Moskatt is $1,790 after taxes.
20:20A barista is likely to make from $500 to $1,000 a month.
20:24And an engineer typically makes $2,700 a month.
20:29Is real estate expensive?
20:30A one-bedroom apartment in Baushar, not far from the sand dunes, goes for $145,000.
20:37A four-bedroom townhouse in Kurum with a garden goes for $350,000.
20:44A six-bedroom detached villa in that same area on reasonable land size goes for $650,000 and more.
20:51Some properties are really nice.
20:53Makes me want to move to Moskatt.
21:10Tourism is the fastest growing industry.
21:12What makes Moskatt such a great destination?
21:15There are so many awesome places within one or two hours of driving.
21:21The one you absolutely cannot miss is Wadi Al Shab.
21:24Once you get there, a boat will take you to the other side of the river.
21:28Then it's going to be a 45-minute walk.
21:30And not just walk, you'll be going through the jungle, jumping and climbing small rocks.
21:34And then about 15 minutes of swimming to reach the cave.
21:38So basically you'll get your daily exercise and more.
21:43Wadi Al Shab is an oasis in the desert, where you can spend the day hiking,
21:47exploring and swimming in clear water pools.
22:00Make sure you bring some water shoes because climbing those rocks in the water
22:04is not going to go well with your bare feet.
22:06It has to be one of the coolest places in Oman.
22:09The water cave at the end where the water falls is the most challenging part.
22:13Especially the narrow part that some people are too scared to swim through.
22:17Let's see if I can make it.
22:19I was swimming with my iPhone in the left hand.
22:21Very risky, but what can you do?
22:23I'm a YouTuber.
22:34You guys scared to go inside?
22:36Let's do it.
22:42Pretty scared.
22:43I can't even move my head.
23:03Oh look, I've made it.
23:04Once you're there, you can climb the waterfall.
23:06And also I was told there is a secret cave that you can only get to under water.
23:12Not far from this place you'll find another cool place, Bima sinkhole.
23:17It's a nice place with a garden and free parking.
23:19You're allowed to swim at your own risk.
23:21There's a staircase that leads down from the top to the water.
23:25It's a pretty amazing natural landmark of Oman.
23:27What sets Moskit apart from say Dubai is the accessibility of nature.
23:32It's all around you.
23:3340 minutes of driving and you're in some amazing beach.
23:41The beautiful thing about Oman is that the coastline is something like 2000 kilometers.
23:46So there's no shortage of wonderful, pristine beaches.
23:51So anywhere you go, you can find some privacy.
23:54And feel like you have your own beach.
23:57Hello.
23:58How are you?
24:01Hi.
24:02I'm good, thanks.
24:04What's it like living here?
24:05You like it?
24:06Here.
24:07Here is my house.
24:08It's your house?
24:09Yeah.
24:10It's beautiful.
24:10I like the flowers.
24:12Yeah.
24:12Very nice.
24:13You go fishing?
24:14Yeah, you go fishing there.
24:17Those are your boats?
24:18Yeah.
24:19What time do you go fishing?
24:21Under five o'clock.
24:22Five o'clock in the morning?
24:24Yeah.
24:24Okay.
24:24And you do it every day?
24:26Wow.
24:27Yeah.
24:28This fisherman wanted to show me his house and chickens.
24:30So let's go.
24:37The sultan?
24:38Yeah.
24:43All of this is your house?
24:46Yeah.
24:47Okay.
24:53Hello.
24:54Oh, you've got chickens.
25:02Your boat?
25:04Yeah, yeah.
25:04He's got four fishing boats.
25:06It's four boats.
25:08Four different boats.
25:10Fishing boats.
25:11I wanted to go see the turtles and my friends gave me a contact of a local fisherman who took
25:16me on a boat
25:17trip early in the morning.
25:21I went swimming on some secluded beaches and of course I got to see the turtles.
25:25It's a turtle.
25:27It's swimming.
25:28There it is.
25:30You're gonna see some turtles if you're lucky and you're gonna enjoy the scenery and the sea.
25:39Muscat has great tourist infrastructure, from affordable hotels to five-star resorts.
25:45For example, this is Chetty Hotel, five-star hotel and one of the best in the city.
25:50A friend of mine invited me over to a cigar lounge.
25:53Sure, even though I don't smoke, I've enjoyed the experience.
25:58Now tell me, do I look confident smoking a cigar?
26:01I hope so.
26:04It is indeed.
26:06I stayed at a few hotels in Muscat, but I really enjoyed Livadio Hotel.
26:11I think it's a great deal if you're traveling on a budget and you have a car.
26:14It has a swimming pool on the fifth floor, a gym, fantastic breakfast, and a huge parking lot.
26:20Dude, where's my car?
26:21And all of that for $60 a night.
26:23And this is not a paid promotion, by the way.
26:27Also, at most hotels you'll find unlimited dates and coffee for free.
26:31I loved it.
26:35Well guys, this is all I have to say about Muscat.
26:38I hope that was helpful when you start planning your next vacation.
26:41If you enjoyed the video, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe, hit that bell button,
26:46and I'll see you soon.
26:47Thanks a bunch!