Landmarks of Salalah

The city of Salalah

The city of Salalah is located at the southern end of the State of Oman, 1,000 kilometers from the capital, as it can be reached from the capital by land, sea or air, and the city of Salalah is the capital of Dhofar Governorate, and its population is 163,140 people, and it is the gateway to the Arabian Peninsula in its side The southern coast stretches over the Indian Ocean, while its northern side includes a series of mountains, green areas and lakes. The city is 13 meters above sea level and is located on longitude 54.09 and latitude 17.02. Today, the city is a thriving tourist area with distinct natural and historical landmarks, and it has the largest marine port in the Gulf region.

Landmarks of Salalah

In the city of Salalah, there are many landmarks that make it a distinctive tourist destination, and these landmarks are distinguished by its diversity between the charming natural areas and the elaborate architecture that appears in some of its ancient monuments. The following are the most important of these features.

The natural attractions of Salalah

Among the most important natural monuments in the city of Salalah:

• Al-Mughassil Beach: It is surrounded by a green mountain and is characterized by its soft white sand and clear blue waters.
• Mnev Cave: It is a cave located in the mountains surrounding Al-Mughassil Beach, which overlooks a group of fountains or so-called explosive holes, which are holes in a rock above caves in the sea, through which water rushes due to the shattering of water waves in the caves.
• Salalah waterfalls: Salalah includes a group of distinct waterfalls in the fall season, the most famous of which is Ain Athum located on the eastern side of the city, the waterfall in the Wadi Ain, Ain Tabarak, and the Creek waterfall located on the western side of the city.
• Wadi Al Darbat: There are many small lakes, and it is a wonderful natural site to attract visitors, and to the south is the Tova Dam, which is considered one of the most distinguished natural phenomena in the region.

The monuments of Salalah

Among the most important monuments in the city of Salalah:

• Sultan Qaboos Mosque: The mosque is located in the center of the city of Salalah, and is distinguished by its unique architectural design, as it is a mosque that has two large domes, two long minarets, and these architectural elements take the white color and are decorated with golden inscription. The interior of the mosque is furnished with green carpets, decorated with lanterns and carved figures on the walls.
• Taqah Castle: This castle was built in the 19th century as the home of a clan leader, and is now one of the most beautiful castles in Oman, 33 km from Salalah. In the castle there are museums of weapons and hand tools that show the nature of the life of the Omani man, which is a small castle with 4 towers and a group of rooms, and next to it is a tomb for the mother of Sultan Qaboos.
• Al-Baleed archeological site: This site is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is an open archaeological site located near the edge market in Salalah.
• Sumhuram and Khor Rori: It is an archaeological site that includes a fortified town dating back to the century AD, when the Hadramout Empire was resident in the region and trying to control the frankincense trade in Oman. The Khor Rori site is an important port for the city of Dhofar.
• Religious graves: There are two famous graves in Salalah, one of which is the Prophet Ayoub, peace be upon him, and the tomb of the Prophet Imran, and other cemeteries believed to be religious figures such as the tomb of the Prophet Hood, and the tomb of the Prophet Saleh.

Various activities in Salalah

A visitor can do many interesting activities in the city of Salalah, and among the most famous activities in the city:

• Salalah Festival: With the advent of the month of July until September, the city of Salalah is filled with its annual festival, which is considered one of the most famous festivals and attractive to tourists, where folk and cultural performances are held, as it is held on the amphitheater of poetry evenings, concerts and musical concerts among the most famous Arab and foreign artists. At least one book fair will open during this festival, which will display the largest possible collection of books.
• Shopping in the edge market: Or what is called the market of Al-Hosn, which is a market located in a small area next to the Sultan’s Palace on the beachfront, and it has a group of stores neatly arranged along the pedestrian alleys, and in this market the most important types of perfumes and incense are displayed in the Sultanate of Oman.
• Coconut drink: Coconut drink is a distinctive sign of the city of Salalah, as huts that sell juices of all kinds spread on the beaches and streets of the city, and offer coconut drink in the open air.
• Horse stables: Horseback riding can be done in the green fields of Salalah or on its beaches, as there are stables for horses near the center of Salalah that organize excursions in the desert on horseback.

Tourism in Salalah

The city of Salalah attracts many tourists. In 2015, during the months of 7 and 8, Salalah received approximately 515 thousand visitors, and approximately one million and 27 thousand visitors during 2015, because the city has a beautiful weather during the fall months, and the plains and mountains turn green, and a festival is held Salalah with its many paragraphs, as the region includes many unique tourist attractions. To accommodate the continuous increase in tourists in the city of Salalah, a new Salalah airport was opened, which includes a runway capable of receiving the latest aircraft, and a hall that covers 65 thousand and 638 square meters of floors. Salalah also receives tourists by sea via the Khasab Port, as the number of travelers in 2015 by sea reached 147 thousand passengers, and the Omani government is developing Sultan Qaboos Port to attract more marine companies to the region.