Chocolate Gift Delivery to Oman

At the crossroads of India and Africa, Oman stands out from the other Gulf countries by its openness to the Ocean. This sultanate of the sea, as it is commonly called, thus presents some 1700 kilometres of coastline, a real attraction for divers in search of magnificent coral reefs.

Surrounded by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, Oman is also a country worthy of the 1001 nights where real history and legends merge merrily: it is said for example that the ruins of Shisr are those of Ubar, the lost city of the tales of a thousand and one nights. Sindbad the sailor also lived in northern Oman, in Sohar during the tenth century. It's hard to tell the truth from the fiction. In any case, take a flight to Oman this country in the shape of a horn does not leave indifferent.

This delicate balance between modernism and tradition will be particularly appreciated: the capital Muscat has thus managed to respect the traditional forms and motifs of Eastern culture in its architecture while remaining in a modernist trend. Similarly, the Sultanate has begun a project to urbanize the towns of Nizwa, Sur, Buraimi and Rustaq by providing them with public lighting, roads and green spaces while preserving the historic character of these ancient towns.

A country mainly endowed with forts, Oman called on the expertise of Moroccan workers to restore these buildings and the country's castles, most of which date back to the 18th century, using traditional materials such as palm wood or dried earth brick. From this time when the centralization of the state was paramount, vestiges of Arabic character abound: the interior of these monuments is most often decorated with calligraphies of the verses of the Koran.

The oriental character of Oman is also conveyed through its souks and markets: the Bedouins thus come to reapproviate themselves to the souks of Al Wasil and Al Mintirib near the sands of Wahiba or in that of Bahla, famous for its potters and its stories of spellcasters.... Some markets differ from others by their singular offer: the souk of Salalah thus provides incense but also goats and weapons. There are also markets reserved for women: they sell clothes, beautiful fabrics or even kitchen utensils. In this country with an area of 309,500 km and nearly 2.9 million inhabitants, the desert also presents another facet of attractions. It is the meeting place with the Bedouins: these inhabitants of the desert, as the etymology of the word indicates, define themselves by their places of settlement. First there are the Bedouins of the sands, on camels and having made branch huts their summary habitat.

There are also Bedouins from the mountains, who subsist thanks to sheep breeding and the cultivation of date palms. They can be recognized by wearing the khanjar, the emblematic dagger of the sultanate.

Finally, during your stay in a hotel in Oman, you will also have the opportunity to meet Bedouin fishermen who harvest pearls and fish part of the year before dedicating themselves during the summer period to date harvesting. For urban tourism lovers, the Sultanate of Oman also presents cities of all beauty. Starting with its capital, Muscat.

Smallest capital in the world, it is visited in particular for its mosques of all beauty, its markets and for the residence of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, current Sultan of Oman. You can also go camping and hiking in the interior of Al Dhakhiliya, sunbathing in the seaside resort of Al Sharqiya in the east of the Sultanate or find refuge in the mildness of Dhofar, capital of the province of Salalah. But be careful to leave at the right time, if the months from May to August are literally suffocating, amateurs are advised to opt for the months from October to April.

Art and culture in Oman
The Sultanate of Oman has a very long tradition of craftsmanship. The country excels in particular in all trades related to indigo dyeing, weaving and textiles but also pottery, perfume making or copper work. This know-how is thus expressed in the making of the khanjar, this dagger in Omani tardition curve and which, over the years, has become more of a fashion accessory than a weapon, its initial raison d'être.

What to visit in Oman
For beach lovers, the seaside resorts near Muscat are equipped with the most advanced tourist infrastructures: the northern beaches between Shinas and Barka are surrounded by large hotels and you can engage in many nautical activities.