Photo diary of our roadtrip in Salalah, Oman

Close to the border of Yemen in the south west of Oman, we spent one weekend in Salalah beach hopping, discovering different vistas from lookout points, watching ridiculously pretty fairy floss sunsets and dodging wildlife crossing highways.

Balmy days with swaying palm trees, white sand beaches, and azure waters- Salalah’s setting could have you mistaken that you were on a tropical island in the far East- bar the occasional sighting of camel herds dotting the beaches and crossing winding highways sheltered by rocky cliffs. Adding to the whole tropical vibe of the place, around the urban regions you’ll often find roadside stalls stocked with locally grown bananas and watermelons alongside piles of coconuts for sale.

We travelled to neighbouring Oman on a whim with 3 other friends and hired a 4wd to explore the city. We didn’t really have an itinerary but followed the coastline, only stopping if the beach beckoned or if we read something on the map that peaked our curiosity – i.e. competing with camels on footpath space around a sinkhole and standing by the side of the road watching the car magically getting pulled up at the anti gravity hill. Or, if we simply got stuck when trying to offroad!

If you are planning to visit Salalah (or Oman in general), hiring a car would be my number one tip. If you have visited the Middle East before, you would know that the choice of vehicle alternates between the Landcruiser and Pathfinder (excluding the Gran Turismos and Spiders) – we suggest to do as the locals do and hire a 4wd to navigate through the rugged terrains and if you know how, taking it off road for bit of an adventure.

Most guidebooks will tell you to visit during Khareef season (July-September, aka go now!) when the rains give respite from the heat and along with it, bring the golden and fiery orange cliffs to life with lush greenery and waterfalls cut through the landscape. We visited just before the Khareef, however the desert terrains we found were nonetheless spectacular. Not to mention, prices for hotels were much cheaper than the usual summer rates.

Here are a few pictures to help you get a feel of the place and hopefully inspire you to visit the gem that is Salalah (and all of Oman actually! You can also read about our Muscat trip here).