In my guide to Salalah, I’ve included my itinerary, places to explore, travel tips, and the most important things to know before visiting Salalah, the edge of the Middle East.

Oman is the gateway of the Middle East. It’s the serene, often overlooked corner of Arabia. Compared to the other flashy oil-rich monarchies of the region, Oman has retained its unique character and authenticity. It’s truly one of the most exciting places to travel to in the Middle East. Yet, while many people visit the coastal capital of Muscat, the walled historic city of Nizwa, and the soaring peaks of Jebel Akhdar and Jebel Shams, very few people head further south.

Just an hour flight from the cosmopolitan, date tree-lined boulevards of Muscat, Salalah and the Dhofar region are another world entirely. Tropical forests blanket the coast, with palm trees extending all the way to the shoreline. Concealed within Salalah’s lush and myseterious tropical forests are massive banana, mango, and papaya plantations.

Thousands of wild camels roam freely across pristine white-sand beaches, framed by soaring mountains and rugged cliffs that seem to plunge directly into the sea. Salalah isn’t just a destination, it’s a travelers real life dream. It’s the soul of Dhofar, Arabia’s Eden.

Despite this, Salalah is still off the beaten path and is one of the Middle East’s best kept secrets. It’s gaining more popularity though. When I visited in early April, I was the only traveler swimming on postcard-worthy tropical beaches and trekking the wild and exotic coastline dotted with camels as far as the eye can see.

Salalah Traveler Essentials

• Region: Capital of the Dhofar Region
• Language: Arabic, English widely spoken
• Currency: Omani Rial (OMR), Visa widely accepted
• Emergency Contact information: 9999
• Best time to visit: Overall October- April
• Khareef Season: July-August

Why Visit Salalah

Salalah is unlike anywhere I’ve ever traveled to and is probably unlike anywhere I’ll ever visit again. It’s truly one of a kind. This place surpasses all expectations.

Some of my favorite memories of Salalah include shopping for local fruit and juices at night from the street stalls, exploring the rugged and wild coastline, and getting to drive my car directly on the beach. This is Arabian Gulf’s tropical, camel-filled oasis. The only regret i had was not having more time here to experience even more of the otherworldy terrain, breathtaking scenery, and fascinating stories of the locals.

Best Time of Year to Visit

The best time overall to visit Salalah is between October and May. During these months, Salalah boasts warm but pleasant weather, clear skies, and empty beaches. It’s the perfect time to wander the shores and hills of Dhofar with virtually no other tourists.

I visited Salalah in early April. The weather was amazing and I was generally the only traveler I saw on my road trip around the Dhofar region.

Khareef Season

Salalah is already magical 365 days of the year. However, the shores of Salalah truly transform into something special during the Khareef or monsoon season. Mist blanket all the beaches and climbs up the jagged, vertical cliffs. It becomes a mysterious place, a lush paradise as all of the mountains, hills, and valleys of Salalah turn green. I hopefully plan to return to Salalah in all It’s glory during the Khareef season sometime soon.

Getting to Salalah

The easiest way to get to Salalah is by plane. It’s only an hour flight from Muscat. The flight was very smooth and enjoyable, offering stunning aerial views of Oman’s towering mountains and expansive 2,000 miles of coastline.

Alternatively, you can make a road trip out of it and drive to Salalah. It takes around 16 hours to drive from Muscat, so it’s best to split up the driving over two or three days. I would take the coastal route which offers views of the Arabian Sea the entire drive and goes through the quiet but charming city of Sur. It’s also possible to road trip from Dubai, if the car rental company allows you drive from the UAE to Oman.

Getting Around Salalah

Renting a car is the best way to get around Salalah. Many of the panoramic ocean views and tropical beaches are spread out from each other. All the main roads are paved and in excellent condition. Driving here isn’t too challenging once you get the hang of it. In rare instances of Arab road rage, simply let the impatient drivers pass.

Also watch your speed. Oman is notorious for their speed camera towers all along the highway, especially in the Dhofar province. Tickets will be deducted from your rental deposit.

I used Enterprise when renting my car at the Salalah airport, so I was ready to start exploring as soon as I landed.

Do you need a 4×4

While you technically don’t need a 4×4 when visiting Salalah, I highly recommend it. Having a 4×4 will make off roading on gravel and sandy roads much easier. Most of the cliffside views, mountain wadis, waterfalls, and hidden beach coves are only accessible by 4×4. Even then, many of these rugged roads were pretty easy to drive on.

Where to Stay in Salalah

Salalah has accommodation options for every traveler style and budget.

Luxury Seeker

The Antara Al Baleed Resort is a luxury 5-star resort with an infinity pool, spa, and private villas ($300-$500 a night).

Mid-Range Affordability

More affordably priced but just as grand is the Fanar Hotel and Residences. This hotel has ocean views, direct beach access, and a large pool area ($120-180).

Budget Travelers

Despite being a “budget” hotel, the Salalah Plaza Hotel is no motel. The rooms are spacious, modern, and clean. It’s a real steal. A hotel like this in the US would be triple the price. The hotel is also centrally located, making it easy to explore Salalah and the coast of Dhofar.

Private Airbnb with Ocean Views and Beach Access

I stayed in Taqah, just 20 miniutes outside Salalah. The Airbnb I stayed at was a private condo overlooking the Arabian Sea. It had direct beach access where I watched the sunrise and sunset from my balcony each day.

The Airbnb was clean and recently renovated. It was modern and very comfortable. The host even burned bakhoor, the traditional Omani incense in the condo as a symbol welcoming me to Salalah. I totally recommend staying here. It was the perfect place to come back to after a full day of driving, hiking, and swimming in Oman’s mystical Dhofar province.

Here is Abdullah’s Airbnb in Taqah

// Top 15 Things to do when visiting Oman, the Corner of Arabia

Salalah Complete Itinerary

Tropical Plantations and Local Fruit Stands

Salalah’s dense tropical forests make it the perfect place to harvest bananas, mangos, and papayas. Dirt roads wind through massive plantations that are concealed in an endless wall of palm trees and birds of paradise. Along Sultan Qaboos Street, makeshift stalls sell fresh and affordable fruit and juices.

The tropical plantations amidst the dense palm forests turn into a magical and mysterious place at night. Hundreds of stalls selling fruit and juices into the earliest hours of the morning.

Al-Qawf Souq

The Al-Qawf Souq is Salalah’s one shop stop for traditional clothing, fine goods produced in Oman, and last minute souvenirs. The bazaar is open late at night and into the earliest hours of the morning. I was guided by the bright neon Arabic signs and the smell of Omani frankincense.

Driving on Salalah’s White-Sand Beaches

One of the. most remarkable things to do when visiting Salalah is to drive on the beach. Salalah’s expansive tropical white-sand beaches allows cars to drive on them! It felt like I was living in a dream; driving on spotless ivory-white beaches, backed by a wall of a million palm trees. It’s best to stay on the hard sand roads, as going off the path can lead to your car getting stuck.

Salalah’s beaches had some of the warmest waters I’ve ever swam in. I had the entire beach all to myself with not another soul in sight. After swimming in the Omani sea, I opened the trunk of my car and watched the waves under a canopy of palm trees. It felt like I was on a beach in Hawaii rather than the tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

West Salalah | 100 Miles of Wild Coast to Yemen

I spent my second day in Salalah driving West, all along Dhofar’s expansive and rugged coastline, past an abundance of wild camels and cliffside turns all the way to Oman’s last frontier, the border with Yemen.

Eftalquot Cliffside Roads

Less than 45 minutes from the city of Salalah is the Eftalquot cliffside roads. These rugged dirt tracks twist through the hills and are made for 4×4 off-roading, offering a once in a lifetime drive. There are dozens of roads to choose from, each leading to a secret wadi or hidden beach. Ultimately, the main road leads down to Eftalquot Beach, a remote cove with an untouched and private coastline.

I drove for miles on the edge of the cliff which offered panoramic views of the Arabian Sea. A weathered metal fence marks where it’s still safe to drive. Beyond that, it’s just crashing waves on the towering cliffs and jagged rocks below.

Along the entirety of the cliffside road, wild camels roam freely. Some even came up to my car and stuck their head directly into my window to say hello. You can get here by following Google Maps to Eftalquot Viewpoint.

Shipwreck Beach ViewPoint

One of the most dramatic of the Eftalquot Cliffside Roads leads to the Shipwreck Beach. Tucked beneath the shadow of the rugged cliffs lies a rusting cargo vessel, driven into the rocky shore by Cyclone Mekunu in 2018. Since then, the ship has remained frozen in time. An eerie monument to the power of nature, it’s one of the most iconic viewpoints along Salalah’s coast.

Despite the name, Shipwreck Beach isn’t really a beach you can walk on. It’s a cliffside vantage point showcasing the ship, now forever trapped amongst the waves.

I didn’t make it to Shipwreck Beach on my trip to Salalah since the section of the cliffside road to reach the beach was in poor condition. I didn’t want to risk damaging my rental car. Still, just knowing that ship is out there, slowly being reclaimed by the sea, adds to the mystery of the Dhofar region’s untamed coastline.

Mughsail Beach

Mughsail easily takes the crown as Salalah’s most impressive and inspiring beach. This long coastal stretch of marble-white and perfectly soft sand is backed by dramatic jagged mountains, creating a dramatic contrast between the rugged terrain and the Arabian Sea. The water was so clear I could see my feet and it was also incredibly warm. It was the perfect place for a swim and to remind myself I was in Oman, the Eden of the Middle East.

When I visited in the morning, I had the entire beach to myself, with not another car in the parking lot. If you only visit a few of Salalah’s otherworldy beaches, Mughsail Beach has to be one of them.

Afoul Beach

The beautiful Afoul Beach is another untamed, secluded gem on Salalah’s western coastline. Tucked between two sets of rugged coastal mountains, Afoul Beach is a stretch pristine white shoreline.

A narrow gravel path winds down to the beach, making for an adventurous drive. I recommend driving a 4×4 to Afoul Beach. Again, I had the entire beach all to myself. A small lookout point showcases the hidden cove concealed by the coastal cliffs, which is the perfect place to photograph Salalah’s unparalleled and exotic beauty.

Shaat Top View

One of the highest elevated vantage points to admire Dhofar’s otherworldy terrain and the vastness of the Arabian Sea is Shaat Top View. Located on the top of Jabal Al Qamar, Shaat Viewpoint truly feels like the edge of the Middle East.

It is so quite up here. The only thing I could hear was the sound of muffled waves and the songs of the occasional birds. I watched in admiration as ginormous and fluffy clouds floated directly in front of me before disapearing into the soul of Oman.

Salalah’s Wild Camels

As I explored Salalah’s wild coastline and the untamed shores of Oman’s Dhofar region, I discovered what makes this corner of Arabia truly magical, thousands of wild camels. These camels roam freely across the hills and highways, crossing the roads without warning and moving at their own unbothered pace.

On my drive west from Salalah toward the Yemen border, I passed endless herds of camels. Some even wandered right up to my car, curious and calm, before greeting me as if I was an old friend. Moving with quiet confidence, Salalah’s camels are a defining part of Oman’s southern Dhofar region, home to the highest concentration of wild camels in the world.

The camels contribute to Salalah’s otherworldly atmosphere and are one of the most memorable aspects of my first visit to Oman.

// Note: Please be respectful when interacting with the camels in Salalah. If you approach a camel and it turns away from you, leave it alone. They are wild animals and we should respect that the otherworldy shores of Salalah are their home. We are merely visitors.

Drive to the Yemen Border

I pulled over at a tiny hole in the wall shawarma spot in the middle of nowhere to grab two sandwiches. It was noon, and after a day without eating, I was starving. Refueled, I continued westward toward Sarfayt, the quiet border town on the border with Yemen.

The road to the Yemen border winds across an elevated plateau where clouds drift silently over the towering cliffs, spilling into the heart of Arabia. Every mile offers breathtaking views of the sparkling azure sea. An abundance of incense and baobab trees dot the hills, concealing Dhofar’s ancient secrets. Wild camels, donkeys, and cows roam freely, crossing the road and forcing cars to stop as they graze on weeds. I watched local pickup trucks honk at the camels, who unbothered, continued to eat in the middle of the road. Unlike the workers, I was in no rush.

I crossed around five military checkpoints on the way to Oman’s last town. I even asked the police for water. They generously provided me a huge bottle and even a plastic cup for me to keep.

As I got closer to Yemen, the landscape only increased in both beauty and mystery as the road took dramatic turns into the clouds and along the soaring green mountains all the way to the sea.  I could only imagine the road on the Yemeni side would be just as alluring.

Almost Getting Detained at the Border Crossing

I drove right up to the armed border, marked by an arched Arabian style gate and peered into the heartland of Yemen. Omani police with rifles in hand quickly approached and made me delete every photo I took of the militarized border crossing. Additionally, my rental car was temporarily unusable, as Enterprise probably thought I was taking the Chinese 4×4 into war-torn Yemen. Finally, after restarting the car 4 times, I speed out of the border crossing, my hands still shaking.

Note: I do not recommend driving into the armed border crossing checkpoint as I did. This was a miscalculation on my behalf. Like the border guards did with me, they will force you to delete any pictures or videos of the militarized border with Yemen. Unfortunately, Yemen is still one of the most unstable countries on the planet. I am thankful I wasn’t detained.

Hopefully, the Civil War will end in Yemen in the near future, restoring peace to the lives of the Yemeni people and increasing tourism which could bring some relief to the stressed economy.

Riding a Camel on the Beach

When I was planning my trip to Salalah, one of the first things I wanted to do was ride a camel. Getting to ride a camel was a dream of mine ever since I was a child. I was both incredibly scared and excited when the camel stood up, raising me high into the air as he carried me across the beach. It was my first time riding a camel. It was an experience of a lifetime for me.

// Here is my tour I booked my camel ride through.

Eating Camel for the first time

For dinner, I headed to a traditional Omani restaurant. Madhabi Alsultan Restaurant, is a hole in the wall right off the side of the road. If you weren’t looking for it, it would be hard to find. They placed a plastic place mat on the table and began to bring out plates of humus, fresh chicken, and meat pies.

My favorite part of the meal was the camel skewers. It was my first time ever trying camel. It was one of the tastiest things I’ve ever eaten!

I can honestly say my whole day in Salalah revolved around camels; spotting camels, riding camels, and eating camels.

The Hills North of Salalah

I spent my last day in Salalah exploring the Northern Hills of Dhofar, just above the wild shores. As I drove above the city, a drastically different geography and terrain emerged. The tropical coastline transformed into arid, Mars-like rolling hills. Along the way, I passed herds of wild donkeys, camels, and bulls roaming freely across the rugged terrain. Adorning the clay-colored hills are unique species of frankincense, baobab, and acacia trees only found in Dhofar.

Tomb of Job | One of the Bibles Oldest Prophets

Hidden away an elevated and forested plateau is the tomb of Job, one of the Bible’s oldest prophets. Highly revered in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for his obedience to God, I was the only visitor to the simple shrine marked by a small green dome. Several prayer mats and an Arabic tapestry mark the resting place of Prophet Job. It was a moment of peaceful reflection and gratitude for my trip to Oman.