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Dhofar Hotels - Information, Online Reservation in Dhofar
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| Situated in the southern part of the Sultanate with an area of 1,500km2, the Dhofar governorate’s climate differs considerably from the rest of Oman’s – monsoon rains are very common during the summer especially along the mountain ridge. This brings about beautiful waterfalls and rivers that irrigate the lands. These water sources create expansive green areas saturated with attractive flowers that draw a range of visitors from all over Oman and the gulf countries just to admire the natural scenery. |
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| The rainwater also provides water that Oman uses for the remainder of the year. Livestock owners are also fans of the rains; the greenery serves as nutrition for their cattle. The usual temperature is a mild and humid 30˚C. |
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The governorate of Dhofar is subdivided into 10 states (“wilaya”), the most prominent of which is Salalah, around 1040km north of Muscat. Salalah is the administrative capital of Dhofar. Many historical and archaeological studies have been conducted on the city, and many inscriptions have been found that have proved that there was a succession of diverse civilisations within the area; an important one is the Manjawi civilisation which occupied the Al Balid district from the 12th to the 16th century. Back then, Salalah was renowned for its exports of frankincense and Arabian horses. Legendarily, Ahmed bin Mohammed al Haboudi rebuilt the city, dubbing it Al Mansourah, which means “victorious.” |
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| The Salalah Port was built in 1998. Since its completion, it has provided jobs for many of Oman’s citizens, and will in the future become one of the world’s most important container terminals. |
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When in Salalah, you must visit sites that pertain to historical periods which you can find scattered all over the area (Al Mughsil specifically has 3 archaeological sites with remnants of ancient walls, tombs and mosques) and the scenic mountains, and beaches with blowholes that are constantly beautifully erupting during the high tide. Instead of witnessing the common date palms in most of Oman, you will mostly find coconuts in Salalah. |
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| Some interesting sites you should head for when in Salalah are Nabi Ayoub's Tomb, which is the cemetery where the remains of the Prophet Ayoub can be found. The walls surrounding the area have Quranic verses on them. Beside the tomb is a little stone mosque which was supposedly used by the prophet for prayer. It is sensible to remove your shoes before entering. Women should wear a scarf on their heads. |
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You can also trail along the “Frankincense Trail,” an ancient trade route which is now a tourist attraction.
Naturally, any area that is a major attraction for tourists is also a major attraction for hotel chains, so you will be able to find many famous hotels in Oman, especially Salalah, like the Hilton Salalah, Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah, the Holiday Inn, Haffa House, as well as smaller, lower scale hotels. |
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All the principal roads of Dhofar are linked within the wilaya of Thumrayt. Apart from its route importance, this region is a main frankincense growing area; the harvest season is during April. In ancient times, there used to be caravan routes throughout the area. Those are still maintained till today.
Many freshwater springs running through a collection of striking natural scenery are found in Mashid. |
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| Another interesting city is that of Shisr, as it is purported that the mythical city of Ubar, mentioned in the “Tales of the Arabian Nights” is somewhere there. Important craftwork in Thumrayt includes wool spinning and weaving, tent making, and palm frond weaving. |
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“Marbat al khail” literally means the “area where horses are tied,” so it is pretty fitting that this wilaya is called Marbat; it was a main area in which horses for export were bred. The main crops that are grown in this wilaya are beans, mango, cucumbers, and corn. A popular craft which is available is the ‘majmar,’ an incense burner decorated with blue, green, and yellow designs. Important Marbat attractions are natural springs, caves and grottos, as well as the Citadel of Marbat. |
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| Between Salalah and Marbat lies the wilaya of Taqah, which was once a successful port and a noteworthy trading centre of the ancient world. And when we say ancient, we do mean it! This area contains remains with inscriptions that are thought to date back to 3000 BC. Frankincense was also the main export; it even reached Egypt’s Queen Hatshepsut in 1500 BC. This port was also a witness of a load of frankincense sent from the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, son of David. |
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| In 1952, stone sculpture and carving ruins, pre-Islamic tombs, and an ancient citadel were discovered. Today, tourists visit Taqah for its silver white beaches, freshwater springs, caves, and grottos. |
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Adjacent to the KSA is the Muqshin wilaya, which is famous for its profuse water supplies, date plantations and camel breeding. Archaeological digs have uncovered tools and writings that go back to the Stone Age.
Around 310 km from Salalah are the Hallaniya Islands, which are breeding grounds for turtles. It is also an area in which migratory birds settle. Its surrounding waters have a diversity of marine life, including large dolphin populations. |
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| In Rahab, there is an experimental farm working on growing certain fruits and vegetables. If the project is successful, much barren Omani land may be used for agriculture. |
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| An important area in Dhofar is the Omani section of the Empty Quarter (Ruba’ al Khali), when in 1992, an American satellite discovered the remnants of a buried city there (supposedly due to a “light earthquake,” initially believed to be the renowned city of Iram Dhat el Emad, mentioned in the Quran. Archaeological excavations in the area uncovered pottery and glass vessels dating back to approximately 100 BC. |
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