Muscat: The annual Khareef season in the southern Dhofar region of Oman has come to a close. It is back to dry spell, of course, however with much less heat than the capital area.
However, end of the monsoon doesn't mean end of tourism. Mughsayl Blowhole, for instance, is still a major attraction in Salalah. The road to Mughsayl being a single-carriageway needs to be handled carefully. Overtaking is a given here. More often than not, due diligence to road safety is given, yet there are rash drivers too that one needs to be mindful of.
The beautiful spot is a meeting place of many natural wonders. The blowhole that lets water out through the well-fenced hole gets more visitors on high-tide days coinciding with new moon and full moon days. The roaring noise and raising plume of water can be heard and seen from a distance itself.
For enjoying the misty beach experience, one has to get off before the road forks to right. The right turn is what you take to see the blowhole and the Marneef cave, which is more a rocky outcrop than a cave. As you drive along the coastal road, with the sea on your left, and the slightly elevated meadows to your right, spare a little time to watch hordes of camels peacefully grazing.
Anti-gravity point
The blink-and-you-miss anti-gravity point signboard is another unique place here. This can be combined with your Darbat tour. The roads are comparatively peaceful, to the point of being described as desolate.
The cars on neutral gear moves at a fairly good speed without any acceleration. Anti-gravity or magnetic hill is good fun. A place with a lot of potential yet to tapped, to encourage night-time visitors as well to experience a spooky-kind of experience.
Darbat falls
The entire stretch of Darbat even after the smaller waterfalls offer a refreshing green patch of mountains, meadows, streams and more small waterfalls. Most of the misty green photos of Dhofar region that you see on Instagram are taken here.
Frankincense museum and Al Baleed Archeological Park
A beautiful eco-conserved place houses the Frankincense museum. The history is told in an interesting manner and the 3-dimensional maps in this museum give one an accurate idea of borders, neighbours and topographical features of Oman.
The pond near the museum building has a variety of migratory and local birds in the tranquil mangrove surrounding it. There are spacious roofed watch towers jutting into the pond. Well-manicured lawns, and small bridges across the pond take one to the beach across. The expansive Al Baleed Archeological Park can be reached by foot from the museum.
