Back to the beach

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Ras Al Jin and Sur

Down on the coast again after a day driving down from the mountains and across the edge of the desert. After an early morning walk on the beach outside the hotel drove in the Muscat direction. Stopped for coffee at Ras al Jin the turtle conservation beach. Wandered down to the beach from the hotel and were taken back by the beauty of the place. Long sandy beach, lovely creamy sandstone rock cliffs and beautiful blue sea. Just a few people there enjoying the sun and sea. Also surprised at the number of turtle tracks and nests that must have appeared in the last night or so, it’s not supposed to be the season. A fortuitous stop for a coffee.

After that lovely couple of hours we drove on to our destination of Sur. Have a huge suite as big as our apartment in HK! Walked along the corniche to look at the dhows that are still built here, over Oman’s only suspension bridge for a look at the fort. Pleasant seaside town, busy fishing industry and lively population playing football all along the beach in the evening.

Visited Wadi Shab. Start of the 3 hour return walk is a short boat ride to the other bank and under the ugly big road bridge. The very beginning of the walk is uninspiring but it soon becomes another lovely canyon walk. There is water most of the way up and pretty views with the small gardens that dotted along. Lots of falaj channels too and some lovely butterflies and birds on the way. At the end of the walk is a swimming area with a cave at the end that can only be reached by the water. Surprised how many tourists were there already. The return was quite crowded on the narrow tracks at the end, a more popular spot than we had expected, the carpark was now completely packed.



Thought we’d have lunch by the sea in neighbouring village of Tiwi. They had recently put a lovely long pavement along the sea front promenade with benches and shaded ronduls, but they had then built a 4 foot wall completely blocking the view! We did find a spot right at the end of the road that hadn’t been ‘improved’ yet. Had a short drive up Wadi Tiwi, this has a concrete road up through the villages, super narrow and windy road with too many large vehicles, a bit of a stressful drive and not as pretty as Wadi Shab.

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