Tourism in Salalah is diverse, but what attracts tourists to it is its natural scenery, green mountains, waterfalls, and springs whose beauty increases in the fall season, thus increasing their charm in the eyes of its visitors who come there for its ideal weather during this period, in addition to the mountain and sea adventures it provides, festivals, and various cultural and heritage events.
Salalah (Oman) – Salalah, the green city, the Switzerland of the Gulf, the mountains of Arab Europe, are several titles that describe the charming Omani state Salalah. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists in recent years due to its charming green nature and ideal weather in particular. In autumn.
At a time when temperatures are rising in Gulf cities and reaching more than 40 degrees Celsius, the city of Salalah, in the Sultanate of Oman, lives in a cold climate of less than 15 degrees Celsius, which makes it an attractive city for local residents and tourists coming from Gulf cities.
The charming city enjoys great attraction, especially during the fall season, which is characterized by its humid climate and green nature, with its uniquely rich wildlife, which includes a group of natural plants, frankincense and banana trees, fruit farms and coconut trees, in addition to the scenes of waterfalls, plains and green pastures that include thousands of heads. The Camels.
In the fall, many residents of Dhofar Governorate, which Salalah is part of, set up their tents in the Sahalnut and Atin plains, which is an old tradition for the people of the governorate during this season.
Sports and adventure lovers enjoy the largest share of the tourism activities that the governorate offers to its guests, including desert sports, mountain climbing, surfing, cave exploration, bird watching, and camel racing.
The density of frankincense trees extends over an area estimated at five kilometers, and their number is estimated at more than five thousand cultivated and natural trees.
Salalah is famous for its springs, especially in Mount Darbat, where waterfalls cascade from heights extending to tens of metres, in addition to Ain Sahalnut and Ain Jarziz, which are the oldest springs in the Dhofar Governorate.
In addition to the running springs, Salalah is distinguished by its unique beaches, the most prominent of which is Al-Mughassil Beach, which is unique in its turquoise blue waters, and its white sand shaded by palm trees, in addition to a group of fountains created by nature, as the water collides with the waves and penetrates the mountain rocks, and the water rushes out of the ground in a spectacle. Picturesque, attracts thousands of tourists daily.
The caves in Salalah are distinguished as being the largest and most beautiful in the Gulf countries, including Al Marneef Cave, which is located near Al Mughsail Beach, and Taiq Cave, one of the largest caves in the Sultanate of Oman, and is distinguished by its geographical nature and rare rock formations.
The city of Salalah includes a number of historical forts that are considered historical evidence of the civilization of the region.
The religious shrines in Salalah are among the most important elements of tourist attraction, and bear an indication of the ancient history of Salalah, including the shrine of the Prophet Ayoub, which is located on Mount Atin, overlooking stunning natural scenery, in addition to the Tomb of Imran, which is considered one of the longest tombs in the world, as it extends for about 30 meters. meters, next to mosques with a distinctive urban character.
The religious graves in Salalah were built with great care, surrounded by buildings and domes, and covered with green cloth and carpets that exude fragrant perfumes.
Tourists are keen to visit Wadi Douka, which is a natural reserve for frankincense trees, which are called “pampered trees” and are registered on the World Heritage List, as they are one of the most important sites for frankincense production and export.
The density of frankincense trees in the valley extends over an area estimated at five kilometers, and their number is estimated at more than five thousand cultivated and natural frankincense trees.
The city is famous for its frankincense markets, as frankincense is the main gift that tourists are keen to acquire before leaving Salalah.
The frankincense trade goes back thousands of years, and this is what was recorded on the walls of ancient Pharaonic temples since Hatshepsut’s travels to the Omani lands. Studies and research carried out by some researchers and scholars indicate the ancient history of the city, which is indicated by the various monuments of writings and inscriptions.
Salalah hosts a group of festivals throughout the year, the most prominent of which is the annual Dhofar Khareef Tourism Festival, which is held in conjunction with the Khareef season, and which has been popular among Gulf Arabs and foreign tourists over the years.
As for the Salalah Food Festival, it is very popular with various tourists who enjoy exploring the most famous distinctive Omani dishes and enjoying the most delicious international cuisine through the participation of more than 70 food and beverage suppliers. Visitors also spend wonderful times attending more than 10 accompanying entertainment events.
The city of Salalah has a variety of traditional crafts, industries, and arts, such as boat making, pottery, wood and leather industries, and frankincense making.
Ahmed Al-Sharif, an Egyptian residing in Dubai, says, “At this time every year, my family and I go to Salalah, to enjoy the cool atmosphere and natural scenes that make us feel like we have visited a European city.”
He added, “Although the distance is more than 1,400 kilometers between Dubai and Salalah, we forget this distance, and the time we spent on the road, which is more than 12 hours, because we enter a charming city with its natural scenes, plains, green valleys, and dazzling waterfalls, from which water falls from great heights from the peaks.” Mountains.”
As for the Emirati Ahmed Al-Muzahimi, he says: “Whoever goes to Salalah in the month of September will see hundreds of cars coming from the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain, and hundreds of Gulf caravans that have traveled thousands of miles, with their owners spending days and weeks in Salalah, in the middle of a natural landscape, surrounded by water canals and exploding springs.” “And towering waterfalls, and green spaces that extend over hundreds of square kilometers.”
He added, “We come here to forget the high temperatures in the Gulf cities, and to live in a European atmosphere, which we do not see in any region of the Gulf.”
He continues, “We gather families and reside on top of the mountains and in the green valleys, and our visual enjoyment does not stop with the scenes of the mountains covered with trees and plants, and around us are herds of camels, cows, and goats that spread across the natural pastures, which is something we do not see in our country.”
Aisha Al-Kalbani, an Omani from Muscat, says, “When we come to Salalah in the summer and fall months, we live on high mountains, some of which are more than 800 meters high, and around us clouds move, storming our sessions in an indescribable scene.”
She added, “Salalah is described as the Switzerland of the Arabs, as those who arrive there live among waterfalls that fall from heights of up to 20 meters, including the Athum and Ain Kor Falls, and are surrounded by lakes of rainwater, canals in which natural spring water flows, and towering trees.”
She continues, “We head to the mountaintops overlooking the Indian Ocean, specifically in the Aftalqout area, where we see green mountains embracing the waves of the Indian Ocean, and around us are clouds, to live unforgettable times in a natural area the likes of which you do not see in any city in the Gulf countries.
alarab-co-uk
