Muscat, Oman

Answer 1

Unspoiled by tourism, Muscat is one of the few remaining relics of Arabia’s ancient heritage.

Oman is sparsely populated, so even the capital, Muscat, with its traffic and modern stores, is easy to navigate. However, mingling with the new is the old: men in their traditional white dishdashas, women showing just a glimpse of bold color under their black headscarves and ankle-length abayas. Fishermen sell their fresh catches every morning on the edge of the Corniche, while the great-great-grandsons of merchants still haggle over the price of gold and frankincense in centuries-old Mutrah Souk. Visitors can eat fresh seafood on the beach, pick dates right off the trees, visit the famed Al-Bustan Palace Hotel and a number of museums, or book a trip into the desert scattered with ancient ruins, wandering camels, and primitive villages.

Visiting Muscat is like stepping back in time. Nowhere else can you still experience ancient Arabia in the flesh.