Oman with our toddler

4 days of an Omani Road trip!

While in Bahrain we have wanted to make the most of the unique places and the experiences that the middle east has to offer while out in this completely different part of the world. Thus, over Columbus day weekend- Adam had a long weekend and we decided to venture to Oman for an outdoorsy trip. My main goal was to see baby turtles (which was a total success!) and our main goal as a family was to get more outside time as Bahrain is still very hot (around 97-100 degrees each day) this time of year. We did a road trip along the coast of Oman over four days and got a chance to experience Omani kindness, sinkholes, epic hikes, beaches, crabs, turtles, and of course some bizarre obstacles along the way.

Our intended route: Muscat > Tiwi > Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve > Desert Camp

Our actual Route: Muscat > Tiwi > Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve > Muscat

Our highlights:

Muscat: Arrive late at night and sleep!

We stayed at the Royal Tulip (which I would definitely recommend to anyone traveling to Muscat) $57 per night was so so nice.

Tiwi: Enjoyed Bimmah Sinkhole, Pebble beaches, and Wadi Shab

At Bimmah Sinkhole, we got to have fish nibble at our feet while we swam and relaxed in the water. This was bizarre but made Milo cackle! We also got to watch brave souls climb up the sides of the rock and dive into the deep blue waters of the swimming hole. Added plusses of this adventure were that Milo was given 3 bags of chips from different people at this spot; AND there was a playground above where Milo made a few friends!

Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve: Saw mama turtles laying eggs, baby turtles hatching, regret our stop in the turtle museum, and loved running around where the desert meets the sea.

Here, I would not recommend taking an energized two-year-old to the turtle museum…. total chaos. But, I would recommend everything else related to this turtle reserve stay. There were hills that you could climb right outside the hotel and look out at the Indian Ocean, yoga classes, and archery too. But for us- running in the desert and seeing the turtles at night was enough. I will say that I didn’t realize how many people come each night to see the turtles, there were hundreds of people that flocked to the hotel to catch the turtle tours. Thankfully Adam asked how the process was working and we found out that hotel guests get the first tour (this was so important for us and to get Milo some sleep). Amidst the tour we saw 1 baby turtle at first, a mama laying her eggs, and then a whole nest hatch. IT WAS AMAZING. Plus Milo enjoyed jumping in the sand for hours as we did this. He was wiped when we returned to the hotel for bedtime.

Muscat: Explored the souq, corniche, and enjoyed Rayim Park.

Spending a full extra day in Muscat was not our original plan but like most things we experienced in all of Oman… a questionable situation turned awesome. It got us to visit both of our newly dubbed favorite city in this region of the world and for Milo (the best park playground). Muscat is a beautiful city naturally with cliffs rolling right up to the Indian Ocean but the city builds on that beauty with walkways along the waterfront, crafty streets, and outdoor spaces.

Honestly for anyone visiting Oman (if possible) we would recommend staying here a few extra days.

Our favorites:

1. Seeing baby turtles hatch at night! This was the experience of a lifetime. We had the chance to see a nest of eggs hatch right before we were about to head back. There were hundreds of baby turtles erupting from the nest and heading to the water.
2. Wadi Shab: This hike is beautiful through and through and leads to an oasis at the end. This was Adam’s favorite part!
3. Muscat’s Souq: I love comfy pants and this souq had all the elephant pants one could dream of (very cheap too)! Milo came away with a car set and Adam did the best work hearding our rambunctious dude through the craft-filled streets.

Milo’s Favorites:

1. Crabs on the beaches outside of Muscat: Our guy loved seeing all the crabs scamper around the sand! He kept requesting to see more crabs while we were on the beach.
2. Jumping in the sand at the turtle reserve: He was panting and nonstop jumping and rolling through the soft sand.
3. His tow truck and associated ” red beeps” he got at Muscat’s Souq. This set may be his new favorite toy.