The white port town of Sur is about 2 hours’ drive from Muscat, close to the famous turtle beaches Ras Al Jinz and Rad Al Hadd. About 70,000 people live in Sur today. The city was an important center for trade with East Africa and India in the 6th century. Even if it has almost completely lost its importance for maritime trade today, shipbuilding continues to characterize the cityscape. Interested visitors can stop by a shipyard and see how the large dhows are still being made by hand.

Compared to Muscat, Sur is much quieter, more tranquil and traditional. It’s easy to come into contact with locals everywhere, and they’d love to tell you something about the city. The Al Ayjah lighthouse opposite Sur Beach is particularly pretty. It was built by the Portuguese and initially served as a defense tower until it was later converted into a lighthouse to guide dhows safely into the lagoon.

If you want to fill your stomach with local delicacies in the evening, you absolutely have to go to the “Zaki Restaurant”. You can find everything your heart desires here: fresh fish, roasted meat, various vegetarian delicacies and great fresh juices. And all for a really small price.