Book Cheap Flights to Muscat, Oman
The peak season to visit Muscat is the winter season from November to March. It would be cool and damp at 78-87 deg F to provide you with a perfect setting to explore the city, admire its superb architecture and to enjoy Muscat Festival. You should consider booking your tickets early to avoid last minute rush and inflated prices. If you’re facing a budget crunch, you can choose to come here during summer season from April to September. It is extremely hot and dry at 95-105 deg F, but you would get discounted deals on air fares and hotel rates. You can also attend the Salalah Tourism Festival, an annual cultural event that celebrates the advent of monsoon season and is celebrated from 15 July to 31 August.
The city is served by Muscat International Airport. It is a joint airport and it serves both civilian and military ends. It is operated by Oman Airports Management Company and serves as a hub for Salam Air and the flag carrier Oman Air. The airport features flights to many regional destinations and international flights. These destinations chiefly include Medina, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh, London, Paris, Istanbul, Frankfurt, Munich and Singapore among others. Major airlines offering round-trip connectivity to the city include British Airways, Etihad, Emirates Airways, KLM and Qatar Airways.
Places of Interest in Muscat
Muscat is the capital of Oman and it lies on the Arabian Sea along the Gulf of Oman. The name means anchorage, hidden or strong-scented in different languages. The city is comprised of three smaller towns- viz., Muscat , Matrah and Ruwi- that have grown together to evolve into one city. Muscat derives its present identity from being a prolific financial epicentre since 1st century CE and a dominant military power in 18th century, and its architecture is a proportional derivative of these two attributes. A star attraction here is the Muttrah Corniche. It is a seaside promenade with picture-perfect beauty and a stellar combination of the old and new architecture.
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is the main Mosque in Muscat. Built in contemporary Islamic architectural style using 300000 tonnes of Indian sandstone, it can hold over 6500 men and 750 women worshippers. Its floor is covered from the world’s second largest single piece carpet woven using classical Persian Tabriz, Kashan and Isfahan design traditions. This carpet weighs 21 tonnes and had taken four years to produce.
Muttrah
Muttrah is a district in Muscat province and home to one of the largest regional sea ports. It is best known for the Muttrah Cornice an old fort (Muttrah Fort), a grand mosque (Mosque of the Great Prophet), beaches, mountains, and a tinge of traditional middle-eastern market. The best way to enjoy its ambiance is to take walk during late evening when it is beautifully lit through a backdrop of mountains and waterfront.
The National Museum
The National Museum is Oman’s flagship cultural institution and it showcases last 2 million years of human history in the peninsula. It houses 5466 objects offers 43 digital immersive experiences in 14 permanent galleries that together relate to Oman’s religious, geographic, maritime and historical identity. Also of note is an extensive display of arms and ammunitions, and currencies.