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Mountains
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Jabal Shams
Mountain of sun is a mountain located in northeastern Oman . It is the highest mountain of the country and part of Al Hajar Mountains range. It is a popular sightseeing area located 240 km from Muscat . In the summer temperature is around 20 °C and in the winter it drops just above 0 °C.
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Al Jabal Al Akhdar
Jebel Akhdar in Arabic means "Green Mountains" and this region of the most verdant outside of Salalah and the Batinah Coast. To go there requires a 4-wheel drive ( and a road permit because of military installations in the area). One of the most scenic areas in Oman, coupled with the friendly local inhabitants, this region is a natural spot for tourism. Points of interest include the towns of Wadi Bani Habib, Saiq and Al Ayn .
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Sand Dunes
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Outskirts of the Empty Quarters
The Desert of Empty Quarters (Al-Rub'a Al-Khali in Arabic) is the largest desert in the world. Measuring 1000 Km in length and 500 Km in width, the Desert spans across four countries: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman and Republic of Yemen. Within Omani territory, the Desert extends from Mahdah in the North to Fahud in the South passing through Ibri and Al-Buraimi .
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Sharqiah Sands
Should one dream up the perfect looking desert and the ideal dunes undulation, it would still fall short of what is on offer at Sharqiah Sands, formerly Wahiba Sands.
Spread over an area of 9,000 Km2, the Sands extend northward from the coast opposite Masirah Island to Wadi Al-Batha'a, surrounded by forests of Al-Ghaf trees in Eastern and Western edges. Rolling sand dunes varying from deep red to a rich honey colour sands stretching as far as the eye can see, many of which span 100 Km long and peak up to 100 meters heigh .
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Caves
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Majlis al Jinn cave
It is the second largest underground chamber in the world covering an area of around 60,000m2.
This is an extremely difficult cave to negotiate, and it is important that the expedition is not undertaken lightly and without professional guidance.
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Hota Cave
It comprises an underground cavern and subterranean lake system. It is a 2.7 km tunnel which runs in a north-south direction. There are many offshoots to the main tunnel, but so far, only approximately 5km have been charted by experienced cavers.
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Teiq Cave
It is the largest sinkhole in the world and located between Taqa and Mirbat. The sinkhole has two wadis, which replenish the pool when it rains.
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Al-Merneif Cave
Situated in Al-Mughaisil area of Dhofar, roughly 40 Km from Salalah, Al-Merneif Cave is amongst the most beautiful caves in the Sultanate.
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Razzat Cave
Located some 25 Km from Salalah, Razzat Cave is one of the most popular destinations by visitors and residents alike, as it lies amidst the mountains overlooking the spring of Razzat.
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Ettein Cave
Located some 10 Km from Salalah, the Cave of Ettein lies 400 metres to the West of Jarzeez Spring, and is considered to be the largest, with respect to surface area, in the region.
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Parks & Gardens
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Qurum Natural Park
It is 1715449 m2, the largest park in Muscat. The park contains a large boating lake and fountain Waterfall Hill.
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Riyam Park
It overlooks the sea and designed on several heights that gives distinguished dimension for the park which covers an area of 100,000 m2 .
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Al Naseem Public Park
It is the first park to be established in Oman and its gross area is 750,000 m2 and it is about 30km from the Airport.
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Kalbou Beach Park
It is coastal strip extends from the Sea Road to the mountain edge, which is a distinguished location in the heart of Muscat City. It is an attraction spot for those who are willing to enjoy walking and fishing.
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Al Sahua Park
It is located in Seeb covers an area of 300.000 m2. The park has various divisions like the main plaza on the middle of the park, Islamic gardens, fountain zone and flowers garden.
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Natural Reserves
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Ra's al Hadd Turtle Reserve
It is Turtles Reserve and located in Sur. Its covers 120km2 with a coastline of 42km.Between 6000 - 13000 turtles migrate here annually from the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea and the East African coast. Oman is one of the most important sites for green turtles in the Indian Ocean. Many tourists visit the area to observe the estimated 20,000 nesting turtles.
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The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary
The desert region in al Wusta is an area of great interest to scientists and environmentalists alike. It is here that the last sightings of the Arabian Oryx in the wild were recorded, whose numbers were depleted drastically by hunters, and where His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos established the Arabian Oryx Reserve in 1974.
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Al Saleel National Park
It is located Al Kamil w'al Wafi and covers an area of 220km2. The park mainly consists of acacia woodland and provides a safe habitat for many of Oman's indigenous mammals. There are three main areas to the park: the first is the alluvial plain covered in acacias; the second consists of the wadis in the mountains and the third is the sparsely vegetated hills and rocky outcrops which form the northern boundaries and the higher elevations.
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Jebel Samhan Nature Reserve
This reserve is in Dhofar and covers an area of 4500km2. It is predominantly made of limestone highlands rising from the coastal plains. Jebel Samhan is a range of craggy peaks, which are separated by wadis and canyons. Hasik village, accessible only from the sea, lies on a small gravel area east of the Jebel. The sea has eroded much of the coastline and the limestone cliffs are dramatically sculptured and undercut at the base.
The canyons are filled with deep pools, and with the varied plant life, the area provides perfect habitat for the likes of the Arabian Leopard, Nubian Ibex, Arabian Gazelle, Striped Hyenas, Caracal, wild cats, foxes and wolves. The steep cliffs make ideal breeding sites for rare species of birds and the surrounding waters provide food for Masked Boobies and Socotra Cormorants. Shrimps, abalone, whales, Green turtles and Loggerhead turtles are also found in the waters.
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Dimaaniyat Islands Nature Reserve
This group of nine islands lies along the coast of Seeb and Barka. The islands cover a total area of 203km2 and can only be reached by boat. Many migratory birds nest here in the summer and there are various species of fish found in the coral reefs. Large numbers of Hawksbill turtles, a globally endangered species, lay their eggs here which enhance the islands' environmental importance. The green turtles also nest on the islands' sandy beaches.
Thousands of marine birds nest on the islands throughout the year, including terns, ospreys and Red-billed Tropic birds. The islands which have been turned into reserves are free from predators such as foxes, cats and dogs. There are two species of snakes living on the islands, whilst the sea contains marine snakes.
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The Khawrs' Reserve of Dhofar Coast
The khawrs and springs of the Dhofar coast contain many different species of wildlife. Historically, the khawrs have been natural harbors whilst the freshwater springs have provided water for settlements.
They contain large numbers of fish, in particular edible milkfish and mullet. These fish have a high tolerance to freshwater and can adapt to decreasing levels of salinity. Over 200 species of migrating birds rest and feed at the khawrs.
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