{"id":43233,"date":"2025-11-07T13:05:58","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T02:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/?p=43233"},"modified":"2025-11-07T13:06:01","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T02:06:01","slug":"a-journey-through-oman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/a-journey-through-oman\/","title":{"rendered":"A Journey Through Oman: Frankincense, Roses and Mountain Escapes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With its empty deserts, warrior fortresses, dramatic fjords and the overwhelming aromas of rose and frankincense infusing every part of life, Oman is a dreamscape for travellers seeking the authentic Middle East.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soft and dewy, rose petals flutter from my hands in a flurry of pink fragrance. It\u2019s just past sunrise in the hill villages of the Al Jabal Al Akhdar mountain region, and it\u2019s the season of the rose harvest. I watch as pickers, clad in snowy white robes \u2013 dishdashas<\/em>, as they\u2019re known here \u2013 move between the terraced rose bushes, snipping fragrant blooms and tossing them into scarves slung around their necks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Occasionally, they pour their fragile harvest onto a large sheet laid on the ground, creating a small mountain of the softest damask petals, still damp as the sun rises from behind the jagged ridges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On my journey through Oman<\/a>, I\u2019ll find the rose\u2019s essence wrought into luxurious creams, spa rituals, perfumes \u2013 and even my coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Heart of Muscat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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To learn what makes Oman tick, look no further than the roundabout decorations in its seaside capital, Muscat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A dallah<\/em>. A dhow. A mabkhara<\/em>. A khanjar<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A coffee pot, a sailing ship, an incense burner and a dagger \u2013 giant sculptures that double as landmarks: \u201cTurn left at the dhow to get to the Al Bustan Palace Ritz-Carlton.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coffee pot represents Arabian hospitality; the ship, Oman\u2019s love of the sea; the incense burner, its devotion to frankincense; and the dagger, a link to its peaceful strength \u2013 the Switzerland of the Middle East, if you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just five hours\u2019 drive across the desert from Dubai<\/a>, Oman is a land of dramatic fjords, vast sand deserts, stark mountain ranges and a southern monsoon zone. With only five million people, it remains remarkably serene \u2013 and possibly the most beautifully scented country in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Frankincense Butler<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Walk into the white marble lobby of the Shangri-La Al Husn and the air is veiled in a cloud of burning frankincense. It\u2019s the hotel\u2019s signature scent \u2013 and Oman\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI grew up in a family where my mother burns luban<\/em> [frankincense] every day at sunrise and sunset,\u201d says Khalid Al Amri, the world\u2019s only frankincense butler<\/em>, based at Shangri-La\u2019s beachside resorts in Muscat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe burns it at the start of her day to bring positive energy into the house, and at the end of the day to separate from stress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every morning, Khalid tends to his small grove of Boswellia sacra \u2013 trees that produce the world\u2019s purest frankincense, prized by perfumers and priests alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oman\u2019s wealth was once built on the curl of this sacred smoke, more valuable than gold. Frankincense filled Oman\u2019s coffers long before oil, and remains woven into life: drop it into water for a sore throat, chew it for fresh breath, burn it to calm the mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a blessing for a new baby, we burn frankincense for 30 days,\u201d says Khalid, waving a tendril of smoke. \u201cEven Oman Air\u2019s logo \u2013 that\u2019s frankincense smoke.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he pours me cardamom-infused coffee from a tiny porcelain cup, I\u2019m reminded that this is a country where scent is ritual, and hospitality is sacred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he pours me cardamom-infused coffee from a tiny porcelain cup, I\u2019m reminded that this is a country where scent is ritual, and hospitality is sacred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to Stay in Oman<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shangri-La Al Husn<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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The most luxurious of three Shangri-La Oman properties, Al Husn<\/a> sits 15 minutes south of Muscat. This adults-only escape (ages 16+) offers 180 guestrooms, a private beach where turtles nest, and the services of a frankincense butler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Set high in the Hajar Mountains, this clifftop resort blends Omani design, cuisine and spa traditions. The site is famed for Diana\u2019s Point<\/em>, named for the Princess of Wales\u2019 1986 visit. Two hours from Muscat, it features 115 rooms and pool villas with spectacular canyon views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stop(over) and Smell the Roses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Head inland to Nizwa, Oman\u2019s old capital. On Friday mornings, its streets fill with the sounds of the famed goat market \u2014 men in pristine white dishdashas<\/em> and embroidered kumars<\/em> bartering amid the chaos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nizwa\u2019s mudbrick old town, once a crumbling ruin, is being reborn. Restored walls now ring rooftop cafes and boutique stays decorated in red, black and white tribal fabrics. As lanterns glow over palm gardens, a local grandfather beckons me for a cup of karak<\/em> \u2014 sweet, milky tea laced with cinnamon and pepper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember Nizwa before electricity,\u201d he tells me. \u201cUntil 1970, we lived by gas lamps and dirt roads.\u201d His grandchildren share crepes striped with date syrup \u2014 qurus<\/em> \u2014 before darting back to their football game in the warm night air.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Up to the Highlands<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From Nizwa, the road climbs steeply into the Hajar Mountains, past flocks of goats and the occasional wild donkey. At the summit lies Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, the highest hotel in the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Somewhere along the way, someone points out Diana\u2019s Point<\/em> \u2014 the lookout where the Princess once stood. From my own balcony, I see her view: a chain of small stone villages tucked into the folds of the mountains, linked by narrow footpaths lined with rose terraces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For six weeks each spring, from March to early May, these villages pulse with the rose harvest. Homes overflow with baskets of damask petals, destined for distillation into rosewater used in cosmetics and cuisine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI sleep, eat and work here for two months,\u201d says Mahmood al Amry, who harvests alongside his 80-year-old father. Their simple stills capture the roses\u2019 essence \u2014 drop by fragrant drop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back at Anantara, the spa\u2019s rose rescue ritual<\/em> awaits. With petals on my face and perfume on my skin, I\u2019ve become the very embodiment of the harvest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I share a late-night taxi back to Muscat for my Emirates flight, tales unfold like A Thousand and One Nights<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy father is 120 years old and had 40 children,\u201d says a geography teacher from the back seat. When we ask his secret, he smiles: \u201cHe eats nothing that\u2019s ever been in a refrigerator.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time we reach the airport, the driver turns and says softly, hand to heart, \u201cThe road is very short when we speak.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Muscat<\/a>\u2019s gleaming terminal, I shop for frankincense and rosewater instead of chocolates. Oman\u2019s most famous perfumer, Amouage, has its own boutique. I spritz Opus XII Rose Incense<\/em> \u2014 frankincense, myrrh, damask rose \u2014 and board my flight literally wearing Oman on my skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This feature was originally published in Issue 5 of Dream by Luxury Escapes. Images: Shutterstock, Unsplash, Belinda Jackson.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With its empty deserts, warrior fortresses, dramatic fjords and the overwhelming aromas of rose and frankincense infusing every part of life, Oman is a dreamscape for travellers seeking the authentic Middle East. Soft and dewy, rose petals flutter from my hands in a flurry of pink fragrance. It\u2019s just past sunrise in the hill villages […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":43282,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[90,373,79],"tags":[33,21,12,13,293],"location":[],"customertype":[],"class_list":["post-43233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east","category-dream-magazine","category-oman","tag-accommodation","tag-arts-culture","tag-bucket-list","tag-outdoor-adventure","tag-print-magazine"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Oman-4-e1762391178353.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"lux_id":43233,"lux_link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/a-journey-through-oman\/","lux_title":"A Journey Through Oman: Frankincense, Roses and Mountain Escapes","lux_excerpt":"With its empty deserts, warrior fortresses, dramatic fjords and the overwhelming aromas of rose and frankincense infusing every part of life, Oman is a dreamscape for travellers seeking the authentic Middle East. Soft and dewy, rose petals flutter from my hands in a flurry of pink fragrance. It\u2019s just past sunrise in the hill villages [\u2026]","lux_excerpt_trimmed":"With its empty deserts, warrior fortresses, dramatic fjords and the overwhelming aromas of rose and frankincense infusing every part of life, Oman is a dreamscape for travellers seeking the authentic","lux_image_url":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Oman-4-e1762391178353.png","lux_image_url_medium":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Oman-4-e1762391178353-350x190.png","lux_image_url_large":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Oman-4-e1762391178353-1024x555.png","lux_image_url_square":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Oman-4-e1762391178353-500x500.png","lux_categories":[{"label":"Middle East","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/destinations\/middle-east\/"},{"label":"Dream Magazine","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/dream-magazine\/"},{"label":"Oman","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/destinations\/oman\/"}],"lux_tags":[{"label":"Accommodation","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/tag\/accommodation\/"},{"label":"Arts & Culture","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/tag\/arts-culture\/"},{"label":"Bucket List","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/tag\/bucket-list\/"},{"label":"Outdoor & Adventure","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/tag\/outdoor-adventure\/"},{"label":"Print magazine","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/tag\/print-magazine\/"}],"lux_locations":[],"lux_customer_types":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43233"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43355,"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43233\/revisions\/43355"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43233"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=43233"},{"taxonomy":"customertype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/customertype?post=43233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}