Khareef Special: Beautiful beaches and bays at Mirbat

The former capital of the Dhofar region, Mirbat was an important port when it came to trading frankincense, and is a wonderful destination featuring many historical sites, delicious seafood and a lovely, serene landscape.

It has many natural tourist sites, historical monuments and buildings of ancient architecture, most notably the castle of Mirbat, which is one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in the wilayat. It overlooks the coast of the ancient port of Mirbat and dates back to the ninth century AD. y. The castle sits on a cliff and offers superb views of the crashing waves along the coast line.

 Outside the fort, try to spot the two tiny statues of prancing horses marking the entrance to the town, a nod to the fact that Mirbat was once an important breeding centre for Arabian horses.  Below the castle, take the winding road across the old harbour to a rocky enclave dotted with little wooden fisherman boats to enter Mirbat’s old town. The houses are wonderful examples of the ancient Dhofari-style construction that uses mud bricks decorated with wooden, carved window.

The Wilayat of Mirbat is also famous for the beautiful beaches and bays, which are considered to be the most important tourist attractions because of its beauty and rare marine resources.

Drive off towards Tawi Atayr to visit the towering groves of Baobab trees. On the way, stop at the marked anti-gravity point where you can leave your car in neutral and feel it drift uphill. Have a pleasant walk under the Baobab trees and marvel that this is the only place in Arabia where these African natives grow wild.