Salalah, Oman

Sunday, November 29th
Route of the Ancient Traders
Day 19
M/S Nautica
Salalah, Oman
Mostly Cloudy - 81 Degrees

Oman is a small country at the Southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a member of OPEC, but its oil reserves are less abundant than in Saudi Arabia and its display of wealth less ostentatious than in the United Arab Emirates.

There isn't much in Salalah, but it is quite pretty. The streets are clean, lined with landscaped medians and controlled by roundabout parks. There is a monsoon micro climate along the coast so they actually have a rainy season here. There are stunning beaches and a little green at the feet of the mountains which give rise to the desert. The land is full of camels. They are everywhere. They aren't wild, they just graze freely. Without shepherds. The camels leave home on their own in the morning, wander and graze all day, and then find their way back home at night.

We started through the port and downtown Salalah into the hills beyond to the site of Job's tomb. Job's patience was tested by God in a book of the Old Testament, but he would not take the Lord's name in vain or renounce his faith. He is recognized and honored by all three of the monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Job's tomb is at the top of a hill overlooking Salalah. The site is in very bad shape with peeling paint and crumbling concrete.


We walked up the path, past the Mosque to the highest point on the hill. We removed our shoes and stepped inside of a humble little building to join the pilgrims of all three faiths there to say a prayer over the tomb. It sits under a black dome hung with a chandelier and the tomb itself is covered in a menagerie of rags.


Just outside there is a stone structure that looks like a well. As you lean over the edge and peer down at the rock below, you can see what are believed to be Job's footprints in the stone.

Back in Salalah, we stopped at Al Husn Palace, summer palace of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, who was born in Salalah.













The palace was closed, but we walked along the palace wall to the Al Husn Suq. The suq is not like the others we have visited. It is more modern, with less charm. Most of the city was closed for the Eid holiday and we were the only ones in the market. Most of the shops catered to tourists anyway, selling hats and t-shirts. There are some more authentic spice and jewelry shops, and almost everyone sells frankincense.



Salalah is the capital of the Frankincense trade and dominated supply of this commodity that was once one of the most prized substances in the ancient world. Frankincense is a resin-like substance that is burned in small ceramic burners. It gives off a sweet, acrid smoke that has been used for millennia to control pests and odors. The smell is everywhere.

We left Salalah for a drive up the coast in search of Frankincense trees, past sandy beaches and rocky hills that plunge into the water. The trees are unique to Southern Arabia and originated in the Dhofar Valley of Oman.

Next: A Day at Sea