"MUSCAT: THE CITY OF SULTANS" a Muscat Travel Page by ARABDELIGHT

Oman's capital enchants visitors in a way that no other city in the Gulf can even begin to match. Maybe it's because Muscat doesn't have that slightly artificial feel which typifies so much of the rest of the region. Muscat, Mutrah and Ruwi are the capital's core districts. Muscat, the old port area, is the site of the sultan's main palace (shown on the homepage...as Al Alam Palace) and a fascinating place to wander around, but it has few shops and, except for the old city walls, it isn't exactly bursting with sights. Mutrah, 3km (2mi) north-west of Muscat, is the main trading and residential port area. A few kilometers inland from Muscat and Mutrah lays Ruwi, the capital's modern commercial district

Capital and port of Oman, lying on the Gulf of Oman; population (2001 est) 57,600. The Muscat region has a population of 635,300 (1999 est). With the advantage of a deepwater harbour at Matrah, in the western part of the city, Muscat handles the bulk of the country’s foreign trade, especially the export of crude oil and the import of food. Port Qabus, a modern deepwater port built in the 1970s and named after the sultan, is an extension of Matrah and Mina, with a terminal for loading supertankers, and Riyam, which handles incoming refined petroleum products, are both nearby. Natural gas and chemical industries are also important. Muscat is served by an international airport, As-Sib, and the city is linked to Salalah, a former capital, by a 1,000 km/625 mi trunk road completed in 1984.

History
The port at Matrah has been functioning since the 6th century BC, when the area was ruled by the Persians. The area was under Portuguese control as a trading post and naval base from 1502 to 1650, and Muscat became the capital of an independent Oman when the present dynasty assumed power in 1741. Its growth was greatly accelerated in the 20th century, following the discovery of rich oil reserves in Arabia.

What to do?

Muscat has by far the best aquarium in the Gulf. All of the specimens on display are native to Omani waters and most are accompanied by thorough descriptions in English. The Oman Museum, in the Medinat Qaboos, west of Muscat, covers the entire sweep of Oman's 5000-year history. There are also displays on shipbuilding, Islam and fort architecture. In Ruwi, the National Museum has sparkling displays on Omani silverwork, and the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum, in the Bait al-Falaj fort, has an excellent outline of Omani history. You could easily spend a day in Mutrah. Start off early at the fish market, and then head down to the souk for a cup of tea and a wander around the most interesting bazaar in Arabia. To the east, a restored watchtower looks out over Mutrah. The climb is steep and involves more than 100 steps, but the view from the top is worth it. Muscat's best value rooms are along the Mutrah Corniche. If you spend only a little above rock-bottom you'll get good views and great atmosphere. There are several small restaurants along the Corniche, too, and several good bets in Ruwi.

There are three forts in Muscat, all of which took on their more or less present form in the 1580s during the Portuguese occupation of Muscat. Mutrah Fort sits on a hill while Jalali and Mirani forts guard the entrance to Muscat. All of the forts are still used by the police and/or military and are closed to the public, but it's okay to photograph them.