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In this post, I would love to share with you the most Instagrammable places in Oman, which I discovered during my recent 4-day trip to Oman. I really liked Oman, and you can read about my experience and itinerary here. This post, however, will tell you about the best photo locations in Oman, which you can explore by yourself or by buying a tour.
Oman is amazing. It has it all: ocean, mountains, deserts, amazing nature spots. It’s not that touristy yet, which is excellent, because there are very few places left like this and most of them are kind of hard to reach (or very expensive to reach). Oman, however, is just one direct flight away from the UK or Europe (check the prices and availability here).
Without further ado, let’s get started!
The most Instagrammable places in Oman & the best Oman photo locations
Bimmah Sinkhole
My absolute favourite spot and one of the most Instagrammable places in Oman is Bimmah Sinkhole. Bimmah Sinkhole is a natural sinkhole which looks similar to Mexican cenotes (read my post about Mexico to find out more about cenotes). The entrance is free, and you can get there just by driving less than 1.5 hours from Muscat. The water is incredible turquoise colour, and if you’re lucky, you can get the sinkhole just for yourself.
Jebel Shams
Another incredible location in Oman is the famous Grand Canyon of Oman – Jebel Shams. You need an SUV car to get there (you can rent it like us from rentalcars.com and get 10% cashback with Quidco) or alternatively, you can buy a tour there (check the availability and prices here). The views are absolutely breathtaking and if you want even better views, you can hike the Balcony walk.
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque of Muscat
Not sure if a religious place can be “Instagrammable” or be called a photo location, but it’s allowed to take photos during the visitor hours in Sultan Qaboos Mosque. This is the most beautiful mosque I’ve seen in my life and it’s worth visiting even without taking photos. As a foreigner, you need to visit it from 8 am to 11 am only and for males shorts are prohibited and ladies have to wear long sleeved and long trousers/dress (covering ankles) as well as a headscarf. However, you can rent all that just at the entrance of the mosque.
Kargeen Restaurant in Muscat
Before coming to Oman, I’ve done research on the best restaurants in Muscat and I found Kargeen. Kargeen has both internal and external spaces and in my opinion, the external one is the best. The food was delicious and the surroundings were dreamy – that’s the place where I celebrated by 27th birthday! Make sure to book it online in advance though.
The Royal Opera House of Muscat
Sultan Qaboos is a massive fan of classical music and that’s why he ordered to build an incredible Royal Opera Theatre in Muscat as well. The building is spotlessly white and looks almost ethereal.
Shangri La Al-Jissah near Muscat
There are very few resorts near Muscat and Shangri La Al-Jissah is one of them. If you decide to stay in a resort in Oman, I would definitely recommend Shangri-La – the beach is very photogenic. Also, Al Husn hotel within Shangri La is absolutely gorgeous so that you can take some really beautiful photos there.
Nizwa Fort
Nizwa is an amazingly photogenic city (and one of the best photo locations in Oman) about 1.5-2 hours driving from Muscat. Its fort is really impressive and it’s one of the most Instagrammable places in Oman for sure. The best time to take photos is at sunset – when you climb the stairs of the fort, you can see the 360-degrees panorama of Nizwa and beautiful mountains surrounding it. If you’re planning to stay in Nizwa overnight, consider Nizwa Heritage Inn – a traditional hotel inside the city centre. We stayed there and enjoyed a lot! You can also take a day tour to Nizwa from Oman as well.
Nizwa Souk
Another photogenic location in Oman is Nizwa Souk – it’s a functioning souk, where you can buy a lot of souvenirs as well as poultry, fish and other foods. However, it’s also very photogenic.
Wahiba / Sharqiya Sands
Oman is also famous for its incredible deserts, however, most of them are located further South, close to Salalah. However, there’s one that is just 3 hours driving from Muscat – it’s Wahiba or Sharqiyah Sands. The desert is very beautiful and you can spot camels just wandering around the dunes – definitely a bucket list activity. You can also take the 4WD Desert Safari tour and take some incredible photos.
Wadi Shab
Oman is really famous for its wadis. The most famous one and the closest to Muscat is Wadi Shab. Unfortunately, we couldn’t visit Wadi Shab, as it was nearly 40 degrees and getting to Wadi Shab requires a good 45-minute hike one day (so 1.5 hours return) and that above my abilities (I’m not feeling well when it’s too hot). However, here’s a beautiful photo by X to see how gorgeous is Wadi Shab.
Salalah
Another place we didn’t manage to visit is Salalah. In order to get to Salalah, you need to take a flight from Muscat. If you decide to drive, that’s going to take almost 9 hours. Salalah is famous for its resorts and incredible landscapes, so if you have a chance to visit it, go for it!
Hope you enjoyed this post about the most Instagrammable spots in Oman and the best Oman photo locations! Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! Or read some of my other Instagrammable locations posts:
Or simply check the category of the most Instagrammable places around the world!