Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
peaceful, secluded beach (and club facilities) for the day for a nominal OR4 for adults and
OR2 for children (OR2/1 Saturday to Wednesday). It also makes a good place for lunch
(try the camel burger). You'll need your own transport or a taxi to get here (about OR7
from Mutrah).
Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah
Resort & Spa$$$
RESORT
( 776666;
www.shangri-la.com
; off Al-Jissah St; )
Shangri-La's Barr Al-Jissah Resort &
Spa comprises three kasbah-style hotels around a magnificent shared beach and land-
scaped garden.
Al-Bandar Hotel
(r from OR163)
is the more business-oriented of the three hotels.
The sophisticated six-star
Al-Husn Hotel
(r from OR216)
is perched on the headland, and
Al-Waha
Hotel
(r OR220)
, the easygoing, family accommodation, is accessed via a tunnel through the
cliff.
Meandering between the hotels, a lazy river offers a fun way of getting from one water-
ing hole to another. The richly carpeted foyers, marble corridors and designer bedrooms
and bathrooms in all three hotels make choosing one over the other a matter of whim. The
resort includes some of the country's top restaurants: the Bait al-Bahr (seafood), Samba
(international buffet) and Al-Tanoor (Middle Eastern fare).
There is a complimentary bus service from Muscat International Airport, or it is a
15-minute drive by car from Mutrah.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Yitti
24
About 25km from Muscat, Yitti boasts a beautiful, sandy
beach
surrounded by craggy
mountain scenery. The beach is at the end of a large, muddy inlet that is regularly picked
over by wading waterbirds.
If the tide is low, you can wade to a sandbar and look left for a great view of Bandar
Jissah's famous
sea arch
. You'll notice a clump of serrated rocks at the end of the inlet. It
was believed these rocks were inhabited by
jinn
(genies) and offerings used to be left at
their base. Alas, the spirits have gone somewhere more private, according to the local
fishermen, due to the disfiguring earthworks on the far side of the creek. A large resort is
planned for the entire bay but has been postponed due to the economic downturn, and
Yitti remains, for now at least, a peaceful backwater.
