Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SUR & THE EASTERN COAST
This easternmost region of the Arabian Peninsula holds some of Oman's main attractions,
including beautiful beaches, spectacular wadis, turtle-nesting sites and the strawberry blond
Sharqiya sand dunes. As many of the sites of interest lie en route rather than in the towns,
it's worth having your own vehicle, although tours cover the whole area.
The main artery into the region is the Qurayat-Sur coastal highway which runs along the
scenic base of the Eastern Hajar Mountains. There are no hotels between Muscat and Sur,
but plenty of beaches for camping for those with equipment and supplies.
The route along the coast road to Sur ideally forms the first day of a two- or three-day
circular tour, returning to Muscat via Al-Mintirib and the Sharqiya Sands. Alternatively, it
makes the first leg of an epic camping trip along the coast to Masirah or Salalah; the road
cuts across the sand dunes in a remarkable feat of modern engineering.
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Sur
25 / POP 64,900
With an attractive corniche, two forts, excellent beaches nearby and a long history of dhow-
building, there is much to commend Sur to the visitor. In addition to its attractions, Sur is a
convenient base for day trips to Wadi Tiwi and Wadi Shab and the turtle reserve at Ras al-
Jinz. It also makes a good halfway rest point on a round trip from Muscat via the desert
camps of the Sharqiya Sands.
History
Watching the boat-builders at work in the dhow yards in Sur, hand-planing a plank of
wood, it is easy to recognise a skill inherited from master craftsmen. Sur has long been
famed for its boat-building industry and even in the 19th century - when the Portuguese in-
vasion and the division of Oman into two separate sultanates had delivered a heavy blow to
the port town's trading capability - Sur still boasted an ocean-going fleet of 100 or more
vessels. Demand for ocean-going boats declined once the British India Steamer Navigation
Company became pre-eminent in the Gulf and the town's fortunes declined correspond-
ingly. Sur is currently enjoying a resurgence, however, thanks to a state-of-the-art liquid
gas plant and a fertiliser factory, which have generated lots of new jobs.
