Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
crafts such as baskets, woven cushions and camel bags. Men are not welcome and photo-
graphs are prohibited.
If you continue past the souq area and turn right at a brown sign for the local villages of
Al-Munisifeh and Al-Kanatar, you'll come to one of the old parts of Ibra with plenty of
crumbling
mud-built houses
of two or three storeys. You can reach them either by walking
across the wadi, or by taking the long way round, following the brown signs. There's a
paved walkway of several kilometres through some of the best parts of the old village, ac-
cessed by a double archway; note the well on the right of the entrance and the old
Al-Qab-
lateen Mosque
500m along the narrow lane. Several of the houses have been restored by loc-
al residents and it makes an intriguing place to take a stroll - cars may struggle to get
round the corners.
Sleeping & Eating
There are a few accommodation options in Ibra. Eating outside these is confined to small
coffeeshops. Opposite the souq is a large supermarket called Al-Najah shopping centre
and there are lots of small groceries,
shwarma
stands and rotisseries dotted along the main
street.
Ibra Motel$
HOTEL
( 25 571666;
www.ibramotel2.com
; Naseeb Rd; s/d OR15/17)
It's cheap and central and for the price,
not much more can be expected of it. Nonetheless, this modest hotel with a fancy foyer of
outlandish plastic flowers has clean rooms and smartly tiled bathrooms. Breakfast is
provided (from 500 baisa) in the adjoining
Fahad bin Saleh Al-Hooti Restaurant
(
92 416105).
The hotel is just off the Muscat-Sur Hwy, behind the Omanoil station.
Nahar Tourism Oasis$
DESERT CAMP
( 99 387654;
www.nahartourismoasis.com
; r OR15/25/36; )
A pleasant place to experience the sur-
rounding rock desert, this camp feels remote despite being only 3km from Ibra. Accom-
modation is in traditional mud-built rooms with decorative wind-towers, although a gener-
ator supplies air-con during the summer. Guests must bring their own food. Transport
from the town centre and to its excellent 1000 Nights (
Click here
)
desert camp can be ar-
ranged.
Al-Sharqiya Sands Hotel$
HOTEL
( 25 587000; fax 99 207012; Route 23, Ibra; s/d OR32/37; )
On the Ibra-Sur Hwy just south of
Ibra, this hotel is arranged around an unappealing pool. The rooms are adequate but have
seen better days and the whole hotel looks unloved at present. There is a loud 'local' bar
