Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Information
There is a branch of the Nizwa-based
Al-Huzaily Travel
(Travel City; 25 419313;
www.alhuzaily.com
)
opposite the bus stop on the corner of the road that leads to the souq. It
acts as an ad-hoc information centre.
Getting There & Away
Microbuses to/from Nizwa cost OR1 and shared taxis cost OR2 (OR10 engaged). The trip
takes about 45 minutes. The bus stop outside the fort advertises services at 10.55am and
5.25pm to Ibri and 8.05am and 5.12pm to Ruwi in Muscat. Probably of less interest are
the services to Dubai at 2.10am and Salalah at 8.10pm.
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Jabrin
Rising without competition from the surrounding plain,
Jabrin Castle
(admission 500 baisa;
9am-4pm Sat-Thu, 8-11am Fri)
is an impressive sight. Even if you have seen a surfeit of forts at
Nizwa and Bahla, Jabrin is one of the best preserved and most whimsical of them all.
Built in 1675 by Imam Bil-arab bin Sultan, it was an important centre of learning for
astrology, medicine and Islamic law. Look out for the
date store
, to the right of the main en-
trance on the left-hand side. The juice of the fruit would have run along the channels into
storage vats, ready for cooking or to assist women in labour. Note the elaborately
painted
ceilings
with original floral motifs in many of the rooms.
Head for the flagpole for a bird's-eye view of the
latticed-window courtyard
at the heart of
the keep. Finding these hidden rooms is part of the fun and the defensive mechanism of
Jabrin. Try to locate the
burial chambers
, remarkable for their carved vaults. The
falaj
was
not used for water but as an early air-con system. There is even a room earmarked for the
sultan's favourite horse.
Jabrin is clearly signposted 7km off the Bahla-Ibri road. Beware of hitching from the
junction, as it is an exposed 4km walk if you're out of luck. It may be better to engage a
return taxi (OR7) from Bahla.
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Bat & Al-Ayn
