Salalah Cruises

Capital of Oman’s southern region, Salalah, known as the ‘perfume city of Arabia’, is famous for its trade in frankincense, banana plantations, Arabian Sea beaches and waters teeming with sea life. An annual monsoon, The Khareef, transforms the desert terrain into a lush, green landscape and the seasonal waterfalls it creates is a magical sight.

The city’s must-see sights include the eye-catching Sultan Qaboos Palace and the Al-Husn Souk, which is a large outdoor market with dozens of shops and stalls selling gold and silver products, incense, perfumes and frankincense resin. The Frankincense Land Museum, part of the Al Balid Archaeological Site, recounts the city’s maritime history and its role in the spice trade.

There is another market – the Haffa Souk, in the old city. This is the place to buy local hand-made wood and leather products as well as more frankincense resin.