hkskyline's Oman Road Trip - Ibra, from Nizwa to Sur
Oman is a vast country although the typical tourist itinerary for a week encompasses a small circular route in the north and eastern part of the country. Wheels are essential here as public transport is very limited. The entire car rental process was fairly seamless as international rental agencies are plenty at the brand new international airport in Muscat. Roads are generally traffic-free, well-paved, well-lit, albeit laden with speeding cameras. Gas prices are rock-bottom and there are plenty of places to fill-up en route.
After a few days in Nizwa, I budgeted a full day to drive east all the way to Sur. The 300km drive have a few worthwhile stops along the way. First stop is Ibra, about 1.5 hours into the drive. Ibra is part of the old trade route between the interior and Sur, and was once famous for its horses. Stop at the crumbling old quarter of Al Qanaatir just south of the town. The once grand buildings here reflected the wealth from both agriculture as well as trade with Zanzibar.
