What comes in the mind with the word Middle East or GCC or Gulf? Desert and hot weather comes to the mind of the majority of the people. The places like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Doha in the Arab peninsula are known to us mainly due to the skyscrapers and modern lifestyle, but there is no doubt that one cannot walk in the day time at these places for even few meters in summer. One can enjoy shopping or a better lifestyle there but at the cost of outdoor activities.
But in the same Arabian deserts, lies a beautiful place in the southern part of Oman called Salalah. Not commonly known, it’s one of the largest sea ports in the gulf region and entirely opposite to the belief of desert and high temperatures that we have for the gulf region. It’s a paradise in the proximity of deserts. The temperature is unbelievably pleasant with the maximum temperature on the hottest days don’t usually cross 32-34 degree C and remain usually in 20s. For the rest of the year (9 months) it is good for those who want to enjoy the sun with moderate temperatures.
The city, which is the 2nd largest city in Oman, is accessible by land, air or sea from the gulf countries. There are daily flights of Oman Air from Muscat to Salalah, 2 flights daily per day from Qatar Airways from Doha, Fly Dubai and Oman Air from Dubai, Air Arabia from Sharjah and some other carriers from other destinations. The new international airport has started its operation in June 2015. By road Salalah is accessible by a long drive. The bus journey from Dubai is of 16 hours and 12 hours from Muscat but is very cheap.
Salalah is a really pleasant place. The advantage of coming here for vacation is that it can meet the entire family needs. There are historical areas, green mountains, beautiful beaches and a wonderful cloudy weather with three consecutive months of rainfall. You can find the residents of Saudi Arabia, UAE and that of Muscat coming to Salalah for spending their summers in this cool place. The tourist from other part of the world can also be seen enjoying with their families. The tourist season, locally known as Khareef Season, is from mid-June to mid-September. At this time, the hotels are highly priced and utilizing full capacity. People rent the local apartments and portions in villas on daily and monthly basis. The season is marked by Salalah Tourism Festival, good for outdoor activities like rides, musical shows, carnivals and shopping the products particularly from Pakistan, India, China, UAE and Egypt.ily and monthly basis. The season is marked by Salalah Tourism Festival, good for shopping the products particularly from Pakistan, India, China, UAE and Egypt.