Latest fromOman

Wahiba Desert holds a moving tranquillity, Jim Eagles finds in an early-morning expedition to the dunes.

Sharon Stephenson stays at Oman's remote five-star Alila Jabal Akhdar hotel.

Forts and watchtowers by the hundred in the sultanate of Oman point to a fierce past.

In several of Oman's tiny villages, some clinging to the sides of cliffs, Jim Eagles finds plenty of hospitality from friendly locals.

Gayle Dickson stays at The Chedi Muscat, Oman.

Standing atop a sand dune silently contemplating the rising sun, Jim Eagles understands why these vast wastes are the cradle of the world's great religions.

In Oman's capital, a devotee of Islam tells Jim Eagles why violent zealots are giving the world a bad opinion of the faith.

A cruise through ancient lands exposes kids to a diverse culture and religion, writes Heidi Douglas.

Megan Singleton rounds up some of her favourite places in one of her favourite destinations.

Maybe it's the larrikin in me but I never tire of careering over desert sands in four-wheel-drives.

Unlike some desert landscapes, Oman's interior is extremely mountainous - sand and gravel deserts are broken up by rugged, striated, folded mountains in which nestle oases or wadis (river beds).

Invaders hoping to capture Oman's Nizwa fort in centuries past would have had some medieval defence methods to deal with.

The inland Omani town of Nizwa is separated from the Gulf of Oman and the city of Muscat by the Jebel Akhdar mountains. It is home to the largest fort on the Arabian Peninsula and is still a great place to buy traditional Omani wares.

This mountain village has an abundance of greenery despite its hostile desert surroundings thanks to the village falaj - a centuries-old irrigation system, bringing water from the mountains to make the arid landscape flourish.

In Oman's harsh mountains water equals paradise, turning desolation into lush gardens, Jim Eagles explains.

This coastal city has been turning out sea-going vessels for thousands of years.

Jill Worrall visits an Omani shipyard which has been turning out vessels for thousands of years.

Muscat first began to make a name for itself in the 14th and 15th centuries as a trading port but it was the Portuguese who built some of its most distinctive architectural features.

Sultan Qaboos ibn Said (whose family has been in power since 1747), is the current ruler of Oman and is revered and loved throughout the country, perhaps in part because he has funded projects such as this glittering mosque, which was opened in 2001 after a six-year building project and can accommodate 20,000 worshippers.

Whisking your loved one to one of these romantic retreats will impress.