Food & Drink

Shuwa is not just a dish — it is a cultural event that brings the Omani community together. The preparation is so elaborate that it only takes place on special occasions. Here is the complete process:

Day 1: The Preparation

1. Morning: A whole lamb or goat is slaughtered (Halal slaughter)
2. Marination: The meat is rubbed with a thick paste: cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, chili, garlic, salt — every family has its secret recipe
3. Wrapping: The marinated meat is wrapped in banana leaves (or palm leaves) and then tied in a jute sack
4. The Tanoor: A 1.5–2 meter deep hole is dug in the ground, charcoal is lit, and stones are brought to a glow
5. Placing: The wrapped meat is placed on the glowing stones, the hole is covered with earth and sand, and sealed

Day 2–3: The Waiting

The meat cooks 24–48 hours slowly in the earth oven heat. The low temperature and long cooking time allow the collagen to completely melt. The result: meat so tender you can tear it apart with your fingers, infused with a deep, smoky-spicy aroma.

The Feast

Shuwa is served on a large tray (Sahan) over a mountain of rice. The family and neighborhood gather, eat with their hands (right hand!), and share the meat. It is an act of community — eating Shuwa alone would be unthinkable.

Where can I try Shuwa? Shuwa is rare in restaurants, as the preparation takes 2 days. Your best chances:

• Bin Ateeq (Muscat) — regularly offers Shuwa (Thursdays/Fridays)
• Luxury hotels during Eid holidays (especially Eid al-Adha)
• Desert camps — some offer Shuwa packages (order 48h in advance!)
• Private invitation — if you are lucky enough to be invited to an Omani family

Omani coffee (Kahwa) is fundamentally different from any coffee you know from Europe — and its preparation is an art form.

The Preparation

1. Roasting: The beans are only lightly roasted — much lighter than European coffee. This preserves the floral and fruity notes
2. Grinding: The roasted beans are crushed in a mortar (Mihbash) — the rhythmic sound is a familiar sound in every Omani household
3. Spices: Cardamom (the main spice — ratio about 1:3 to coffee) is ground together with the beans. Depending on the region and family, rose water, saffron, cloves, or nutmeg are added
4. Brewing: The coffee powder is boiled in a Dalla (traditional pot made of brass or silver with a long, curved spout) with water
5. Serving: In tiny handleless cups (Finjal) — just a few sips per cup. The Dalla is held with the left hand, poured with the right hand

The Ritual

Drinking Kahwa in Oman is not a quick caffeine kick — it is a social ritual:

• The first cup is mandatory — refusing it is impolite
• Dates are served with it — the sweet to the bitter
• Often Halwa follows on a small plate
• If you've had enough: Gently swirl the cup — the signal that you don't want another
• Without swirling, you will automatically be refilled

Where to Drink Kahwa?

Everywhere! In every hotel, in many shops, at the entrance of attractions, and of course at every private encounter. The best Kahwa can be found in traditional coffee shops in Mutrah Souq and at Nizwa Souq. There you can also buy Kahwa powder as a souvenir (from 1 OMR for 100g) — along with a small Dalla (from 3 OMR) the perfect Oman souvenir.

The figure of Sindbad the Sailor from One Thousand and One Nights is most likely based on Omani sailors. The stories of his seven voyages — to fantastic islands, with giant birds and sea monsters — reflect the real experiences of Omani dhow captains who sailed with the monsoon winds to India, East Africa, and even China.

The Omani Maritime Empire

The Omanis were one of the greatest seafaring nations in history. Their dhows — sleek, elegant wooden sailing ships — dominated the Indian Ocean for centuries:

• 8th–15th centuries: Omani traders regularly sail to India, Ceylon, and Southeast Asia. Spices, silk, and porcelain are imported
• 15th–17th centuries: Power struggle with the Portuguese for control of trade routes. The Omanis win and expel the Europeans
• 17th–19th centuries: The Omani maritime empire extends from Mozambique to Zanzibar to Persia. Oman controls the spice trade, the ivory trade, and (tragically) the slave trade in the Indian Ocean
• 1832: Sultan Said moves the capital to Zanzibar — Oman becomes the largest naval power between Suez and India

The dhow shipyard in Sur keeps this tradition alive. And the National Museum in Muscat dedicates an entire gallery to seafaring with authentic dhow models, navigation instruments, and trade route maps.

The Omani music and dance tradition is astonishingly diverse — influenced by Arabic, African, and Indian elements. Sultan Qaboos, himself a passionate musician (he played the Arabic lute Oud), made the preservation of musical tradition a top priority.

Traditional Music Genres

• Razha: The "war dance" of the Bedouins — two rows of men face each other, swinging swords and sticks and singing verses alternately. Performed at weddings and national holidays. Hypnotic and powerful
• Bar'a: A dance from Dhofar (south) where men rhythmically stomp and jump with Khanjar daggers in hand. UNESCO heritage. Seen at festivals in Salalah
• Liwa: African-influenced music from the Batinah coast — reminiscent of West African rhythms. A legacy of the historical connection between Oman and Zanzibar
• Tarab: The classical Arabic art music with Oud (lute), Qanun (zither), and violin. Sultan Qaboos founded the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra, which performs at the Royal Opera House

Where to Experience Music?

• Royal Opera House: International and Arabic concerts at world-class level. Program at rohmuscat.org.om
• National Day (November 18): Razha and Bar'a performances in public squares in Muscat, Nizwa, and Salalah
• Weddings: If you are invited to an Omani wedding (it happens more often than you think!), you will experience hours of musical performances with Razha, Oud playing, and singing
• Muscat Festival (Jan–Feb): Traditional music and dance in Qurum Park

The Shisha (water pipe, also "Medwakh" for the small variant in Oman) is an integral part of social life. In cafes and on terraces, Omanis sit together in the evenings, smoke Shisha, and chat — often for hours. For tourists, this is a wonderful opportunity to immerse themselves in the local culture.

Etiquette

• Shisha is smoked communally — one mouthpiece per person (changed at the table)
• Never place the hose on the ground — this is considered disrespectful to the Shisha
• Do not blow smoke directly into others' faces
• Popular flavors: apple, grape, mint, double apple (the classic)
• A Shisha costs 1.5–3 OMR in the café — significantly cheaper than in Europe

Best place: Kargeen Café in Muscat — smoke a Shisha under the huge banyan tree, surrounded by hundreds of lanterns, and drink fresh juices. One of the most atmospheric evenings you can experience in Oman.

Omani weddings are multi-day spectacles that involve the entire extended family and often half the neighborhood. If you have the incredible luck to be invited (it happens surprisingly often — Omanis like to invite tourists they find interesting), you can expect some of the most intense cultural experiences of your trip.

What to Expect

• Separate Celebrations: Men and women celebrate in separate rooms/tents. As a male tourist, you will sit with the men, as a female tourist with the women (where the celebration is often livelier and more colorful!)
• Food: Mountains of rice with lamb (often Shuwa!), grilled fish, fruits, and of course Halwa and Kahwa. You will have to eat more than you can — the host will keep refilling your plate
• Music and Dance: Razha (sword dance), Oud music, traditional songs. Among the women: dance performances in magnificent dresses, loud music, and exuberant atmosphere
• Khanjar Ceremony: The groom wears a magnificent Khanjar, the bride is adorned with gold and henna
• Duration: 3–7 days! You don't have to stay the whole time — 2–3 hours is an appropriate visit

Etiquette

• Dress formally (men: long pants and shirt; women: Abaya or elegant, covered outfit)
• Bring a gift (money in an envelope is most common, 10–20 OMR is appropriate; alternatively sweets or perfume)
• Eat and greet with the right hand
• Photograph only with permission — especially among the women
• Enjoy it! An Omani wedding is a privilege that most tourists are denied

Oman has a millennia-old fragrance culture that goes far beyond frankincense — and with Amouage has produced a world-class perfumer that stands alongside Chanel and Hermès in the fragrance industry.

Amouage — The Omani Luxury Fragrance

In 1983, Sultan Qaboos founded the perfume brand Amouage with the goal of creating "the greatest fragrance in the world." He succeeded: Amouage Gold (1983) was immediately recognized as a masterpiece of perfumery — a composition of Omani frankincense, myrrh, Damask rose (from Jebel Akhdar!), and rare woods.

• Flagship Store: The Amouage flagship store in Muscat (Al Qurum) has a small museum about the history of Omani perfumery. The atmosphere is like a temple of scents — let yourself be advised and test the Oman-exclusive editions that are only available here
• Prices: 30–150 OMR (in Europe, the same fragrances cost 200–400€). Muscat Airport has a duty-free shop with a good selection
• Bestsellers: Interlude Man (smoky-resinous), Reflection Woman (floral-fresh), Jubilation XXV (opulent-oriental)

Traditional Omani Fragrances

Besides Amouage, Oman is full of traditional fragrance culture:

• Bukhoor: Incense chips made from pressed frankincense, sandalwood, and essential oils. Burned on coals to perfume houses, clothes, and hair. Used daily in every Omani household. Available in the souq from 1 OMR per pack
• Dakhoon: An aromatic paste made from frankincense, sandalwood, oud (agarwood), and rose water, which is smoked on coals. More intense than Bukhoor
• Oud (Agarwood): The most expensive natural wood in the world — 1 gram can cost 50 OMR and more. The scent is deep, woody, almost intoxicating. Omanis wear oud oil behind the ears and on the wrists
• Kumkum: A red lip balm made from saffron and beeswax, also used as rouge — an ancient cosmetic of Omani women

Fragrance Ritual of Hospitality

When you enter an Omani house, you are often offered a Mabkhara (incense burner) after the Kahwa. The etiquette: Fan the smoke towards you with your hand, spread it over your clothes and hair, and carefully pass the burner on. The scent of frankincense and oud lingers in your clothes for hours — an olfactory souvenir you take with you for free.

Omani handicrafts are alive — unlike many Arab countries where traditional crafts have been displaced by mass production, they are still actively promoted and practiced in Oman.

Khanjar Making

The Khanjar (خنجر) — the curved dagger on the Omani flag — is more than a weapon: It is a symbol of national identity. Every Omani man owns at least one, and at ceremonial occasions (weddings, National Day) it is worn over the dishdasha. Making a genuine Khanjar is craftsmanship at the highest level:

• Blade: Forged steel, hammered and ground by hand. The curve of the blade follows precise regional specifications
• Handle: Made from rhinoceros horn (historically — now from sandalwood or plastic), wrapped with fine silver wire
• Sheath: Silver, often with filigree engraving and semi-precious stones. The most elaborate sheaths require weeks of handwork
• Price: A simple souvenir Khanjar: 5–20 OMR. A handcrafted silver Khanjar: 50–500 OMR. An antique Khanjar with historical value: 1,000+ OMR

Silversmithing

Omani silversmithing has its own form language — geometric patterns that vary from region to region. Bedouin jewelry from Nizwa looks different from coastal jewelry from Sur. At the Nizwa Souq and Mutrah Souq, you can still find craftsmen working silver before your eyes. Typical pieces: bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and the traditional silver Dalla (coffee pot).

Pottery (Bahla)

The oasis Bahla is the center of Omani pottery — a tradition recognized by UNESCO. Typical Bahla ceramics are characterized by earthy colors (terracotta, ochre) and geometric patterns. You can watch the potters at work and buy pieces directly: vases, incense burners (Mabkhara), water jugs, and plates from 1 OMR.

Weaving

In the mountain villages of Jebel Akhdar and the Dhofar region, traditional weaving is still practiced: carpets, saddle bags, and headscarves made from goat and sheep wool, dyed with natural colors. The patterns tell stories — those who can read them recognize the region of origin and the tribe of the weaver.

Despite its desert landscape, Oman is home to a surprisingly rich wildlife — including some of the rarest species on earth.

Land Mammals

• Arabian Oryx (Al Maha): The national animal of Oman — an elegant white antelope with long, straight horns. Extinct in the wild in 1972, it was saved through a breeding program at the San Diego Zoo and reintroduction in Jiddat al-Harasis (Central Oman). Today, over 1,200 animals live in the wild again — one of the greatest conservation stories in the world. Best chance to see them: Arabian Oryx Sanctuary (UNESCO World Heritage, later revoked, but the animals are still there)
• Arabian Leopard: One of the rarest big cats in the world — estimated only 200 animals worldwide, some in the Dhofar Mountains near Salalah. Camera traps have documented them, but the chance of seeing one is almost zero. The Jebel Samhan Nature Reserve is their last refuge
• Arabian Tahr: An endemic wild goat of the Hajar Mountains — related to the Himalayan Tahr, but smaller. Lives on steep rocks at Jebel Shams and Jebel Akhdar. With patience and binoculars, visible on the Balcony Walk
• Nubian Ibex: In the Hajar Mountains, rare. Spectacular, twisted horns
• Desert Fox (Rüppell's Fox): Nocturnal, in the Wahiba Sands. Some desert camps put out food in the evenings — the foxes come surprisingly close
• Arabian Gazelle: In the gravel deserts and plains. Shy, but sometimes seen on desert drives

Marine Animals

• Green Sea Turtle: Nests on the beaches of Ras al Jinz (→ see chapter Coast). They come to the beach every night of the year
• Whale Shark: The largest fish in the world (up to 12 meters!) migrates through Omani waters from October to February. Best chances: Daymaniyat Islands and Musandam
• Humpback Whale: A resident population lives year-round off the coast of Dhofar — the only non-migratory humpback whale population in the world!
• Bottlenose & Spinner Dolphins: Year-round, almost guaranteed on boat tours in Musandam and from Muscat
• Rays: Eagle rays, manta rays, and stingrays in the waters off Musandam and the Daymaniyat Islands

Birds

• Flamingos: Winter in Qurum Natural Park in Muscat (Nov–Mar). Hundreds of flamingos in the mangroves — right in the capital!
• White Stork: Migratory bird on the Europe–Africa route
• Bearded Vulture & Eagles: In the Hajar Mountains. Bearded vultures regularly circle over the canyon at Jebel Shams
• Socotra Cormorant: Endemic to the region, on the coast of Musandam