Most people visiting Wadi Bani Khalid head for the springs that collect in a series of deep pools in the narrow end of the wadi. The pools have been developed into a tourist destination with a (too) small car park, a concrete pathway and a series of picnic huts. Swimming is possible here but only if clothed appropriately in shorts and T-shirt over the top of a swimming costume. While the scenery is beautiful, the picnic site itself is heavily visited.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
12.09 MILES
The 90 or so meticulously crafted stone towers scattered across the Selma Plateau are tombs dating back to the Umm An Nar culture of 2000 to 2700 BC…
28.47 MILES
Home to an extraordinary museum, this private castle houses the personal collection of Sheikh Khalfan Al Hashmi. His great grandfather owned the 250-year…
0.98 MILES
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22.82 MILES
This quirky little museum on the edge of the sands preserves the history of the Hijri Tribe, written in Arabic on goat skins. A collection of spears and…
17.98 MILES
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17.48 MILES
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28.71 MILES
The blue-green, brackish water at the bottom of this peculiar 40m-by-20m limestone hole invites a swim and a snorkel. The intrepid can inch round the…
29.75 MILES
High above the coast, in the wrinkled folds of the Eastern Hajar Mountains, a combination of spring and rain water collects in deep pools along the length…
Nearby Oman attractions
0.19 MILES
If you want to beat the crowds at Wadi Bani Khalid, then Moqal Cave in the upper reaches of the wadi is a curiosity to head towards. There's not much to…
0.98 MILES
Justly famed for its natural beauty, this wadi just north of the town of Al Kamil makes a rewarding (and well-signposted) diversion off the Muscat–Sur…
1.19 MILES
For a panoramic view of the wadi plantations, stop at the Tourist Service Centre on the approach road to Moqal Cave. The centre has been closed for years,…
12.09 MILES
The 90 or so meticulously crafted stone towers scattered across the Selma Plateau are tombs dating back to the Umm An Nar culture of 2000 to 2700 BC…
17.48 MILES
With its string of emerald pools and thick plantations, Wadi Tiwi almost rivals its neighbour, Wadi Shab, in beauty, especially in spring when the…
17.98 MILES
Aptly named in Arabic as the ‘Gorge Between Cliffs’, Wadi Shab is one of the most lovely destinations in Oman, despite Hwy 17 slung across the entrance…
18.38 MILES
The ruined tomb of Bibi Miriam is about all that remains of the 2nd-century settlement of Qalhat, one of the most ancient sites in Oman. There’s not much…
22.67 MILES
In the days before the housing of Al Mintirib encroached on its space, this solid-walled fort with its sunken door must have been an impressive sight,…