Salalah Coastal Road Trip in Oman

While going on a Salalah coastal road trip in Oman, my friend and I stopped the car to check something out. Walking on the soft sand following Sid, who was determined to see this abandoned ship that he had found on Google Maps, slowly approaching, only to see the remains of the shipwreck. Sid looked annoyed and surprised, and I burst out laughing, unable to stop. We made a detour for him to take videos and pictures, but, to his disappointment, there wouldn’t be many of this site.

This was one of many memorable moments while driving the coastal road to Salalah in Oman. While flying from Muscat to Salalah is an option, a coastal road trip to Salalah offers unexpected finds, diverse landscapes, and hospitality along the way.

We started from the Romantic Cave in Tiwi, about an hour and a half from Muscat. I’ve been to Tiwi dozens of times to hike, but this was my first time hearing about this cave. After a few minutes’ walk from the car, expect to find a small hole to enter and walk down the rocks. It’s small, but the view of the deep blue sea with rugged cliffs from a distance makes for some excellent pictures when starting out the coastal road trip to Salalah.

Another unexpected find was Wadi Shuwayymiah. There is a small pool of water, with a beautiful turquoise color, sharp crevasses, and black and brown cave-like features circling it.  We did not swim, but enjoyed our break.

While we were in this town, we were talking to a local man at lunch, who then introduced us to Amira, a local woman who makes and sells handicrafts. Her shop has items, including wicker bassinets and pink and brown straw baskets. We bought a few woven pen holders and small baskets.

The coastal road to Salalah drive provided so many unexpected finds. I knew we would have plenty of sea views and beaches, but I did not realize we would also find small fishing villages like Filim. There are hardly any cars and shops. The scenes of ten fishing boats resting on the low-tide water allowed me to pause. Time stood still with the only sounds of chirping in the distance.

While the coastal road has plenty of turquoise-colored seawater, making one want to stop at each scenic spot sign, there are also other landscapes for those willing to take a slight detour, or for those who get turned around.

While driving, we stopped to take pictures of some pink lakes we passed near Al Ashkarah. The rosy pink and white, crunchy salt surrounding the lake felt like walking on snow.

Several hours later, because we got turned around on our way to Khaluf, we ended up driving by the white salt-rimmed ground and decided to stop for a few pictures. It sounded like we were walking on snow. Nothing else was in sight, resembling a scene from a sci-fi movie.

Other detours included mountain landscapes on either side of the road, and a stop at the rock garden in Duqm provided various boulders, some stacked on top of each other. Another landscape was the Hasik Ruins, which appeared to have the remains of a mosque, souk, and other rooms inside a house.

Because we were not in a rush, these detours provided a chance to see diverse landscapes.

Oman is known for its hospitality, so, of course, we experienced it on our coastal road trip to Salalah. When we stopped in Filim, a local man invited us for lunch. But, because we wanted to reach our next stop before sunset, we declined the generous offer.

We met Amira while having lunch in Shuwaymiyyah, when a man we were talking to about our trip mentioned a woman who makes handicrafts. He took us to meet her and translated for us over Omani coffee and dates, before taking us to her shop.

A family also gave us a plate of desserts, including Qurrus – mini-pancakes, when we were camping at Ras Al Madrikah. After I returned the plate and offered them some of our fish, I ended up sitting with them over tea. We were always so appreciative of these kind gestures along the way.

There are many memorable and laughable moments from our coastal road trip in Oman. As the saying goes, it’s about the journey, not the destination. For those who have time for a road trip, driving to Salalah offers varied landscapes, unexpected finds, and kind people.

Salalah is known for its Khareef season, which runs from June to August. Expect rain, mist and cooler temperatures, along with crowded places. Plan your road trip early to ensure there are rooms available. We did the coastal road in November, so we could book rooms at the last minute. Camping is also possible.

The coastal road can take two or three days, depending on your time. It took us seven days because we were in no hurry and stayed overnight in several places, including Al Ashkarah, Shaleem, Duqm, and Ras Al Madrikah.

Keep in mind that there aren’t many public toilets on the way. Bring tissue, wipes or sanitizer.  Pack camping gear along with a portable grill, coal and lighter fluid for those wanting to camp. It’s possible to camp anywhere.