Easy and accessible places to visit in Oman

If you are travelling to Oman with a baby, toddler or older relatives you may be looking for easier places to visit while you are here. In this post I’m sharing tried and tested accessible attractions and experiences that will give you a taste of the Sultanate without being too challenging for anyone in your family group.

While living in Oman my husband and I welcomed both sets of parents to stay with us in Muscat. We are lucky that they are all still fit to travel in their 70s, but I’m sure they won’t mind me saying that their stamina doesn’t match that of their grandchildren.

So, we planned our excursions carefully to make sure everyone had a great time. If you’re a family visiting with young children or even three generations, I thought you would also benefit from this information.

But before the good stuff, I’d like to thank you for visiting Oman Wanderlust and also encourage you to join our Facebook group Oman Unpacked. It’s a community to get even more personal recommendations from visitors and expats who love Oman.

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Below I’ve shared three lists of activities I’d suggest if your family requires different levels of adventure and facilities while exploring. There’s also a list of places I would suggest you think twice about:

Very accessible places in Oman

These attractions and activities are on one level or have lifts between floors, cafes or refreshments close by, and bathrooms:

• The National Museum in Muscat
• Royal Opera House in Muscat
• Oman Aquarium in the Mall of Muscat
• Qurum Park in Muscat
• Al Khuwair flagpole and plaza
• Oman Across the Ages Museum in Manah near Nizwa
• Golf Cart tour in Nizwa – there are public toilets and cafes in the souq complex.

Light impact destinations and attractions

Expect steps and uneven surfaces that might make these a challenge for anyone who is less mobile or with children in pushchairs. Cafe facilities may not be available and toilets may be quite basic (nowhere to change babies, squat style or poorly maintained):

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat and Salalah

There are steps around the mosques and basic toilet facilities. Pushchairs are not permitted inside the mosque grounds.

Find out more about Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat.

Mirani Fort near Muttrah

There is a lift to the level with the small cafe, but visiting other parts of the fort would require taking steps. There are good toilets in the entrance lobby area.

Muttrah Souq

There are uneven surfaces around Muttrah Souq. A basic toilet is located at the main entrance to the souq (bring some small notes to tip the attendant).

It can get busy and there are narrow pathways off the main thoroughfare, so navigating through the souq with a pushchair would be difficult. You will find plenty of cafes along the sea front here.

Muttrah Corniche

This harbour side walk is mostly exposed but there are some shaded places to sit. If you want to cross the road from the sea front to the souq side there is one pedestrian crossing in front of the main entrance to Muttrah Souq.

Nizwa Souq

Much of the souq in the ancient city of Nizwa is on ground level. The surface in the goat market is uneven and the slopped entrances to some shops are steep. I

If you wish to visit the antiques market this is upstairs and would not be easy to look around with a pushchair. There are basic toilets to the left of the date souq.

Find out more about all the attractions of Nizwa Souq.

Diana’s Point viewpoint on Jebel Akhdar

This viewing platform over the terrace gardens of Al Ain is a short walk from the car park at Layali Al Jabal Restaurant. You can also get a great mountain view from the restaurant’s roof terrace. There are good toilets by the restaurant.

You will need a 4×4 to drive up Jebel Akhdar.

Jebel Shams and Balcony Walk views

The famous W6 hike is not one I would recommend for young children or older visitors who are less mobile. However you can drive them up Jebel Shams to admire the views.

A 4×4 is recommended for this drive. There are basic toilets in the village of Al Khitaym at the start of W6 and you will see coffee shops on the mountain road.

Be aware that the road and footpaths at the village are uneven and unpaved.

Desert camps in Oman

You can reach most desert camps and resort entrances by 4×4 car. The floor outside your accommodation is likely to be sandy and uneven.

Air-conditioned camps with ensuite facilities may be more comfortable for younger and older guests.

Mughsayl Beach and the Marneef cave blowholes in Salalah

There are wide, uneven steps from the car park to the blow holes. You can view the blowholes without going down all the steps.

There are basic toilets in the car park and places to get food during the Khareef season (June to September).

Wadi Darbat

This famous wadi in Salalah has a road running alongside it so it is easy to reach and see from various car parks and viewing platforms.

You will find basic toilets in the car park a short walk from Darbat Cafe.

Moderate impact attractions in Oman

Expect uneven surfaces and steep steps, but visiting is achievable for families with babies or toddlers in child carriers, and senior visitors with good mobility.

Bimmah Sinkhole

The sinkhole park has paved paths and shaded seating areas. The top of the sinkhole is a five minute walk from the car park. You can view the water below from a wall around the top edge.

If you want to swim there are about 80 steep and uneven steps down to the water where you must step over rocks and mud to get in. There are toilets at the park entrance but no dedicated changing rooms. Bring a picnic.

Find out more about visiting Bimmah Sinkhole.

Misfat Al Abriyeen

The paths through this preserved mountain village are steep and uneven with lots of steps. If you visit one of the cafes they will allow you to use their toilets, but these might be on a different level.

The roof top cafes offer the best views and there are no lifts.

Al Hoota Caves

Electric carts are available to take you from the visitor centre to the cave entrance.

There’s lots of concrete and metal steps inside the caves that may be slippery. The lights are dimmed inside. Pushchairs must be left at the cave entrance.

Good toilets and a cafe are located in the visitor centre.

Find out more about visiting Al Hoota Caves.

Nizwa Fort

Expect lots of steps while exploring the upper levels of this ancient fort and castle from which you can get the best views of Nizwa.

There is a cafe and toilets on the ground level. You can also visit the castle gardens easily using a few steps.

Bahla Fort

As with Nizwa Fort, expect a lot of steps and uneven surfaces.

There are also ramparts and staircases without railings or high walls. There is a cafe and toilets on the ground level.

Find out more about Bahla Fort.

Muttrah Fort

As one of Muttrah’s best view points, there’s going to be steps. A long stair case with hand rail takes you up to the fort entrance and there are more to access each of the outdoor viewing platforms.

Thankfully there’s also seats and a small cafe. You can also find a good toilet to the left of the entrance.

Wadi Bani Khalid

This is the most accessible wadi for many visitors with a paved walkway all the way to the first turquoise pool and the cafe. This is a five minute walk from the car park.

If you want to swim you can slide into the water here. Work was being done during our last visit to create steps and hand holds to help you get back out.

If you want to venture further up the valley the surfaces are uneven and slippery in places but the route to other pools is easy to follow.

Find out more about visiting Wadi Bani Khalid.

Snorkelling at the Daymaniat Islands

Right from the off, you need to be happy to climb in and out of a boat on a pontoon to do this activity. Some boats have very little shade and all have step ladders to get into and out of the water.

Some operators will not take children under the age of five. An operator I recommend for families with young children and less mobile adults is SeaScape Oman as they have a glass bottom boat with plenty of shade if any of you would prefer to stay onboard during the trip.

There is no dock or pontoon on the islands, so the only way to set foot on them (when it’s not turtle and bird nesting season from the start of April to the end of October) is by swimming or stepping into the shallow water from the back of the boat if your captain can take you to a beach.

Find out more about visiting the Daymaniat Islands.

Snow Oman in the Mall of Oman, Muscat

This indoor attraction is great for escaping the heat but is extremely cold and has slippery surfaces.

Everyone aged three-years-old and up pays the standard entry price and there is a 120cm minimum height for some activities. There is a very good cafe and toilets.

Fazayah Beach in Salalah

You can drive from the paved highway down a levelled track right to the beach at Fazyah to the west of Salalah. A 4×4 is most suitable for this.

There is no corniche/promenade and no toilets or other permanent facilities here. Bring a picnic.

The Suwgra heritage village on Jebel Akhdar

This place is somewhere between moderate and high impact due to the number of steps you have to climb down and then up to reach the village.

We went with our parents and it helped that we stayed here the night between the treks. There is a cafe and good toilets in the village. You require a 4×4 to reach the car park from where you start your hike.

Barr Al Hikman

This is another border line destination. It’s a long drive to the exposed white beaches of Barr Al Hikman with basic facilities along the main roads and then an hour or more over barren salt flats.

A 4×4 and an experienced guide on the salt flats is essential.

You will have to bring your own food and camping gear or book into a camp which will have basic toilet facilities. Another consideration is that there is no mobile phone signal here.

High impact activities you might want to avoid

I will caveat this section by saying everyone is different. You know your family and their abilities best. But, in general, there are some places I would discount from your plans, just to avoid disappointment.

Here’s a quick summary of activities and places I wouldn’t attempt with babies and toddlers or less mobile adults:

• Wadi Shab
• Wadi Tiwi/Wadi Mabim
• Wadi Hoqain
• Jebel Shams Balcony Walk
• Wadi Bani Habib
• Turtle tours at Ras Al Jinz
• Sa’al Steps hike near Muscat

Final thoughts on Oman’s accessible activities

I’ve said it already: you know your family best. I know some super adventurous new parents and pensioners who wouldn’t break a sweat at the thought of hiking up a mountain or roughing it on a remote beach.

But if you have been looking for advice or reassurance about the accessibility of attractions and experiences for babies and older relatives when visiting Oman, I hope you have found this post useful.

As always, if you have a question about holidays in Oman drop me a message or hop over to the Oman Unpacked Facebook group to seek tips from other travellers.

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