Salalah, Oman: The land of lost cities
Well, technically the city lasts for less than 15 minutes. It is in the outskirts that Salalah hides its true wonders.
This city is not for the feeble spirited. This is the land of pirate queens and ancient capsized settlements.
Salalah, which is a 12-hour drive from Oman, is for those who are set for strange tales, stupefying destinations and novel experiences.
Salalah doesn't boast of skyscrapers or branded showrooms. There are quite a few fabled hotels like the Crowne Plaza and Marriot, but I would recommend finding rented apartments that are cheap and abundant in the heart of the city. Once you're settled and rested, switch on your GPS and explore the city.
Well, technically the city lasts for less than 15 minutes. It is in the outskirts that Salalah hides its true wonders.
About 40 km west of Salalah is where the mountains meet the sea. The cerulean Mughsayl beach and rugged Manreef caves make for picture-perfect photographs and postcard memories.
The towering cave-like mountains that look like they have been scooped out, apparently formed when the sea backed off for a few kilometres, giving us the beautiful sea-coast-mountain trio. When the sea is rough, it is a pleasure watching the huge waves crash against the mountains, sometimes rising as tall as them.
The blow holes near the caves roar like a giant and unexpectedly spray you with the saltiest and the most powerful spout of water that can give you Marilyn Monroe moments! Salalah's streets are filled with tales of their glorious past and the sad downfall.
The story of trade and treachery fares high among these. It is said that the city, which is the traditional capital of Dhofar, was the highest producer and exporter of frankincense in the 13th century. The business went down around the 19th century and Dhofar, which was an independent city till then, was brought under the sultans of Oman. The locals will tell you that many forests around Salalah and Dhofar are filled with frankincense trees. Since Dhofar has been declared by UNESCO as the land of frankincense, do not forget to stop by the local market to get some for family and friends.
Along the coastal highway from Salalah city to Mirbat is the 'Archaeological Site of Sumhuram'. As you set foot on the site, you are as unassuming as all those traders who were trapped by the queen of Sumhuram.
The lore, one of my travel buddies narrates, is that the Queen of Sheba, a pirate of sorts, used to trap the English trade vessels in Khor Rori, a fresh water lagoon near her fort that meets the sea at a thin stretch of white sand. The traders would stop by the ravine for a break and would be tricked before they knew what hit them. You find yourself wishing that Sumhuram still held its hustle bustle.
Because the remains of a 2,000-year-old fort are all that's left of a settlement which was once the centre of frankincense production. Pirate or no pirate, you cannot help but be jealous of the queen, for the magnificent view that she could behold from her balcony: the river meeting the sea, the camels grazing and the seagull calling. Add to that, a few imaginary ships sailing from afar and your day is made.
After the heavy dose of a stormy past, it is time for some science-defying act. Around 63 km from the city, along the same road to Mirbat is an anti- gravity point! I rubbished it but as I changed the gear to neutral, the car began to roll uphill! It is creepy for a moment but soon, you begin to dig for a possible explanation, which, so far has not been found.
We are then on the way to Tawi Atair, a sinkhole formed by karst processes. Tawi Atair, literally translates into the 'well of the birds' and the name fits because of the many birds that have settled comfortably inside the sinkhole, flying out in hundreds to the noise of visitors.
The sight is unbelievable.
After a slew of tomb visits: Prophet Ayoob, Swalih and Imran along with that of the great warrior Cheraman Perumal, it is time to bid adieu to the city of surprises.
Around 170 km north of Salalah, stop by the large inscription on a wall that says, 'Lost City of Ubar'. The life around this walled area goes on as normal. It is unsettling, given the history of Ubar. Discovered beneath the desert sands through satellite technology, the remains of the ancient caravan oasis of Ubar could be the mythical city of Prophet Lut (Lot in the Bible), which was turned upside down to punish the dwellers who did not heed the messenger. You read about it, but it is a different thing altogether to lay your eyes upon what can only be described as the aftermath of an apocalypse.
On the way back in the car, you gulp down a bottle of water to relieve your parched throat, remove your shades and wave to a few kids who have gathered around to see you go. Salalah will have helped you gather the joy of being alive.