English Teacher in Oman
Daytrip
Oman
18 November 2011
Background
On a sunny Friday morning, we decided to explore rural Rustaq. Rustaq itself did not offer much from a shopping or entertainment perspective, but rural Rustaq nature scenery offered much for the camera lens. We got into our rental and drove around taking pics of ruins, plantations, rural homes and nature scenery in rural Rustaq.
We then drove down to Al Musannah to end our day with cappuccinos and cheesecake at the Millennium Beach Resort. The hotel stands in stark contrast to the rural surroundings of Rustaq. The Millennium is what a lot of tourists in Oman comes to experience, a world of wealth and luxury, but if you would like a taste of rural off-the-beaten-track Oman, then scarcely 40 km from the Millennium, you can find exactly just that.
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| Date plantation in rural Rustaq |
About Oman
Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is an Arab country on the south-eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Holding a strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the country shares land borders with the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest, and shares marine borders with Iran and Pakistan.
From the late 17th century, the Omani Sultanate was a powerful empire, vying with Portugal and Britain for influence in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. At its peak in the 19th century, Omani influence or control extended across the Strait of Hormuz to modern-day Iran and Pakistan, and as far south as Zanzibar (today part of Tanzania, also former capital). As its power declined in the 20th century, the sultanate came under the influence of the United Kingdom.
Historically, Muscat was the principal trading port of the Persian Gulf region. Muscat was also among the most important trading ports of the Indian Ocean.
Oman is an absolute monarchy. The Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said has been the hereditary leader of the country since 1970. Sultan Qaboos is the longest-serving current ruler in the Middle East and sixth-longest current reigning monarch in the world.
Oman has modest oil reserves, ranking 25th globally. Nevertheless, in 2010 the UNDP ranked Oman as the most improved nation in the world in terms of development during the preceding 40 years.
A significant portion of its economy is tourism and trade of fish, dates, and certain agricultural produce. This sets it apart from its neighbours’ solely oil-dependent economies. Oman is categorized as a high-income economy (Wikipedia).
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| My favorite pic I took at the Millennium - Sunset through the grass |
About Rustaq
Al Rustaq is a city in the South Al Batinah region, surrounded by the central Al Hajir mountain range and an abundance of date palm groves and Aflaj.
Ruins - Rural Rustaq
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| View of date palm trees near some ruins - rural Rustaq |
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| Ruins - rural Rustaq |
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| Date plantation in rural Rustaq |
Butterflies - Rural Rustaq
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| On a tree... |
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| On a tree... |
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| On a tree... |
Date plantations - Rural Rustaq
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| Date plantation in rural Rustaq |
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| Date plantation in rural Rustaq |
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| Villa gate |
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| Ruins & falaj in a date plantation |
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| Date plantation walkway |
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| Date palm trees |
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| Bangladeshi worker - Date palm tree plantation Rustaq |
Rural homes - Rural Rustaq
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| Villa gate - rural Rustaq community |
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| Villa - rural Rustaq community |
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| Villa - rural Rustaq community |
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| Villa gate |
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| Villa window |
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| Villa gate |
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| Villa gate |
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| Villa gate |
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| Ruins |
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| The road into a rural community - Rustaq |
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| Dates & ruins |
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| Rocky outcrop nearby |
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| Goats & ruins |
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| Road sign |
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| A rural shop |
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| A Villa in Rustaq |
Rustaq to Al Musannah
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| Just outside Rustaq on the road to Al Musannah |
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| Nature scenery - just outside Rustaq on the road to Al Musannah |
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| Our rental car - just outside Rustaq on the road to Al Musannah |
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| Entrance to Rustaq |
To the Millennium...
About Al-Musannah
Al-Musannah or Al-Musannah (Arabic: المصنعة) is a town in the Al Batinah Region of northern Oman. As of 2010, it had a population of 6,291 [Wikipedia].
What does the Lonely planet say about Al Musannah?
"Musannah is the home of Oman's navy, docked at Wudum naval base. Quite fittingly, then, the town has also earned itself a name as the destination of choice for nautical adventures.
Indeed, the Millennium Resort that punctuates the flat shoreline of Musannah, at the edge of the shrubby Batinah Plain was initially established to accommodate athletes during the second Asian Beach Games of 2010 and that event left behind a legacy of sailing, kayaking, and swimming that has since been supplemented with a range of other water sports, including a water park".
Where is Al-Mussanah?
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Map of Oman with Al Mussanah's location indicated
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| Millennium hotel entrance at night |
Enjoy the best of lifestyle resort and leisure by crystal-blue waters at Millennium Resort Mussanah. Experience perfect relaxation, with panoramic views over the Hajar Mountains and the Gulf of Oman.
The world-class outdoor sporting facilities in our resort include an 18-hole mini-golf course, tennis courts, and five swimming pools, one of which is exclusive to families, zipline, floating water park “Aqua Fun”, PADI dive center.
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| Millennium Hotel - From the parking lot |
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| Grass in the garden |
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| The light fixture of one of the restaurants |
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| Entrance area of one of the restaurants |
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| Back veranda with a view of the beach and the Marina Bay |
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| View of the Marina - from the Back veranda |
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| View of the beach area - from the Back veranda |
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| The main entrance to the hotel from the marina |
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| The main hotel with porch restaurant area on the bottom floor |
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| Asian Beach games 2010 wall painting advertisement |
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| Ansu being served cappuccino at the porch restaurant |
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| Nice cheesecake |
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| Marina at dusk |
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| Marina ramp at dusk |
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| Marina ramp at dusk |
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| Marina at dusk |
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| Catamaran in the Marina at dusk |
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| Date palm trees on the hotel grounds |
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| Date palm trees on the grounds during sunset |
To view Millennium hotel grounds and facilities, click here!
To view a room with a view, our Millennium apartment, click here!
To view eating and dining at the Millennium, click here!
To view water sport at the Millenium Marina, click here!
