Places

A lively market in Barka. Morning is the best time to visit when vendors are setting up fresh goods.

This mosque has been a centre of worship for centuries. The mihrab and minbar are worth seeing.

Ain Al Kasfah is a sulfurous hot spring about 1,500 metres west of Rustaq Castle in Al Batinah South, with water reaching around 45 degrees Celsius from friction with the volcanic rock below. It carries the largest water volume of any spring in northern Oman and is the main source irrigating the surrounding palm farms. Omani families have long come here seeking the healing and relaxing qualities of its warm mineral rich waters, and entry is free.

Wadi Al Sahtan sits in the Rustaq area of Al Batinah South Governorate, known locally as the agricultural treasure chest of Oman for its perennial springs and waterfalls. Green terraces across roughly thirty two villages grow mango, pomegranate, grapes, and other fruit that reach markets in Rustaq, Al Hamra, Bahla, Nizwa, and Muscat. Ancient falaj channels still carry the spring water to the fields, and around ten thousand people live in the valley today.