COLLECTION SECRET MIDDLE EAST WEALTH THE | lanterns and after a swim in the last September, is small and travel THE DESERT: OMAN clear, warm sea, we had dinner by exclusive, accepting no more than the campfire under the stars. The 20 guests. The tents are yurts, with Lucinda Baring explores the beauty of the empty food was exceptional – tabbouleh good beds, dressing tables and desert, the rugged coastline and the capital Muscat. with tuna and Arabic flatbread carpets, with a little bathroom next followed by huge tandoori prawns door, open to the stars. Before and smoked pomfret – and while dinner the camp’s hospitable owner, we ate, a turtle clambered up the Ali, gave us a demonstration in beach to make her nest. Bedouin living. He roasted coffee Oman’s interior offers an beans and made coffee and cooked entirely different sort of landscape. delicious bread under the hot coals. Heading into the Wahiba Sands, Dinner, eaten sitting on cushions via a swim in one of the country’s at low tables, was delectable – many wadis, the desert starts to hummus and aubergine dips with envelop you, punctuated only Arabic bread, barbecued kebabs and by acacia trees and camels. Our chicken followed by fresh mint tea destination was a new Bedouin and skhana, a perfumed pudding camp called Safari in the midst of made from red sugar, rosewater, the dunes. En route, we stopped cardamom and saffron. Afterwards, a to visit a Bedouin family, whose Bedouin family came to sing for us nomadic lifestyle remains a and we were encouraged to dance strong part of Omani culture. – before I knew it, I was leading The Al Bustan Palace has a lagoon-like pool with fountains and palm trees. With the mother and father out everyone around the camp in a he face of Oman is chang- luxurious, five-star hotels to choose in the dunes, it was the family’s conga, deep in the Arabian desert. ing. The country has been from but the Al Bustan Palace, with two daughters who welcomed us, Topening up gradually since its own private beach, lagoon-like covering their faces as soon as our Stay at: The Al Bustan Palace, 1970, when the Sultan, Qaboos bin pool with fountains and palm trees in male guide approached. They gave us Muttrah, Muscat. Said Al Said, overthrew his father its midst and majestic central atrium sweet coffee and dates in their tent. Tel: 00 968 799 666 and and took power. Before his reign, (big enough to house a Boeing The camp itself, which opened www.al-bustan.inter-continental.com Oman was a backwater. In the last 747) is the best base from which to 39 years, Sultan Qaboos has turned explore. The service is impeccable Original Travel (originaltravel.co.uk; +44 20 7978 7333) offers a 7 night tailor- the country around. and the lush garden and pool are like made trip from £3,100 per person. The price includes a 3 night safari, 3 Any trip to Oman should an oasis, providing the perfect tonic nights staying at the Al Bustan and 1 night on a private luxury Dhow with combine a visit to its beautiful to an afternoon’s sightseeing. transfers and return flights with Oman Air direct from Heathrow. For more beaches with a stint in the desert After a few days’ restful information on Oman please contact the Oman Tourist Office but the best place to start the indulgence and cultural (T: +44 20 8877 4524, E: [email protected])or visit journey is in Muscat. Modern acclimatisation, venture further www.omantourism.gov.om Muscat has become a vast city, afield. We headed southeast along divided into six counties and home the rugged coastline, This stretch of to 700,000 people. But unlike coastline boasts one of the world’s MUSCAT: FIVE PLACES FOR YOUR ITINERARY Dubai, it is a city keen to maintain largest populations of green turtles, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. This is most famous perhaps for its carpet inside the main prayer hall, which is the largest single-piece carpet in the its cultural heritage and any new which come ashore at night to lay world, covering 4,343 square metres and weighing 21 tonnes. buildings adhere to the traditional their eggs in the sand. Although Muttrah Souq. As bustling as any big bazaar but in a particularly scenic style of architecture. most tourists head to Ras al Junayz part of town - opposite the harbour in Old Muscat – not to be missed. The Old Muscat, cradled by its harbour, to see this, we took advantage of embroidered Indian pashminas are especially lovely. and the neighbouring bay of Muttrah the deserted beach at Fins where Left Bank. A fun bar (which can be fairly hard to find in Muscat) up on a hill in the Madinat Qaboos area of town with a great view of the beach. epitomise the historic charm and our guide had arranged a night Fish Market. This is wonderful to see in action and is open every day cultural heritage the Omani people of luxury camping. Our carpeted until 1pm. are so keen to preserve. A visit to the tent had a comfortable bed with The Chedi. Go and have an early evening cocktail and admire the fountain- Mirani and Jalali forts, a reminder sheets and blankets and an en suite filled walkways and immaculate gardens. of the country’s turbulent maritime ‘bathroom’ (a ceramic bowl for history, and the Muttrah Souk are a washing our faces, a shower and must. There are a handful of ultra- a toilet). Everything was lit by 52 travel THE CITY: DAMASCUS DAMASCUS: | FIVE PLACES FOR YOUR ITINERARY THE Christopher Kanal visits the ancient city of Damascus Bakdash. Syria’s oldest ice cream WEALTH and is dazzled by its vibrancy and openness. parlour Bakdash has been selling thick Turkish-style coffee and ice cream COLLECTION since 1890. he flight arrived in Damascus site goes back 3,000 years to when Jebel Qassioun. Gaze down at an at night. A crescent moon and the Arameans built a temple to their extraordinary view of Damascus from a sky filled with stars provided god. After removing your shoes Jebel Qassioun. Be sure to go at dusk T when the city lights up. a suitably impressive canopy above you enter into a stunning white the oldest continually inhabited city limestone courtyard surrounded by Tishreen War Panorama. Built with the help of the North Koreans, this in the world. Our driver whizzed us walls covered in shimmering golden is a dramatic memorial to the 1973 through the busy highway into the mosaics. Inside is a shrine of John the war with Israel and includes moving city and our destination, the impos- Baptist, whose head was said to be panoramic paintings and a room filled with portraits of former president ing Four Seasons Hotel. On arrival contained in a casket here. Hafez al-Assad. we were greeted with great warmth Outside in the spring sunshine in National Museum. 8,000 years of Syrian history in an wonderful museum with that characterised the rest of our stay the small archaeological garden that treasures from some 4,000 archaeological sites across the country. in the country. Syrians are very hos- sits along the north wall, you will find Al-Khawali. In a beautiful house in an alleyway, built in 1368 and restored the modest but beautiful Mausoleum in 1867 is Al-Khawali – a favourite restaurant of President Assad and his pitable. The city of St Paul, Saladin British-born wife, Asma. and Lawrence of Arabia, has always of Saladin, the revered adversary welcomed outsiders. of the Crusaders who died in the We began our exploration of city in 1193. Afterwards we headed Paul used to take his morning walk of the city and the countryside Damascus the next day by heading to the Azem Palace, a must for any along here. North east of Straight beyond. Legend has it that straight into the Old City, a Unesco itinerary. It is comprised of a complex Street is Bab Touma and the beautiful Mohammed reputedly cast his gaze World Heritage Site. Entering at of stunning buildings, courtyards and winding streets and hidden alleys of on Damascus from here and refused Souq al Hamidiyya next to the old gardens built between 1749 and 1752 the Christian Quarter, where there to enter the city because he wanted citadel will bring you into the heart as a private residence for the then is a lively café scene. In the far north to enter paradise only once – when of old Damascus. The bustling souk governor of Damascus. east corner is the secret cellar Chapel he died. We settled for sitting and is intensely atmospheric. All manner The real delights of the Old City of Ananias, an early Christian disciple. watching dusk fall on Damascus and of goods and wares are on sale from are the beautiful, old Ottoman houses Our base at the Four Seasons sits marvelled at this ravishing city below clothes and spices to beautiful olive - Beit Nizam and Beit as-Sibai – are across the road from the magnificent as it began to flicker with thousands soap. Be sure to stop at Bakdash. ones to look out for. You will find National Museum, filled with of points of light. Syria’s oldest ice cream parlour, which others south of the western end the treasures from Syria’s 4,000 has been selling thick Turkish-style of Straight Street – also known as archeological sites including the oldest Stay at: Four Seasons Hotel coffee and ice cream since 1890.