Staying in the oldest part of the city, I am conveniently located close to the water, at a picturesque bay in the Gulf of Oman. Running along side this bay, is a three-kilometre stretch of boardwalk that connects visitors from one end to the other. The beautiful Mutrah Corniche in Muscat Oman is the perfect place to begin your explorations of this area.
Port End
The Mutrah Port is the largest in the city and historically is where all good were off loaded. This end of the corniche is now where the cruise ships dock, where the Sultan keeps his mega yacht, and the navy has their vessels.
In 2014, all cargo ships were relocated to another harbour in Sohar, and the port transformed to accommodate the above. Here the fishermen bring their daily catch ashore and it is sold bright and early in the newly constructed Fish Souk (another post for details).
Boardwalk
Now its time to walk the main portion of the bay. The boardwalk is lovely and wide, has shaded areas and benches at regular intervals and even a small beach.
Signs are posted asking folks not to feed the birds, however every single time I have been here, they are being fed. 😂 The sight of these small gulls chaotically feasting in the air and swarming visitors is delightful to watch.
The boardwalk is particularly busy early in the morning, with locals out exercising and again in the evening for the stunning sunsets. During the day, it’s predominately full of tourists, especially when a cruise ship is docked.
Mutrah Fort
If you have walked this far with me, we are now just over half way and we see the Mutrah Fort splendidly perched atop a hill. The fort was built in 1507 and not long after, the Portuguese added the largest tower and curtain walls. Looking back from here, one can see an amazing view of the bay and harbour. The large mosque with the blue tiled minaret and dome is stunning.
Riyam Park
Keep walking, I promise its worth it. Past the fort you now may have noticed glimpses of the huge white incense burner. That is the centrepiece in Riyam Park. Parts of this beautiful manicured green space have seen better days, however the seaside portion with a small Portuguese tower, dancing fountains and flowers is exceptionally pretty. The water is less calm than in the bay creating these terrific sounds and views.
If you have children, Riyam Park has a great playground with lots of shade and nice clean toilets. While the climb to the incense burner is closed, there are trails, exercise equipment and loads of beautiful flowers.
Keep Going?
While this officially marks the end of the Mutrah Corniche, you can actually keep walking along the tiled path and into the next section of Old Town Muscat. The boardwalk narrows here to a regular sidewalk width, but you can reach the Sultans Palace and Ministerial buildings which are truly lovely to see.
For an initiation into the oldest part of Muscat, walking the corniche is the perfect activity. Set against the backdrop of the ragged and stunning Hajar Mountains, you will find yourself continually snapping photos. Your 10,000 steps will be in the bag before you know it and the rest of the day is gravy. 😊
