Muscat is not one town but a string of neighbourhoods along 50 km of coast, with mountains in between. Where you sleep decides what you can walk to, how much you spend on taxis, and what kind of Oman you see. I grew up in Muttrah and I host guests here, so I am biased. But I also drive visitors around the whole city, and this is how I would explain the choice to a friend.
Muttrah: the old harbour town
Muttrah is the oldest part of Muscat that still lives as a town. The corniche follows the bay, the souq sits behind it, and the fort watches over both. You can walk to all of it. In the evening the whole neighbourhood comes out to stroll along the water, and in the morning the fish market is the loudest place in the city.
Stay here if you want to be on foot, if you like old streets and family-run places, and if you are travelling on a normal budget. Most accommodation in Muttrah is small: guesthouses and a few older hotels, not resorts. The airport is about 30 minutes by car. There is no beach for swimming in Muttrah itself; Qurum Beach is 15 minutes away.
Our own house, Bait Mutirah, is 300 m from the fort and an eight-minute walk from the souq, with a rooftop majlis over the harbour. Rooms start from 25 OMR a night.
Old Muscat: the palace quarter
Four kilometres east of Muttrah, Old Muscat is where the Al Alam Palace, the two Portuguese forts and the National Museum are. It is beautiful and very quiet, and there is almost nowhere to stay. Visit it from Muttrah in an afternoon.
Ruwi: the business district
Ruwi is the commercial centre, five minutes inland from Muttrah. It has the cheapest hotels in the city, the main bus station and the best Indian food in Oman. It is practical rather than pretty. If you stay here, you will take a short taxi to the corniche in the evening.
Qurum and Shatti Al Qurum: beach and cafés
About 15 km west, Qurum is the Muscat of shopping malls, the long public beach and the cafés along the shore. Shatti Al Qurum has the large beach resorts and the embassies. This is the choice for a beach holiday with a city attached. Expect mid-range and upscale prices, and taxis to everything historic.
Al Khuwair, Bausher and Ghubra: the middle of the city
These districts along the highway have most of the business hotels and chain brands. They are close to the Grand Mosque and the Opera House, and convenient if you have meetings. For sightseeing you will drive both ways: 20 minutes to Muttrah, 10 minutes to the beach.
Al Mouj: the marina
Al Mouj (The Wave) is a modern development by the airport, with a marina, a golf course and restaurants on the water. It is where the boats leave for the Daymaniyat Islands. It suits a comfortable, resort-style stay, and it is 40 minutes from the old town.
Bandar Jissah and the coast south
The resorts in the coves south of Muscat have private beaches and mountain views, and nothing else within walking distance. Lovely for a couple of restful days at the end of a trip; less so for a first visit.
How I would decide
- First time in Oman, two or three nights: Muttrah. Everything historic is within reach, and the evening life is on the corniche.
- Beach first, sights second: Qurum or Shatti Al Qurum.
- Work trip: Al Khuwair or Bausher.
- Diving, snorkelling, a late flight: Al Mouj.
- Ending a road trip with two slow days: a resort at Bandar Jissah.
Whichever area you choose, read my Muscat guide for what to see, and if you decide on Muttrah, our guesthouse near the souq would be glad to have you.
