Winter wonderland

One place in the gulf you can't afford to miss seeing.
Photos Karen Montagu

Its been a long winter in Oman. To clarify - winter in Oman has day time temps of around 25 degrees and at night 15-20. So depending on where you come from you (like the UK) you would call it Summer. One of the most amazing things about this country is the outdoor scenary; beautiful beaches and impressive mountains.

One of my favourite places to visit in the cooler months of the year is The Green Mountain - or Jebal Akhdar in Arabic. The mountain is part of the Al Hajar range which winds down the country. I like visiting this place for the air is amazing but the views are just nothing I have seen before. There is an old abandoned village on the side of a valley showing how Omani's lived in the past. There are old fruit trees and an falaj water irrigation systems that wrap around the mountains. Such an amazing feat of engineering that dates back hundreds of years.

​Another place I like to visit - but have yet to stay overnight (note to husband) - is the Alila Hotel which at 2,000 metre above sea level sits majestically on on the very edge of the mountain range with breathtaking views. At christmas time they were putting up a christmas tree (yes it is a muslim country but very welcoming country) which was made from the local bracken bush. Something so sharp and ugly that you would never think it would look like a beautiful christmas tree. Oh Oman. Beauty really does have an address.