Salalah is a coastal city, on the shores of the Arabian Sea. It is a unique place in the Arabian Peninsula, located on its Southern side. The city landscape is distinctive – it has mountains, beaches and other captivating natural formations. On the northern side, Salalah has mountain range, with greenery and waterfalls in the popular Khareef Season. On the southern side, it has attractive and pristine beaches that are sunny from September to June every year. Salalah is a city spread between these mountainous regions and the Indian Ocean.
Salalah has one of the largest sea ports in the gulf region – known as Salalah Port or Port of Salalah. The port has all the container terminal, general cargo terminal and the cruise terminal.
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Salalah Oman Map
Below is the location of Salalah from the Google Map. Alternately, you can see Salalah on Google Earth as well, to get the idea about its location in the world.
Salalah Oman Map, Source: Google Map
We are in a process of developing a tourist map of Salalah. Once Salalah Oman Map is developed we will share it with our readers. In sha Allah
Where is Salalah in Oman?
Salalah is located on the Southern part of Oman, around 1,000 kms away from Muscat. It is accessible from Muscat via road, air or sea. This beautiful city is located in Dhofar Governorate, which is the largest governorate in Oman with respect to the land area.
Salalah – The Capital of Dhofar
Salalah, the largest city and the most developed one, is the capital of Zafar, also written as Dhofar. The city has its own uniqueness. For instance, monsoon season, history and the horticulture.
The weather in Salalah is very pleasant in the mid of year (from late June to early September). This season is locally known as the Khareef season. During which the mist and rain turns the mountains greener. In addition to this, many waterfalls and springs gushes out. But they vanishes after the season. It is the time of the year when many tourists visit Salalah, especially from within Oman and other Gulf States, where the temperature is very hot.
Inside the city, it’s a common sight to find white coconut palm and banana plantation, which is a contrast to the other places in the Arabian peninsula, where dates trees are in abundance. During the drive on Sultan Qaboos Street, one can see a lot of coconut and fresh fruit huts, made of wooden canopy, sell these local fruits in Salalah.
The Southern Part of Oman
The Governorate of Dhofar is on the southern part of Oman. It is separated by a thousand kilometer of desert from the capital Muscat in the North.
Dhofar borders with Yemen on the western side, while Saudi Arabia on its North. Due to the close proximity with Yemen, the history and culture of Dhofar is influenced by its western neighbor.
Rich History
Dhofar has one of the oldest cultures in Arabia, mainly due to Frankincense trade and the prophets in the past. The remains of the history can be found in the archeological sites, which have been excavated and unearth. Al Baleed Archeological site, the ruins of ancient Sumhuram, and the Lost city of Ubar are some of the discovered and well known sites. In addition to these, some ruins that are spread across the region are unnamed.
The Tombs of Prophet Ayub (Prophet Job), Prophet Hud, Prophet Saleh, and Prophet Imran are in Salalah and nearby. Some other tombs are also present but the historical link cannot be found and are not named.
The famous travelers of modern era, Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta also visited Zafar (the forerunner of modern Salalah).
An Amazing Diversified Landscape
Numerous attractions can be found in Dhofar, which are of interest to both the local, Arab and western travelers.
Firstly, the enormous dunes of the Rub al Khali desert (The Empty Quarter), on the norther part of the Governorate, offers sand bashing, and overnight stay in the bedouin tent.
Secondly, the Dhofar Mountains, which spread in the shape of an arc in the center, offers variety of the attractions, like valleys, springs, waterfalls, gorges, sinkholes, and caves.
Thirdly, the large, pristine coast in Dhofar offers white sand beaches in the Arabian Sea. The tides are high during the monsoon season. In contrast to this, the beach is crystal clear on the remain part of the year, and Dolphins can be spotted on the sea. Some of the beaches are hidden, which can be accessed in a guided tour with a professional 4×4 driver.
Last but not the least, the fishing ports, where you can find local fishermen and the traditional dhows, showcase the conventional way of fishing. One can buy the fresh sea food for eating from these ports.
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Guided Tour in Dhofar Region
There are couple of sightseeing tours, which can cover the amazing landscapes and must visit places in Dhofar.
For booking the tour, you can contact Beautiful Salalah Tours, which is the leading online tour operator in Salalah. The company arranges the tour with the licensed guide, who are Omanis and know Salalah pretty well.
Booking the memorable tour with professional team of Beautiful Salalah is very easy. Just drop a Whatsapp message to our 24/7 customer support numbers +968 9120 6678 or +968 9012 3004 and book the trip.
Alternately, you can drop an email to info@beautifulsalalah.com or book via TripAdvisor.
Beautiful Salalah Tours has 4.5 star review in TripAdvisor and is operating in Salalah since 2018. You can read all the reviews on TripAdvisor before making a decision. The team knows Salalah Oman Map and they will take you to the secret sites, pristine beaches and where ever you want to go.
Recommended Place to Stay in Dhofar
For a memorable and comfortable family vacation, the best place to stay in Dhofar is in the city of Salalah. There are Over 100 Hotels and Apartments on Booking.com for Salalah, which you can consider for your comfortable and memorable stay.
Below are our recommendations:
Luxury: Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara
There couldn’t be any better choice of staying in Salalah other than Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara. This is the finest and premium resort in the city with private pool villas, which are not available in other resorts.
The location of Anantara is excellent. It is next to the famous tourist location of Al Baleed Archeological Site, Frankincense Land Museum and is on the white sand beach of the Arabian Sea.
Indeed, it is a great place to have a fun filled family vacation. Check prices, reviews, and availability here
Mid Range: Fanar Hotel and Residences
Although Fanar Hotel and Residences is a 5 star resort, its price is almost equal to that of a 3 star hotel in the center of the city. It is located at Hawana Salalah Marina, and is by far the largest resort in Salalah.
The only drawback is that this hotel a little away from the city. But hotel will arrange the airport transfers, so there is nothing to worry about. Also if you have rent a car, or are planning to book guided tours by Beautiful Salalah then it’s an ideal pick. Check prices, reviews, and availability here
Budget: Star House Elite
There are many apartments by the name of Star House, but this one is preferred as it is a nice apartment in the center of the city. There are many restaurants, including Indian cuisine and local food, at walking distance. It’s right opposite of the largest mosque in Salalah – Sultan Qaboos Mosque.
The most unique feature of this apartment is that its on the bus route of Mwasalat public transport and you can arrive here from airport using the bus. Also Star House Elite is at walking distance from the bus station of Mwasalat, GTC, GLT, and other intercity buses. Check prices, reviews, and availability here