Middle East Travel Guidebook
Made up of 16 countries, the Middle East is probably the least-traveled region in the world in terms of leisure tourism due to decades of wars and turmoil. However, there are amazing destinations for travellers throughout.
The Middle East is a grand epic, the cradle of civilizations, and a beautiful, complicated land that's home to some of the planet's most hospitable people.
Destinations
Muscat, Oman
Go for: dramatic landscapes and new luxury hotels
For centuries, Muscat was known to Indian Ocean mariners as a gateway to Oman’s raw, rugged beauty, limestone massifs, formidable castles and wind-sculpted deserts—but tourists have long overlooked this charming city tucked into the wrinkles of the Hajar Mountains.
This is set to change, with a crop of new resorts arriving in the sultanate’s laid-back capital. Two of the most anticipated are in hidden coves just south of the city. The celebrity-loved Nikki Beach Resort and Spa in Yiti Bay opens in 2025, with a beach club, upscale beach villas, and a private marina to follow. In 2026, Anantara will open a resort in Bandar Al Khairan, with chalets, beach villas, and a stargazing majlis. For now, travelers can stay at the Mandarin Oriental, Muscat or the St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort, which both opened in 2024.
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If you can drag yourself away from the beachside pampering, wander the historic Mutrah Corniche, get lost in the frankincense haze of its 200-year-old covered souq, or catch Verdi operas, subtitled in Arabic and English, and Lebanese superstar Ragheb Alama in the 2025 spring season of the resplendent Royal Opera House Muscat.
How to plan: Skip the scorch and visit from November to April, when temperatures are perfect. Extend your holiday with a road trip along Oman’s wild south coast or drive north for dhow cruising in the fjords of Musandam, an easy trip with the GCC Grand Tours Visa. This single visa will cover entry to six countries in the Arabian Gulf and is due to launch in the first few months of 2025. You can now fly business and premium economy to Muscat on Emirates’ new A350 aircraft. —Anna Zacharias