Saturday 09 / August / 2025
Jabal Akhdar: The Jabal Akhdar Festival 2025, which is taking place in Saiq, is drawing a huge crowd of tourists. The event which started on July 15 will continue until August 30.
A number of small and medium enterprises have come up with stalls at the venue to showcase their products.
Both citizens and expatriates are thronging the venue with their family to witness the ongoing events. Toddlers and youth alike were seen moving around the festival site with their families enjoying the cool weather of Jabal Akhdar.
Though moderate rains on Thursday afternoon played spoilsport with the event, that didn’t dampen the spirit of children as teams from the municipality cleaned the venue in no time. By the evening, everything was back in order for the festival.
Many were enjoying the delicious snacks while others were busy buying products from the shops. Away from the eyes of their parents, children had a gala time on the many rides spread across the place.
But Majid, an Omani, was the cynosure of all eyes with his Halwa making skill. He was seen stirring the liquid on a stove with a long wooden stick in his hand.
A 10-year veteran of the profession, Majid said, it takes him at least four hours to make halwa. He said that he has to stir the compound regularly so that it doesn’t stick to the cooking pot.
“If it sticks to the pot, the taste and the entire product and my effort will go to waste,” he added.
The festival is promoting domestic tourism and showcasing the natural and cultural assets of Jabal Akhdar.
It features a variety of activities including cultural performances, sports competitions, and entertainment for all age groups. It also includes an open market with sections for productive families, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and local agricultural products.
A number of kiosks have come up on the route to the festival, where Omanis are selling freshly plucked figs, pomegranates, honey, grapes, olive and rosewater.
When asked about the stopovers of tourists in Jabal Al Akhdar on the way to Salalah, Jagdeep Thakral, General Manager at dusitD2 Naseem, said: “Definitely this is a better year for us compared to last year. We are having more bookings this year from travellers going to Salalah. They love the cool climate of this region. With Dubai sizzling at nearly 50 degrees Celsius, Jabal Akhdar is giving them a perfect gate-away from scorching summers.”
While parts of Oman are reeling under high temperature and high humidity, Jab Al Akhdar in Al Dakhliyah Governorate received moderate rains on Thursday afternoon further bringing down the temperature. The rain was also accompanied with hail.
Right from the Barkat Al Mouj to the uphill at Jabal Al Akhdar, signage both in English and Arabic guide tourists to the venue.
