Al Khabourah: Majestic mountains, breathtaking wadis

Oman Saturday 03/October/2020 20:15 PM
By: Times News Service
Al Khabourah: Majestic mountains, breathtaking wadis

Where: Located about 176 kilometre from Muscat, the wilayat of Khabourah is in the North Batinah Governorate. It stretches from the borders of Saham in the north to Al Suwaiq in the South and Al Dhahirah in the west. It has 198 villages.

What's Special: Known for its archaeological landmarks, castles, nature and history, Khabourah has many forts and castles of which Al Khabourah Castle is the most famous one. It is one of the top tourist destinations in the Sultanate and is located little less than 2 kilometre from the main centre of Sohar and close to the Sea of Oman.The castle has a courtyard at the centre and the main entrance is located on the northern side, with two artillery shells beside it.

The wilayat has many wadis of which Wadi Al Hawasnah, Wadi Al Sarmi, Wadi Shafan, Wadi Halhal, Wadi Miha Bani Kayoum and Sanaa Bani Ghafir are the significant ones. Wadi Al Hawasnah and Al Gaizain village are popular tourist attractions. While Wadi Al Hawasnah is known for its natural water pools and mountains, Al Gaizain village is popular for its lush foothills, majestic mountains and breathtaking wadis.

One can also see terraced farms here that adds to the beauty of the place. Wadi Al Homdh is also famous for its lush greenery. There are also a number of valleys  and trees of many kinds.  Palm, lemon and various types of fruit bearing trees are some of the popular ones.  Al Sihra, Al Qala, Khadra Al Makatim, Sanaa Bani Ghafir and Miha Bani Kayoum are some of the villages that people visit.

Livelihood: People living here are engaged in agriculture, sheep herding, fishing, Khanjar making, weaving, pottery, copper, leather industries and other handicrafts.