Sohar in Al Batinah lies 200 kilometers north of Muscat, the capital of Oman and at an equal distance south of Dubai. The city, originally a fishing town was once the ancient capital of the Sultanate of Oman, but today it is a significant and massive industrial port and the most urbanized city in the country. Sohar has a splendid sailing history and is also believed to be the birthplace of Sinbad the Sailor. The Sohar Port, which is a world class port was established in 2002 and is run by the Sohar Industrial Port Company.
The impressive Sohar Castle is an important landmark of the city. The castle was built during the 13th and 14th centuries by the Emirs of Hormuz and is located right in the heart of the city. After the Portuguese were expelled from the Sohar Castle, it became the administrative centre of the Al Bu Said dynasty. Today the castle houses a museum. Also of interest in the castle is an escape tunnel that runs all the way from the castle to Wilayat of Buraimi. The Sohar Park in Al Humbar and the Silver Jubilee Park in Sallan are the two major parks of the city.
During summer an excursion to the Jebel Akhdar Mountain is a welcome trip. The mountain, which is the highest in Oman forms a part of the Al Hajar Mountain ranges. Jebel Akhdar meaning ‘The Green Mountain’ is also referred to as the ‘Camel’s Hideout’. In the town centre and in Al Hujra near the Sohar Castle are two traditional souks while a number of Hypermarkets and shopping malls can also be found in Sohar. When in Oman, you can include Sohar along with a few neighboring areas in your travel itinerary, as Sohar alone does not have many tourist attractions.
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Photo by Talavan provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
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Photo by â—Š Hermann â—Š provided courtesy of Panoramio.com