Why Oman should top your October half-term holiday list

A herd of 40 or more camels are ambling leisurely down the road, entirely unfazed by the growing queue of cars behind them. Their enormous eyelashes flutter as if to ask what all the fuss is about, their necks craning inquisitively through the car windows.

Making it back to the hotel for a sundowner by the pool is quickly slipping from our grasp – but that doesn’t matter, because we’re on Omani time now, and camels, it seems, are in charge here. We’re in Salalah, a bountiful city in Oman’s south, where a slow and sustainable approach to tourism means its authenticity has gone untarnished, giving way to countless moments of surprise and delight.

The drive from Salalah airport sets the tone immediately. To one side, you have the Arabian Sea glittering under a wide, cloudless sky, to the other, rugged mountain ridges that abruptly rise from flat plains, each one punctuated with unexpected tufts of green and the occasional, you guessed it, camel picking its way through the scrub. By the time we reach the hotel and are handed the first of many tiny cups of spiced Arabic coffee, I feel instantly revived and buoyed to explore this most varied of regions.

Salalah, Oman

Why Oman is perfect for the October half-term

For adventurous families looking to swap the inevitable grey British skies for sunshine, nature and culture during October half term, Oman feels like a revelation. In the country’s southern Dhofar region, the Kharif season (Oman’s annual monsoon period) – running June to October – transforms the otherwise arid landscape into carpeted swathes of lush greenery. The timing coincides beautifully with half term, and handily sidesteps the searing temperatures of high summer.

When you think of the Arabian Peninsula, you’d be forgiven for conjuring images of endless desert and scrubland. Not so in Salalah for four months of the year – scenery shifts into something that seems almost incongruous for this part of the world. Mists unfurl over lush mountain ridges, waterfalls tumble dramatically into teal-coloured ‘wadis’ (fleeting river gorges that are bone dry for most of the year) and roadside fruit stalls are piled high with fresh local produce. Visiting in October, after the summer crowds have dispersed, feels like stumbling on a fabulous secret. Temperatures sit around a balmy 27°C, yet the scenery remains vibrant and the beaches are practically your own.

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Kharif season

Where to stay in Salalah with families

We spent four nights at Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara, a laid-back beachfront property that became the first five-star hotel in the region when it opened its doors in 2016. A private 250-metre stretch of powdery beach that faces out onto the glinting Indian Ocean is the jewel in its crown, inviting days that drift naturally between poolside lounging and roaming adventure.

The surrounding Dhofar Mountains are a nature lover’s paradise, not just in terms of scenery, but wildlife too – the area’s Jabal Samhan nature reserve is one of the last remaining habitats of the elusive and endangered Arabian leopard. There is plenty to pull the whole gang away from the infinity pool: hiking among mountain paths and eddying rivers, swimming and boating trips in the many wadis of the area, plus the Frankincense Museum and the Al Baleed Archaeological Park.

– READ MORE: 15 best family hotels in the Middle East that put children first –

Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara

Exploring Oman’s culture, wildlife and traditions

Much of what made the trip so memorable came down to our guide, Hamid, from Amazing Salalah Tourism. His passion for Oman was utterly infectious, with his ability to illuminate its history and geography inspiring nothing but awe. One moment we were pulling over at one of the famous roadside stalls to drink fresh coconut water straight from the shell, the next we’d be delving into Oman’s storied seafaring past in Salalah’s Maritime Hall.

One afternoon, as we were preparing to leave the mountains after a delicious traditional Dhofari meal hosted by Noorulhuda Al Mandhari, founder of female-led sustainable Omani tour operator Ghudu, an added, unexpected highlight came. Our guide Hamid pointed towards the distant bank of a river following a path at the base of the hills. Making their way gingerly along the river’s path appeared some camels – not just a few, but perhaps 500 in total. By luck we had happened upon the annual camel migration, where herders from the east and west Dhofari plains unite to trek from the coastal lowlands to the highland valleys as the Kharif season comes to a close, pausing at wadis along the way to rest and drink water.

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Al Baleed, Oman

Why is frankincense everywhere in Oman?

If you are unsure what the scent of Frankincense smells like, a visit to Oman will quickly see to that: the stuff is literally everywhere you go. While all of Oman is known for frankincense, the Salalah region is home to Boswellia sacra trees – the source of the finest quality, which flourish in the rugged Dhofar highlands.

The frankincense from Dhofar is called Hojari, or “white tears”, and is the most precious of all. The scent of frankincense floats through virtually every part of daily life, curling through hotel lobbies, market stalls, homes and restaurants. Combined with the ever-present Arabic coffee – a gesture of hospitality deeply ingrained in Omani culture – it creates an atmosphere that feels endlessly warm, almost soothing.

Such warmth emanates through the nation’s people. Omanis speak about their country and traditions with such pride and generosity, eager to share stories, customs and recommendations, you can’t help but feel intrigued to know more. If you’re travelling with children, that kind of hospitality and genuine enthusiasm really makes all the difference.

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Salalah, Oman

Why you should combine Salalah with Muscat

If you have the time, flying north to Muscat, Oman’s elegant capital for a few nights perfectly complements the wilder Southern regions. Jagged mountains encircle the white city, providing a spectacular backdrop wherever you look. The exquisite Chedi Muscat was my base and felt like a fitting introduction to the stylish city: date palms line the pools, chic eateries are dotted through the hotel grounds and dark wood interiors give it an understated glamour. Even the gym is all dark wood floors and intricate mashrabiya screens. The hotel’s crown jewel, a 130-metre Long Pool, stretches towards a private beach on the Gulf of Oman. Children are in their element here – it has the kind of sprawling, unhurried quality that makes a resort hotel feel like a genuine oasis.

Having just 24 hours at our disposal, we hot-footed it around The Mutrah Souq, one of the oldest souqs in the Arab world, and the Royal Opera House Muscat – a passion project of the late Sultan Qaboos that showcases mesmerising Islamic artistry offset by Italian marble and Austrian crystal chandeliers. The final morning belonged to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. Arrive early, before the heat and the crowds, and it is totally breathtaking – a vast chandelier glitters beneath carved archways and gold calligraphy, and the great dome shines brilliantly in the morning light.

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Chedi Muscat

Why Oman works so well for family holidays

For families craving more than a week prostrate on a sun lounger, Oman offers something far richer: adventure, culture, wildlife and landscapes unlike anywhere else in the Middle East. And in October, just as Britain slides inexorably towards dark evenings and damp weekends, it is hard to think of a more rewarding half-term escape – and one that doesn’t require a punishing long-haul flight to get there.