When I told friends that my husband and I were going to visit The Sultanate of Oman in April, the first inevitable question I was asked was, “Is it safe?”. Not only is it safe, it is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever seen.

Positioned on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, this arid country offers visitors jaw-dropping vistas with rugged mountains and canyons at every turn. The capital city of Muscat is beautiful, clean and quite cosmopolitan, and set on the edge of the Arabian Sea. Our visit included everything from fine dining, wonderful wines (discovery: Lebanon produces rather memorable cabernets!), spa time, shopping, hiking, swimming, and 4x4 outings in the Al Hajar mountains. In terms of activities, the possibilities are infinite!

We stayed at the Chedi Muscat and acclimated to the time change in their incredible spa. The Chedi is situated on the water and the spa’s lounge area offers stunning views of the sea. In a word? Tranquil. It is very contemporary and chic, while feeling quite exotic and arabesque. We used this as our home base as we toured the city of Muscat with private guides, and it was there that we visited a luxury parfumerie and Muscat’s impressive and lavish Grand Mosque.

For our desert adventure, we lodged at the Alila Jabal Akhdar, a luxurious and rustic resort perched at the mouth of a dramatic gorge, surrounded by mountains. After rigorous hikes in the local area, we had truly earned the spa time and infinity pool’s awe-inspiring views. This was our favorite hotel simply due to the fact that the setting was so raw and magical. I will never forget the night sky’s endless stars, nor the sight of a lighting storm approaching over the mountains as the sun was setting. It was an incredible place to disconnect from the world and re-connect with my husband.

I found everyone we met to be warm and welcoming and the accommodations utterly luxurious. For travelers with an appetite for adventure, the exotic, and for the great outdoors….Oman is a destination that should not be overlooked.