The thrill peaks further at Al Mughsail Beach, with its famed and ancient blowholes created by centuries of erosion on limestone rocks periodically erupting with electrifying roars, sending seawater skywards.

An hour away is the jaw-dropping setting of Jabal Al Qamar or the Mountain of the Moon, named for its black rocks that resemble a lunar landscape. During Khareef season, traversing across the flat plateau feels like a chase for sun rays through a shifting sea of mist. At its steep edge, where the land plunges 1,000 metres into the sea, one encounters not just breathtaking views but also the vertical thrust of the wind. For those who seek more, Jabal Samhan’s 1,700-metre peak offers camping, and a chance to spot the rare Arabian leopards.

Oman has a distinctive cultural side, too. The Dhofar folk music of the mountain tribes, particularly the Al-Bar'ah tradition, features chants and a war-like dance performed in a semi-circle by both men and women, often accompanied by drums, the oud, flutes, and conch shells. Listen closely to these sounds to hear the past, the present, and perhaps the very breath of Oman itself.

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