When people go to Oman, they either choose to go to the bigger cities like Muscat or Salalah but if you want to get a feel for the real soul of Oman, you might want to consider heading north and going to Barka, Oman. This place is currently being slowly developed as a tourist resort area with a new quarter called the Blue City being constructed in Suwadi. Such a development is considered a welcome addition to the lovely coastal town of Barka which has quite a number of attractions that tourists will surely love.
One such attraction is the Sur ar Rumays Fort which is a crumbling structure that has never been restored but is a true testament to the history of the region. Another interesting fort that you may want to visit in the area is the Al Na’man Fort which is usually open at seven in the morning and offers visitors free entrance until it closes at 6 pm.
If you want to experience an age-old sport that involves two bulls in Barka, then you might want to check out the bull butting events that happen here. This usually happens on a Friday so better ask around if there are to be bull butting events in the area before then.
The city of Barka is around 60 miles away from Muscat and you can get there easily with a rental car. There are a number of affordable hotels you can stay at in Barka and a few high-end beach resorts that you can stay at as well.