This month on the Sultanate podcast we head down the newly opened Muttrah Fish Souq. The episode launches on the 5th of October, 2017. Subscribe using Sticher, the iOS Podcast app, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you don’t know how to do that, click this link. Follow the show and learn more about Oman at: www.beyondtheroute.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

In Oman you have to be flexible, and that's exactly what I needed on my last Salalah road trip. My friends and I found ourselves stuck in the mud! In this episode of the Sultanate, my friend John and I take you along with us on a nine day trip from Muscat to Salalah and back again. Something you might be considering to do yourself. Along the way we visit rich lagoons, interesting geological sights, historical towns, tourist sights, friends, and a muddy pasture. There are so many sights to...

Bonus cilps from episode 20 of the Sultanate. listen to the full episode here.  Follow the show and find more about Oman at: www.beyondtheroute.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

Join me on a road trip to Salalah. The episode launches on the 11th…. September 11, 2017. Be sure to subscribe using Sticher, the iOS Podcast app, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you don’t know how to do that, click this link. Follow the show and find more about Oman at: www.beyondtheroute.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

No other wadi in Oman packs so much excitement into such a small place as Wadi Ta'ab. This little canyon has it all. Isolation, rappels, swims, jumps, sheer walls, and beauty. However, all these features require respect or the canyon will punish you. In this episode of the Sultanate I take you along with me to Wadi Ta'ab. Also joining us are my friends Franc, Gilles, and Marion. All of us are experienced climbers and two of us, myself and Gilles, have completed this canyon route before, but...

Join me in Wadi Ta'ab. The episode launches on the 11th…. August 11, 2017. Be sure to subscribe using Sticher, the iOS Podcast app, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you don’t know how to do that, click this link. Follow the show and find more about Oman at: www.beyondtheroute.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

Living and working in Oman has its many positive qualities. The expat life is diverse with outdoor activities and the beautiful landscape clearly at the top of the list. However, there are others things to consider if you are job hunting in Oman. In this episode of the Sultanate I sit down with my mate Jonty Baulk to discuss what it is like living and working in Oman. We cover topics like jobs, working culture, working hours, recreation, salaries, packages, the Oman Labour Law, and the...

Oman is full of surprises tucked away in dusty corners of this vast land. Honey bees are just one example. However, it should be no surprise that apiarists cultivate liquid gold from the honey bee. The Qur'an speaks highly, and encourages this ancient craft:  And your Lord revealed to the bee saying: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in what they build: Then eat of all the fruits and walk in the ways of your Lord submissively. There comes forth from within it a beverage of...

The Bees! episode launches on the 9th…. June 7th 2017. Be sure to subscribe using Sticher, the iOS Podcast app, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you don’t know how to do that, click this link. Follow the show and find more about Oman at: www.beyondtheroute.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

Every spring something special happens on the green mountain. The roses start to bloom, and the farmers descend upon their fields to collect their precious pink flowers.  I knew roses are grown for making rose water on Jebal Akhdar, but that's about all I knew until I decided to investigate for myself with my microphone. What I discovered is a traditional, dainty, craft that continues to thrive despite its many limiting factors. What wasn't limiting is the knowledge given to me by my new...

The Omani Roses episode launches on the 7th…. May 7th 2017. Be sure to subscribe using Sticher, the iOS Podcast app, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you don’t know how to do that, click this link. Follow the show and find more about Oman at: www.beyondtheroute.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

I've done canyoning, climbing, off-roading, hiking, flying, but there's one thing I haven't done in Oman. Caving! Probably the best cave chamber to visit is the Canyon Room, accessed from the Seventh Hole on the Salmah Plateau. Of course, the pinnacle of caving in Oman is Majlis al Jinn, but it's off limits by government order. So, this is the next best thing. However it's far from disappointing. The Seventh Hole derives it's name from being the 7th hole, or access point, found on the...

The Seventh Hole Cave episode launches on the 7th…. April 7th 2017. Be sure to subscribe using Sticher, the iOS Podcast app, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you don’t know how to do that, click this link. Follow the show and find more about Oman at: www.beyondtheroute.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

Paramotoring has quietly been around for a few years in Oman, but the new kids on the block, SkySchool, bring it to the next level. In this episode of the Sultanate I meet up with Seth Royce, who manages SkySchool Oman. He gives me the lowdown on what this crazy sport is all about, how he got involved with paramotoring, and what kind of experience one can expect when flying in Oman. Seth is a long time traveler but recent expat in Oman. You can feel the excietment in his voice when he...

Most of you listen to the Sultanate podcast because of the information that I provide, but this project isn't about me. It's about filling a gap in the travel information for independent travelers to Oman. In other words it's about YOU! While, I am the conduit for good information from my point of view, I do realize that my view is just that... mine. So, in this episode of the Sultanate I meet and interview two pairs of travelers to Oman to get their perspectives. Both pairs originally...

There are a ton of caves in Oman of all sizes. Majlis al Jinn is the largest and most unique, but thousands of other caves dot the countryside and make for some interesting surprises if you happen to have a look. This month I share with you a taste from both sides of the cave spectrum. Richard "Roo" Walters is an amateur cave explorer who is on a mission to laser scan the world's largest cave chambers. He recently scanned Oman's largest chamber, Majlis al Jinn, and I was keen to talk with...

You probably didn't know it, but Oman is a fantastic place for rock climbing. There are some challenges with the heat, but the rock is fantastic, and the climbing community is even better. Strap on your climbing shoes we are going to the crag. I met up with local rock climber and professional life coach Read Macadam to give us an insight into the climbing community and the ongoing development here in the Sultanate. We talk about some of the places to climb like Hadash, Khubrah Canyon, Wadi...

Wishing you all a wonderful National Day celebration in Oman. New episodes on the 5th of every month. Follow the show and find more about Oman at: www.beyondtheroute.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

When we travel and experience new places and cultures, inevitably we compare what is in front of us to what we know. Some things we easily understand, some we disagree with, other thing we even find funny. Being exposed to different ideas and experiences ultimately makes us better humans. Today, after six years of residency in Oman, I am still finding new and exciting observations in this wonderful place. During this episode of the Sultanate I take you on an audio tour and share with you...

I always wanted to try out a via ferrata, and it finally happened with a visit to Oman's newest via ferrata at the Alila Jabal Akhdar hotel. A via ferrata is a protected climbing route, and Jebal Akhdar is one of the most beautiful places in Oman. Mix the two together to make a memorable adventure in the mountains. In this episode of the Sultanate, Jonty and I take you along the via ferrata course at Alila Jabal Akhdar with the help of our guides Majid and Rob. Along the way Majid points out...

There are so many opportunities for adventure travel in Oman. Rock climbing, abseiling, caving, canyoning, via ferrata, hiking, and off-road driving are just a few adventurous activities practiced in the sultanate. One man, who has been to all of the great places, is Justin Halls. Justin Halls is a Senior Instructor with Muscat Adventure Center, and basically he takes clients to wonderfully beautiful places in Oman that you can not access without special knowledge, training, or equipment....

With its narrow alleyways and tiny shops, Muttrah Souq offers shoppers a taste of traditional Omani life. Muttrah Souq quietly rivals other historical marketplaces around the world in terms of authenticity, but little was known about this important souq, until now. Meet Maxine Burden, the Australian author and expat in Oman, who literally wrote the book on the history of Muttrah Souq with her book Throw Down the Anchor: The Story of Muttrah Souq. She spent years gathering stories and photos...

One of the qualities I like most about Oman is the small population. You can be 20 minutes outside of Muscat and find yourself, seemingly, the only person for miles. This seclusion gives you the feeling of owning a piece of Oman for yourself, even if it's just for an afternoon. One such place that makes me the sultan of my own kingdom is As Sifah Secret Beach. I took Lady M to As Sifah Secret Beach for a nice afternoon swim, not once; but twice during our travels recently. And in this...

The Sharqiya Sands is one of my most favorite place in Oman. It has everything you could want; beauty, emptiness, mystery, easy access, and uniqueness. Whether you are into off-road sand driving, or you just enjoy the peace and quiet, the Sharqiya Sands is a must see in Oman. In this episode of the Sultanate I sit down with David, a geologist here in Oman, to discuss in-depth, what created the amazing Sharqiya Sands. Because of David's position in the oil industry, he has access to a wealth...

The Rub' al Khali (الربعالخالي) literally means Empty Quarter in Arabic, and is the world's largest contiguous sand desert covering about 650,000 square km of land. To put that into perspective, the Rub' al Khali covers most of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula with potions existing in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and of course, Oman. During the winter my mates Jonty and David joined me on the most epic off-road journey I have every embarked on. Destination: The Rub'...