Sur

The city of Sur is one of the ancient Omani cities. It is a city that has played a prominent and distinguished role in maritime commercial activity across the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman, forming a business and cultural bridge between the Arabian Peninsula, India, South East Asia and Africa. Sur Port is amongst the oldest ports, where more than one hundred and fifty sailing vessels docked daily during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is the most easterly city in Arabia and the first one to witness sunrise in this part of the world. Sur used to be an important shipbuilding centre of vessels that crossed the oceans. This wilaya has a number of famous ancient monuments, including Bilad Sur Castle, As Sinaysilah Castle, Al `Ayjah Castle, Fanar Ras Al Meel and Ras Al Hadd Castle. It also has a number of valleys, the most prominent being Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi, in addition to Ras Al Hadd where the Turtle Sanctuary at Ras Al Jinz lies.

Turtle Reserve

The beaches extending from Ras Al Hadd to Masirah Island in the Al Sharqiyah South Governorate are considered a turtle reserve, including the green turtle, which is a rare turtle that returns every year to lay its eggs on the same beach where it was born decades ago. Ras Al Jins is a quiet sanctuary for turtles where they lay their eggs, securing the continued survival of the species and protecting them from extinction. Apart from the turtle breeding season (which extends throughout the year in varying degrees), you can enjoy the beauty of the beach and view the magnificent tracks left by the turtles. A scientific centre has been established containing illustrative displays of the turtles laying their eggs. The reserve is 65 kilometres east of Sur City and can be reached through Al `Ayjah village.

Wadi Tiwi and Wadi Shab

Located in Tiwi, Sur Al Sharqiyah South Governorate. It lies 140 kilometres (87 miles) from Muscat on the Qurayat – Sur Coastal Road. Fresh water cascading from tops of the mountains meet the briny sea water on its banks, creating an environmental diversity unique to this wadi, and making it stand on a pedestal of its own when compared with the other wadis (valleys) in the Sultanate.