Sur, Oman

The city of Sur is a fishermen's town on the east coast of Oman. In the past it has been well known for its Dhow building and was Oman's main centre of trade with East-Africa. Dhows are still being built in Sur today but there is no trade with East-Africa any longer. Nowadays Sur is a quiet town. You can wander in its authentic souk with Middle-Eastern ware; it has that genuine Arabic feel with locals wearing dish-dash or baya. You can even treat yourself to a bit of culture by visiting one of the forts in Sur, the marine museum and dhows, or go for a stroll along the quay.Sur has an ideal location; it is a great starting point for exploring Oman. It has great beaches and several interesting things to see and do nearby. For example turtle watching at Ras Al Hadd is only 45 km along the coast or The Wahiba Sands (Oman's beautiful desert) is reached within a one hour drive.

Oman, with its quickly developing tourism, is a beautiful and friendly country and very suitable for people who like camping, boating, wadi trips, the beach, culture etc.Sur is 350 km from Muscat by the inland road and 150 km by the graded coastal road. The local language is Arabic but the business language is English and widely spoken by Omani's and shopkeepers. The religion is Muslim.At present (January 2007) there are approximately 20 expatriate families working with Oman LNG in Sur from varying nationalities