oman
Oman could not be more unlike Dubai, its flashy neighbour on the Arabian Peninsula. Here, you won’t find colossal skyscrapers or town-sized shopping malls. Yes, several of the country’s luxury hotels rival the best in the West and some areas are impressively modern, but what makes Oman so special is everything else: its mystical culture and ancient souks, the soaring Hajar Mountains, endless white-sand beaches, the isolated Musandam Peninsula and stunning desert-including an Omani Grand Canyon.