The hook
A sea of tall red-and-gold dunes rolling to the horizon, where you sleep in a Bedouin desert camp under the stars, an easy taste of the great Arabian sands within reach of the coast.
01Why it's worth it
The Wahiba Sands (also called the Sharqiya Sands) are a classic dune desert, long ridges of rippled orange and honey-coloured sand that shift with the wind, home to Bedouin families who still herd camels and, increasingly, run the desert camps that make the sands so accessible. Driving in over the dunes by 4x4, climbing a high ridge for sunset as the light turns the sand crimson, and then spending the night at a camp with Omani food, a fire, and a ceiling of stars is one of the easiest and most rewarding desert experiences in Arabia. It pairs beautifully with the coast just beyond: at Ras al Jinz on the nearby shore, green turtles haul out to nest on the beach at night, a protected spectacle you can witness with rangers. Between the dunes and the turtles, this corner of Oman packs a lot of desert-and-sea magic into a short trip.
02How to experience it
Go in with a 4x4 (with a guide, or the skill to drive soft sand) and stay overnight at a desert camp for the sunset, stars, and sunrise on the dunes. Combine it with a night at Ras al Jinz to watch nesting turtles with the rangers. The cooler months are the time to go.