A charming mud-brick village where you can wander around lush banana / palm plantations and old abandoned houses.
Your complete guide to Birkat al Mouz, a village in the Ad Dhakhiliyah region. With its mud-brick houses, falaj water ways, and cool oases, it will give you a stunning insight into traditional Omani lifestyle.
I consider Birkat al Mouz one of the most gorgeous villages in Oman. Muscat is 90 minutes’ drive away and it’s only 20 minutes away from Nizwa.
Birkat Al Mouz has an amazing name. It translates into English as ‘the pool of plantains’ – namely ‘the pool of bananas’! The name combines 2 of Oman’s great loves: water and…bananas!
It is, of course, a humorous comment but consider the following true story…
When I first started teaching English in Oman, we had to give a level test to our prospective students. One of the questions on this test was ‘what are your hobbies?’. To which, I would find the answer, ‘Eating bananas.’ At first, I didn’t pay attention. But, as it occurred over and over again, it started to intrigue me. Was eating bananas really a hobby in Oman? As in, at the weekend, when someone wants to relax, they stay at home and indulge in a bowl of plantains? Really? I was curious and spoke with some of my Omani friends about this. Their interpretation of the mysterious answer was that it represents an ‘easy answer’ to write in English. I understood and it made me smile.
But, back to Birkat al Mouz.
Sibani lane with its beautiful gate (Photo: Joussour to Oman)
Birkat al Mouz has often been described as a ‘must-see’ ghost town that is situated between the towns of Izki and Nizwa (about 130 km from Muscat). Actually, about 8,000 people still live in the newer part of Birkat al Mouz and it has all the necessary facilities including 4 schools.
The village, which is situated near Jabal Akhdar (the Green Mountain), is famous for its 2 neighbourhoods where you will find some beautiful abandoned mud houses with stunning doors. These will give you an insight into traditional Omani architecture and life as it once was in Oman.
A group of Omani men explore the ruins of these mud-brick houses (Photo: Joussour to Oman)
Walking down the narrow alleys (Photo: Joussour to Oman)
In Sibani, one of the neighbourhoods you can explore, you can climb up and get a glorious view over the valley with the mountains in the distance.
A view of the surrounding mountains and plantations (photo: Joussour to Oman)
When I last visited Birkat al Mouz, I stayed at the renovated Heritage Inn called Bait al Sabah (meaning ‘The Morning House’). It is so well situated. From there, it is easy to walk down Al Sibani lane. Along the way, the gardens full of banana trees and date palms look so lush. The ideal time to visit is between November and March as the outside temperature will allow you to wander around with ease.
Finally, you will arrive at a small white mosque on the left, built over the elevated falaj. When you go under the narrow arch, you will arrive at a modern café called – you have it! – ‘Banana Café.’
Banana Café offers a comfortable spot to relax and enjoy the view (Photo: Joussour to Oman)
Banana café is recent and its large glass windows offer a stunning view of a date palm plantation. The place is light with modern furniture. On the menu, I found many elements with banana: a strawberry-banana smoothie, banana booster, and banana dream – to name a few.
During my last visit, I had a long conversation with the Kenyan barista about coffee and ended up ordering a ‘cortado coffee’. The café specialises in a wide range of coffees. The result was really good. In recent years, speciality coffee has started to become a trend in Oman.
From the café, you will be able to see the long and narrow Falaj Al Khatmain that was built as the hydraulic system of the village.
Oman is famous for its traditional irrigation system called ‘Falaj’. During your trip, you might also come across the word ‘aflaj’ which is the plural form of the word ‘falaj’. The meaning of the word is ‘split into parts’ and refers to the fact that the water is ‘divided’ amongst the gardens in different parts of town or farming areas depending on the time of day/night. The water flows into a large network of channels and, at times, even defies gravity through an ingenious engineering system. Said, a local guide from Birkat al Mouz, explained to me that Falaj Al Khatmain is fed by Wadi Al Mu’aidin and is one of five aflaj in Oman to have been listed as a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
While you meander around Birkat al Mouz, I’m sure you will enjoy the combination of the old houses left in ruins, the modern habitations, and the greenery. When I visit, I always wonder who lived here in the past and why they decided to abandon their houses. While reading about the history of the village, I came to understand that one of the most powerful Omani tribes, the Bani Riyam, settled here. My guide Said explained that the families that make up the tribe lived between Jabel Al Akhdar (the nearby Green Mountain) and Birkat al Mouz.
The greenery of the gardens and plantations is a beautiful contrast to the ocre buildings (Photo: Joussour to Oman)
The ever-present sound of water in the village is refreshing. It isn’t difficult for me to understand why the Bani Riyam tribe chose to settle there. If you come to visit, I think you will also see why.
From Banana Café, it takes about 10-15 minutes to walk back to Bait al Sabah Heritage Inn & Café. Climb up to the top terrace and watch the village get bathed in a golden light as the sun sets. This will make for a beautiful end to your day in Birkat al Mouz.
Mid-range: Bait Al Sabah Heritage Inn & Café is the only hotel in Birkat al Mouz. This charming renovated mud-brick house is wonderfully situated in the old part of the village. It offers 8 small double rooms that are basic but beautifully refurbished.
Bait al Sabah is superbly decorated in the traditional Omani style. The falaj passes under the house and you can see it in one part of the ground floor (Photos: Joussour to Oman).
The café in Bait al Sabah: a selection of coffee as well as cakes (try the date cake! Excellent!). The terrace offers amazing views of the historic part of the village. Magical in the evening.
Alam Café is also an excellent choice to enjoy high quality coffee (the best coffee I’ve had in Oman!), quality food and a relaxing atmosphere. Very popular with local people. For more information, see my blog post about it.
Banana Café: See my earlier comments about this beautiful café which offers excellent coffee and a stunning view over a date grove and the falaj.
WELCOME to JOUSSOUR to OMAN
Hello and welcome to Joussour to Oman! I’m Christine van den Hogen, a Franco-British writer, teacher and watercolourist. I’ve been living in the Middle East for 7 years and 4 years in Oman.
I’m passionate about helping independent travellers interested in cultures create immersive journeys.
Joussour to Oman is my cultural travel blog and it’s my hope to share my first-hand experience as someone who lives here as well as insights from local people. I want to share insiders’ tips with you so you can plan your trip to Oman efficiently and truly EXPERIENCE Omani culture when you come.
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Christine is a Muscat-based writer, watercolourist and teacher. She's been living in Oman for 4 years and she's also lived in Jordan and Dubai. She shares resources and stories to help independent travellers plan creative trips and truly experience Middle Eastern cultures.
