7 Unconventional Places to Find Visual Inspiration for Your Oman Trip

Before your journey, you probably want to get some visual inspiration for your Oman trip. If you’re like me, you look for images that help you feel the place — its colours, light, and daily life. Yet, most searches show the same iconic forts, popular wadis, and desert dunes. How can you get beyond these ‘visual stereotypes’? How can you explore beyond what the algorithm serves up?

To guide you, I’ve gathered some of my favourite, lesser-known sources of visual inspiration — places where artists, photographers, and creators reveal the country through a more authentic lens.

1. The Hidden Corners of Instagram

Beyond the travel influencers, the key is to follow local creators who see the country from the inside out. They capture the unposed portrait of a shopkeeper in a souq or dishes enjoyed throughout the country.

• Alia Farsi: I love the colours in this Omani painter’s work! Alia is a fantastic Omani artist whose work is an explosion of life! Alia will give you a modern and creative view of every day life here.
• Jokha Al Harthi: The Omani author Jokha al-Harthi paints pictures with her words. In her beautiful novel, Celestial Bodies, she doesn’t just tell you a story; she transports you into the heart of an Omani village. You can almost feel the heat, hear the whispered conversations, and see the colours of the date palms.
• Maadh Albadi: For a dose of pure, positive energy and a look into the life of Oman’s younger generation, Maadh al-Badi is a must-follow. As a popular vlogger and creator, he shares his adventures with an infectious enthusiasm that is impossible to resist. You’ll also get an insider’s view of Omani food!
• Rachel Maciver: While not Omani by birth, photographer Rachel Maciver has lived in Oman for years. Her feed is a beautiful and compelling story of her life here. She captures everything from the grand spectacle of a royal parade to the quiet, everyday moments of her family exploring a wadi.
• Zuhair al Siyabi: a free-lance Omani photographer with breathtaking pictures showcasing a wide variety of areas and events in Oman.

2. Boutique Hotels and Creative Stays

Omani boutique hotels and eco-lodges are full of creative details — palm-woven baskets, roof-top terraces, and soft desert tones. They will you give you a unique insight into Oman’s culture through its places.

• Bait AlSabah Heritage Inn & Café in Birkat al Mouz: Nestled next to the old ruins in Birkat al Mouz. This inn gives you a base for visual inspiration — from mud-brick walls to rooms with traditional details, you can even see the falaj running under it.
• Koofan Heritage Lodge in Salalah: This is a heritage house turned lodge with genuine Dhofari architecture. The house has been restored with care — thick stone walls, wooden doors, and colourful elements that keep the feeling of old Dhofar.
• The Suwgra Heritage Inn (Jebel Akhdar): High in the mountains, The Suwgra Heritage Inn is one of those places that helps you understand Oman’s relationship with its landscape. The restored stone houses and terraces give you a real sense of how people adapted to life here. It’s simple, resourceful, and close to the earth.
• Misfah Heritage House (Misfah al Abriyeen): Misfah Heritage House sits right in the middle of one of Oman’s most beautiful mountain villages. It’s a place that helps you see what daily life in a mountain village really looks like — stone paths, rooms that open onto views of the date palms, and simple spaces that make sense in the heat.

3. Local Craftspeople and Designers

Oman’s creative traditions are alive and changing. Craftspeople across the country still work with natural materials — clay, palm leaves, silver, and frankincense — but they adapt their designs and methods as life changes around them. Their work is about keeping a connection between heritage and the present moment.

And don’t forget the world of Omani perfume. In Oman, scent is part of identity — from the frankincense burned in homes to the attars (natural perfume oil) made from rose, amber, or oud.

1. Amouage perfumes: an Omani reference when it comes to perfumes. I once went into an Amouage shop in Muscat and told the shop keeper, ‘your shop is both heaven and hell – heaven for the fragrances and hell for the prices!’ (You’ve been warned!)
2. Frankincense sourcing (Dhofar, Oman) — This site focusses on Omani frankincense.
3. Balqees al Wahaibi, a young Omani woman recreating silver jewellery artwork.
4. Saleh Al Shukairi that will give you insight into how a young Omani is blending traditional Arabic calligraphy with modern expression.