Things to do in Oman

[TryingToJuggle]

We have just booked a cruise with RC to Dubai, Muscat, Khasab and Abu Dhabi. The excursions all seem to be city tours or trips involving in a vehicle for some time which I am sure the kids will not enjoy. Does anyone have any suggestions of things we coudl do/places to visit in any of these locations suitable for a 5 and 7 year old?

DH used to work in Oman and he said there's a hotel called The Chedi which is just lovely: beautiful pool, great food. My kids would have liked that aged 5 & 7. Hope this helps.

I've not been to Khasab but been to the other places (albeit a long time ago)! Dubai you'll find lots to do with kids in the city itself but I would take a trip out into the desert if it's on offer. The kids might not enjoy it now and other than driving around there isn't much to do when they get there, but it's something they will remember and talk about when deserts come up at school! Oman is very different to Dubai (where I lived for 4 years) and is a mountain sultanate with a lot more of its history preserved. I always liked it a lot more than Dubai (it's prettier, less bling). Some parts of Muscat feel almost Mediterranean and the corniche and souk are worth exploring. From memory & I didn't go with kids, there isn't much for kids other than hotels (of which there are lots), pools, beaches & snorkelling. I don't know Abu Dhabi at all well but Al Ain is nice if any tours go out there.

The assuming the cruise docks at Muscat harbour you will need to go in a car / vehicle to get to the best bits. Muscat itself has the souk but otherwise a short cab ride would get you To Al Bustan hotel, a bit further to the Chedi.

What about a wadi bashing excursion into the Wahiba sands - so yes stuck Ina vehicle but a lot of fun.

Muscat is a beautiful city. The old souq and old city are worth a walk around. There's also a place called Wadi Shab that's amazing. It's about 2 or 3 hours of off-roading, but you get to see an amazing sink hole, a small village only reachable by going off road, and then hike through a canyon filled with mango trees and old Omani homes built into the rock to an amazing waterfall/pool where you can swim. It is amazing.

For Dubai, I'd stick to the tourist attractions. Take them to Wild Wadi or Atlantis the Palm for the day. It's fun. You can see the Burj Al Arab and the Burj Khalifa from them.

Abu Dhabi, go to see the Sheikh Zayed mosque, there's also Ferrari world and Yas Waterworld if they don't want to do traditional stuff or a city tour.

I'm afraid I dont' know anything about Khasab.

Oh sorry, for Dubai as well, if they will handle a bit of a drive, take a car to Qudra lakes. It's a man made lake, but there's flamingo's, gazelle, oryx, falcons, etc etc. And you drive through the dunes to get there, so it's a nice excursion.

At Khasab you will probably be taken onto a dhow for a dolphin cruise (I spent a week there in February and there were cruise ships docking every day which did this - there isn't much else to do there to be honest).

You will go into the fjords and you are almost guaranteed a dolphin sighting.

I felt a bit sorry for the cruise ship people though, as they crammed hundreds of them onto one dhow (I actually thought it looked a bit dangerous). If I were you I would make my own way to the port and find a dhow privately to take you into the fjords. It will be more relaxing and special that way - there are loads of dhows moored up for you to haggle with.

In Abu Dhabi, you could spend the day at Yas Island - there is Yas Waterpark and Ferrari World. Just find a taxi to take you there from the port (should be very easy).

Yas Island

Go and have dinner at Yas Links as well. The food is nothing to write home about, but the view of the Abu Dhabi skyline and the mangroves. There is a huge grassy area for the kids to around and lots of other kids to play with. It's my favorite spot in Abu Dhabi.