Turkey to Muscat

Tagged as the most populous city of Turkey, Istanbul is a city enriched with ample amount of cultural and traditional values. It is also considered as the cultural and financial hub of the country. Situated on both sides by Bosphorous, the city is estimated to be populated with around 19milliion people. It was among the top list of the European Capitals of Culture in 2010. The weather condition of the city is temperate with an oceanic climate. The summers are hot and humid; while the winters are comparatively cold, wet and snowy. You can easily reach the place with access to the Istanbul Ataturk Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport, or can also opt for other mediums, such as bus, boat and cars. While roaming through the streets and passages of the city, avoid places that are not mentioned on the map properly. If you plan to stay back at Istanbul for more than a day, then carrying 'Istanbulkart' is a good idea. Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, Sultanahmet Mosque , and Basilica Cistern are places to quickly hunt for, as they count among the list of ancient heritage and religious places of Istanbul. Istanbul is enormously popular for their regional hamam's and hookahs (Nargile), and it should be on the must-do list of every visitor. You can also visit various regional museums and can walk through the historic pavements of the city with your loved ones. For shopping purposes, Istanbul is a fabulous place to be. You can shop from the local markets and get a rooted essence of the city and can shop for Turkish Delight, Turkish Tea, Rugs and Killims and Chalcedony. With par class dining arrangements and numerous delectable food joints, Istanbul serves their visitors a warm delicious welcome. With MakeMyTrip, you can easily handle your ticket booking queries with ease and can also avail discounts on your different deals. The customer friendly approach of the website allows everyone to pick and select the options according to their own choice and requirement. With budget-friendly deals and offers, MakeMyTrip assures their customers full satisfaction and allows them to have fun on the trip.

Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, has a character quite different from the other flashy emirate capitals. There are very few high rise buildings, and even the utilitarian edifices in the city reflect tradition using domes or Arab architecture style windows. The result is a stunningly beautiful and uniform city showcasing a fair blend of culture and modernization.

The Omani capital is famous for its sparkling souks and mouth-watering seafood, but something about Muscat that sets it apart from its neighbours is the cliff-top landmarks and thrilling terrains. Muscat means “safe anchorage,” and the sea plays an imperative role in the lives of the city residents, by helping sustain the fishing industry and providing opportunities for visitors to swim alongside the turtles in the lagoons. The economy of the country is dominated by trade, petroleum, and porting.

How to reach Muscat

By Air – The Muscat International Airport is the only international airport. Air India Express offers flights to Muscat from Amritsar, Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Thiruvananthapuram. For travelling from outside of India, one can choose from operators like Oman Air, British Airways, Gulf Air, Lufthansa, and Emirates, depending upon where they are travelling from.

By Bus – One can hop on any of the buses by the Omar National Transport Company to travel to Muscat from Dubai or Abu Dhabi. There are a few other bus services that run to and from Muscat on a daily basis.

By Car – One can drive to Muscat from the United Arab Emirates, which takes about 6 hours. There is another route from Al Ghaydah, Yemen, which takes about 6 hours via the border-crossing at Sarfeit to Saraha, and another 10 hours to reach Muscat. There are many car rental services available in the city. One can use the driving license from their home country to drive around Muscat for up to 90 days.

What to do in Muscat

Muscat, the beautiful capital of the Sultanate of Oman, is a vibrant place to visit. It is embedded between the Arabian Sea and the rugged Hajar Mountains. The city is actually a collection of smaller towns that have grown together over time. The area of Muttrah, where most tourists gather, is surrounded by rocky outcrops surrounding a cosy port. The development of the Royal Opera House is another feather in the cap of the city’s contribution to the global cultural map. There are incredible places to visit and amazing things to do in Muscat. Some of them are as follows:

The Royal Opera House

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

The National Museum

Al Alam Palace

Marina Bandar Al Rowdha

Mutrah Souq

Bait Al Zubair

Sultan’s Palace

Mutrah Corniche

Ghalya Museum of Modern Art

Oman Grand Canyons

The Batinah Coast

Museum of Illusions

Muscat Gate Museum

Al Jalali Fort

Omani French Museum

Omani Children’s Museum

The Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum

Enjoy water sports

Eat at Al Angham Restaurant

Relax at some of Muscat’s secret beaches

Eat out at the streets of Ruwi

Go on a Muscat Hop-on Hop-off bus tour

Go on a Wahiba sands tour

Go on a dolphin cruise

Visit the Chedi

The many sightseeing options in the city will unravel its mysteries, and enthusiasts can opt from a wide range of tours provided by various operators. These tours to help the tourists to understand more about Muscat’s roots, and unveil the true beauty of the Omani capital.

Major Airports in and Around Muscat

The Muscat International Airport is the sole international airport that connects Muscat to the rest of the world. Oman Air is the primary carrier of Muscat. The other airlines that operate in Muscat include Air Arabia, Air India Express, British Airways, Egypt Air, Etihad, Emirates, Fly Dubai, Gulf Air, KLM, Quwait Airways, and Qatar Airways.

Make My Trip offers a wide range of flights to Muscat. One can easily log into the Make My Trip website or mobile app to browse through to book flights to and from Muscat. Make My Trip flights to Muscat are offered at huge discounts to first time users as well as the regular travellers. Season tickets can also be availed at a great discount while booking from Make My Trip.