Al Awabi Castle

Oman


Functioning less as a sight in its own right, picturesque though it may be, this fort as an excellent landmark for the slightly obscure entrance into Wadi Bani Kharus. It has been recently renovated and remains closed to the public, but wandering around the outside gives a clear notion of how this tiny squat structure was used to guard the thoroughfare to the fertile wadi beyond.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Oman attractions

1. Petroglyphs

0.64 MILES

At the first bend in the road that leads through Wadi Bani Kharus from the village of Al Awabi, there's a great slab of smooth pale-grey rock on the…

2. Wadi Bani Kharus

1.15 MILES

Famed for its geological interest, this dramatic wadi has only recently become readily accessible to visitors with the construction of a paved road along…

3. Wadi Bani Awf

3.25 MILES

This spectacular wadi is a major artery through the mountains and often flows year-round with spring water. It looks particularly gorgeous when mountain…

4. Thorn Tree Copse

5.94 MILES

Where the paved road through Wadi Bani Awf ends, a magnificent stand of trees comes into view. These are Ziziphus spina christi, or 'Christ thorn trees' –…

5. Qasra Museum

8.99 MILES

Tucked into the unlit and crumbling old quarter of Rustaq, behind the fort, this unique museum is the personal project of the owner, Zakia Al Lamki. Left…

6. Rock Arch

9.06 MILES

Referred to locally as a rock arch, this striking natural feature is in fact a fissure in the cliff. There is just enough space at the bottom of the crack…

7. Rustaq Fort

9.17 MILES

Two cannons mark the interior courtyard of this enormous fort – the entrance alone signals its former importance. Built on top of pre-Islamic foundations,…

8. Wadi Mistal

9.72 MILES

Less wadi and more an extension of the Batinah Plain, Wadi Mistal leads through a narrow gap in the mountains to an enormous desert basin. Dotted with…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "oman/al-awabi/attractions/al-awabi-castle/a/poi-sig/1610138/1342670",
      "destination": "Oman",
      "continent": "Middle-East",
      "country": "Oman",
      "position": "superzone"
    }