Al Bustan Palace to Al Alam Palace
Hello, friends, hive travellers, and community greetings! 20 hours
And more to explore, our journey continued to Muscat after Sultan Qaboos Street.
The taxi turned onto a beautiful road lined with greenery on both sides. This scenic route leads to the Al Bustan Palace, which has been associated with the Ritz-Carlton for the past decade. The driver mentioned that this hotel is a source of pride for Oman, as it is owned collectively by the people of Oman.
One of the key things about this hotel is its heritage. It is a real palace. The royal family manages some floors, and that is why it’s called Al Bustan Palace.
Al Bustan Palace is far more than a hotel. First opened in 1985, the hotel opened to host the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit that year. Designed to represent Oman culture and hospitality at the highest level, the hotel has become an icon, a landmark, and a prideful embodiment of the Sultanate’s culture
The entrance to the restaurant.
It is usual to see His Majesty Sultan Qaboos' portrait on the entrance wall.
The interior is just wow. Visitors are not allowed unless they make a booking, but somebody can use the whole day to see this part, the outdoors, nature, and culture.
Unique gold and maroon traditional Islamic fretwork decorates the walls throughout the 38-meter-high domed atrium.
These shiny walls are made of polished marble and gold maroon fretwork.
The ceiling was so high.
The beautiful fountain is built in the center of the main hall.
This washroom visitors are allowed to use.
We spent some time seeing the beautiful architecture, which has been repaired several times, but still, all the heritage was untouched. It was a very beautiful natural beach surrounded by a nice date garden, but we had only very little time to see many other things.
As soon as we passed through the roundabout, we saw this boat.
A replica of “The Sohar” boat sits at the Al Bustan Palace roundabout at the hotel's gate. Symbol of China-Oman friendship that has grown over 1000 years.
Parliament Building with a traditional dhow.
At one corner, we stopped while and driver told us this is the busiest fishing harbor, Marina Bandar.
Many nice mosques around. But all these houses are mostly empty, the owners moved to the Seeb area where more modern life. Mostly foreign workers rent these houses info from the driver.
We enter the courtyard in front of Al Alam Palace, where there is a big building, a national museum. It felt a bit early for visitors, as the workers were busy cleaning and watering the plants.
The driver dropped us off at one end of the entrance and went to the other end, allowing us to walk through and see more clearly. We started our walk from south to north, and on the north side of the museum, the Sultan's Palace stood very proudly. There was a lot to see before we reached it.
Al Alam Palace is a stunning example of Omani architecture with its vibrant blue and gold facade. It has a big history. Al Alam Palace dates back to 1800, constructed by Imam Sultan bin Ahmed. The palace was initially used as a residence for rulers and governors, serving as a residential headquarters until the era of Sultan Said bin Taimur. In 1972, Sultan Qaboos assumed power and rebuilt it.
It was designed by Indian architects, Shapoorji Pallonji, in a very flamboyant style.
While visitors can't enter the palace but walking around the exterior and the surrounding gardens is allowed. The open place in front of the palace is a great spot for photos and to enjoy the beauty of Oman's royal heritage! But we had less time we just took a faster walk around.
Qasr Al Alam Palace in the heart of Muscat, with a stunning yet humble series of blue-and-gold edifices and tapering columns, is one of the homes of late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
The residential area near the palace is designated for government officials. The driver picked us up at this location, and we got back on the road.
One thing that is very impressive here is how clean everything is. The roads, gardens, streetlights, and both private and state residences, as well as government buildings, shine as if they have been polished to a mirror finish. Before going further, I wanted to take a break here, and we will continue our 1 more hour experience.
see you soon at my last post about Muscat
Thank you.
Please, before sharing or using my photos here, which I have the copyright on all photos, kindly ask me.
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