Sur's up

If asked, i'm sure many people would say the ideal holiday destination should involve "sun, sand and surf". With over 2,000 km of coastline, Oman has a lot of all three. 150 km South-East of the capital, Muscat, the seaside town of Sur has been a gateway to the Gulf of Oman for centuries. After being aplayer in trade over the millennia, Sur these days just seems a little rundown.

While never a major historical figure, Sur was a decent port of call

on the trade route from India. But it seems the cards were stacked against the tiny seaside community. Once the British took over in India, with their fancy-pants steamers, the little Omani Dhows (sail boats) simply couldn't compete. And with the opening of the Suez canal as a more direct route to Europe, trade in the area all but shut down. There are remnants of Surs' financial past. Like most other places in the area, forts and towers adorn nearly every hill top and outcropping. And the government initiative of restoring some of these old watch posts has done a good job at restoring the past. However, the Sur experience, at least in terms of architecture and monuments, is a bit of a let down.

Nowadays, Sur is on the upswing. A surge in the local economy has

been fuelled by fertilizer and liquid gas, literally. This is abundantly clear in the New Souq (market area). Shops are popping up all over as construction seems 24/7. Modern day traders haggle over prices in the traditions of old. BUT.... this new market shows no physical resemblance to what one might picture as a traditional Middle Eastern market. This is not a place of winding back alleyways and hidden little stalls where craftsmen toil over generation old practices. Instead, this is a place where you buy the latest model mobile phone or send remittences to India. Camel caravans have been replaced by playboy wannabes cranking their thump-thump music out of pseudo-hotrods. The market is ordinary, unattractive and loud.

But all is not lost. Tucked away on the the southern edge of the town,

where the sea meets the lagoon sits Surs' cultural heart. The long standing tradition of ship building is still alive and well. High quality Dhows (small sailing ship) have been fashioned here for ages. And while the dhow yards bear more resemblance to a ship graveyard, the ancient observance of shipbuilding lives on. Although the labourers speak little to no English, they are quite willing to show the tricks of the trade as you pay your last respects to the rotting corpses of the water-crafts of yesteryear.

The picturesque village of Ayjah sits just across the lagoon from Sur.

Although similar in appearance to Sur itself (low-lying white washed houses) the town has a completely different feel. The newly restored lighthouse gives strollers a destination. Although closed, it is a relaxed place to chill on the benches looking over the sea and lagoon to Sur. There is no market (although there is a fort), no remittence shops, just peace and tranquility. Profoundly quieter and more laid-back than it's larger cousin, the rumble of passing cars is replaced by the giddy "hellos" of tiny voices hidden behind doorways and curtained windows. Goats roam the streets in no hurry to go anywhere. And you are unlikely to see another tourist around. Geographically, it's just across the water (complete with new bridge) but it might as well be a million miles away.

Sur, instead, can act like a base for region exploration.

Expensive tours (starting at 25 OR for city tours) stretch afield to places like the turtle beach at Ras al-Jinz, and to several beautiful Wadis (river canyons) including Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi. But like all other out-of-the-way places in Oman, the wadis and turtle beach are inaccessible by public transport. This means you either need to rent a car (from 12 OM/day) or join the tour. The tour prices are based per car with a 4 person maximum. If in a group, they are quite well priced. But as an individual traveller they are simply too expensive.

Sur, itself, is easily accessible by bus. The state run Oman National Transport Co. has 3 services a day. 2 of which take the 4+ hour inland route (4 OM) and a new one that takes the 2+ hour seaside causeway (3 OR) The new service leaves Sur New Souq at 7am and returns from Muscat Ruwi terminal at 3pm. Toll booths were set up, but don't seem to be functioning yet for those with their own car.

I can't say I was a huge fan of Sur. But the town is not without it's charms. It can be tough to get over the inevitable first impression one gets from arrival into the new souq, but if willing to delve a little deeper, their are a few gems to be discovered.