Where to stay in Oman: the best areas and hotels

Muscat doesn't do skyscrapers. It sprawls instead, a long ribbon of white buildings strung between rocky mountains and the Gulf of Oman, so each district feels like its own small town. The old port of Mutrah has the corniche, the dhows and a labyrinthine souq; further along, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and the Royal Opera House show off the modern city's taste for marble and restraint.

The best hotels hide in coves along the coast. Al Bustan Palace is the grande dame, with its own beach, a full-service spa and five outdoor pools. Out west towards the airport, the newer Al Mouj district has the Kempinski and a marina, and Ghala Heights puts you about 12 minutes from your flight.

Come for winter sun from October to April, when the days are hot and blue rather than brutal. Muscat makes an easy base for day trips, too, so many visitors simply stay put and hire a driver.

Nizwa was Oman's old capital, and it still feels like the country's heartland. The great round tower of its fort looms over a souq selling silver daggers, dates and pottery, and on Friday mornings the goat market draws a crowd that hasn't changed much in centuries. Hotels in town are practical, mid-range bases for exploring; the Golden Tulip sits at the foot of the Hajar mountains about 20 minutes' drive out.

The star turn is up the hill. Jebel Akhdar, the Green Mountain, rises to the Saiq Plateau about 2,000 metres above sea level, where a cluster of resorts teeters on the rim of a vast canyon. Anantara and Alila trade in jaw-dropping views and serious spas; Hotel Indigo and dusitD2 are a touch more relaxed, the latter with an adventure park next door. It is noticeably cooler up here, so pack a jumper for the evenings.

Salalah, down in the far south near the Yemeni border, is Oman's great surprise. For most of the year it is a languid coastal city of banana plantations, coconut palms and long white beaches. Then, from around June to September, the khareef rolls in: soft drizzle and mist that turn the surrounding hills an almost Irish shade of green, and draw holidaymakers from all over the Gulf.

This is frankincense country, and the trees still grow in the dry valleys behind the city. The big resorts line the beach: Al Baleed by Anantara is the showpiece, a villa resort styled like an Arabian fort, while the Hilton and Crowne Plaza are friendly to families, with private beaches and, at the Crowne Plaza, golf. It is a short domestic flight from Muscat.

Sur is a seafaring town on the eastern tip of the country, and for centuries its ships sailed to East Africa and India. Craftsmen still build wooden dhows by hand in its yards, much as they always have. Hotels here are simple, good-value three-stars, some with private beaches facing the Arabian Sea.

Most people come for what lies around it. The famous wadis, with their jade-green pools and palm-shaded gorges, are within easy reach, and down the coast at Ras al Jinz the turtle reserve lets you watch green turtles nest on the beach after dark, then sleep a few steps away. Combine it with a night in the Wahiba Sands and you have the classic Omani road trip.