Barka is a coastal town in the Al-Batsinah region of northern Oman. It borders the Sea of Oman and the Hajar Mountains. It is a quiet place without much development of tourist infrastructure, but the best hotels in Barka receive reviews with high ratings for service. The spacious coastline and warm sea are the main attractions of the resort.
✔️ A bit of chronology and facts
The region is home to several tribes. They live off agriculture, fishing and traditional pastimes such as horse and camel racing, halva making and Omani-style bullfighting. In ancient times, it was simply a fishing village.
At the end of the 17th century, a castle was built here, which contributed to the development of the city. Today, it is actively expanding in terms of tourism , hotels and other infrastructure are being built. The proximity to the capital of the Sultanate contributes to the popularity of the resort.
✔️ Entertainment Features
The city offers relaxation on the beach. The main providers of services and leisure options on the coast are hotels. You can sunbathe on the warm sand , swim, do water sports, walk along the spacious coast, taste local delicacies.
There is not much variety of leisure activities here. You can visit a few ancient architectural monuments or go on excursions around the area or to the capital. Prices for a holiday in Barka depend on the chosen hotel and room category, but it is not the most expensive resort in the country.
✔️ Possible transfer options
The international airport is located in the capital, 61 km from the town. You can use a taxi to get to your accommodation. The hotel or host company may offer individual or group transfers. Check this when booking a room. This option may be more expensive, but sometimes it is included in the price. It all depends on the specific situation.
✔️ Weather conditions
The region is located in the arid climate zone, which means that it is hot and dry. Rain falls here from December to April, but it is very scanty. Sometimes in the summer, tropical cyclones can come here and bring heavy rains, so you should monitor the weather online. You can find and select a tour online to Barka all year round, it all depends on your preferences. From September to April it is cooler, precipitation is possible, from May to August the temperature and humidity rise.
✔️ What to bring back from your trip
There is not a large variety of shops and goods here. You can buy Arabic fabrics and clothes, traditional delicacies, standard souvenirs. Larger-scale shopping awaits you in Muscat. Tourists are in demand for Omani incense (resin, essential oils and related products), silver jewelry, traditional coffee pots, ceramic and wooden products, dates and other products based on them, halva.
✔️ Search and selection of tours online in Barka - reasons to buy a tour or a trip to a resort in Oman
This is a great option for a quiet holiday by the sea. You can go here with your family, relatives, friends, or by yourself if you are interested in a quiet atmosphere.
▶️ Beach holidays
The beach in the town is spacious, covered with sand mixed with shells and pebbles. You can have a barbecue or go fishing, play sports or just sunbathe on the beach. Swimming and water activities are also an important part of the holiday here. This is the main reason to buy a tour to Barka.
The infrastructure here is not developed. The beach can be called wild. Only hotels near their sites can provide any services. Among the entertainment - horseback riding, parasailing, boat rides, riding on "tablets", etc. Incredible sunsets that fill everything with golden light will be a bright addition to the holiday here.
29 km from the resort there is a small water park, where everyone can have fun on water attractions.
▶️ Ancient landmarks
The resort is famous for its Beit Naama Castle, sometimes also called Al Numan Castle. It was built around 1691-92, presumably by order of Imam Saif bin Sultan Al Yaruba. Legend has it that in 1806 the owner of the castle killed his enemy with one blow of a khanjar (traditional dagger).
At first, the building served as a royal retreat and a rest house for travel between Muscat and Rustaq. A century later, Beit Naaman was fortified by the Al Bu Said dynasty, whose main male line ruled Oman until 2020.
The castle consists of a tower with two round corner towers on opposite corners and two square ones on the other corners. The tower stands in the corner of a small fence, also equipped with two low round towers. In 1991, the building was restored and can now be seen in all its glory.
▶️ Nature
The city has a small zoo where everyone can get acquainted with local and foreign fauna. Here you can see ostriches, peacocks, tigers, deer, parrots, servals, falcons, crocodiles, lions, turtles, monkeys, camels, toucans and other animals.
At 31 km there is El Sawadi beach, located on a small cape at the foot of rocky hills, on top of which rises an old watchtower. Several rocky islands are scattered along the coast in the bay, which gives the landscape a particularly interesting look.
Also in the vicinity there are several city parks with a variety of entertainment, flower beds, fountains, palm alleys.
You can book a weekend tour to Barka if you plan to explore more of Oman, or spend your entire holiday here and relax peacefully on the sunny coast.
