AFTER EIGHT
Muscat by night: from five star hotels to public parks

Shangri-La's Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa
Long Bar and Xyro
This is the entertainment hot spot of the resort. You will have the option of enjoying some great signature cocktails in the Long Bar or dancing the night away at Xyro. Live performances by international bands provide some of the best entertainment. Open from 6pm to 2am

Piano Lounge
Overlooking the Gulf of Oman, the lounge offers a stunning view of the sea and the rest of the resort while the tunes of live jazz fill the air. Snacks and desserts are complimented by a wide range of coffees, teas and cocktails. The dress code is smart casual and the lounge is open from 6pm till 2am.

Al Bustan Palace InterContinental Muscat
Beach Pavilion
The open air establishment guarantees a great fusion cuisine experience. The array of local seafood is the essential ingredient of these gastronomic creations that combine Mediterranean dishes with touches of local Omani flavours. Open from 12-5pm for lunch and 7:30-11pm for dinner. You can enjoy the bar between 10pm and 1am.

Al Maha
With all the essentials of a gentlemen's club, the lounge makes for a rather mellow after-dinner experience. It's open from 12-3pm and 6pm-2am. The Al Maha is open only in the evenings on Fridays.

Sheraton Oman
Oliver's Bar
Oliver's offers drinks, snacks and great atmosphere from noon till 3pm and 6pm till 2am. It's open on Fridays from 2pm till 2am.

Grand Hyatt Muscat
John Barry Bar
The John Barry Bar is an exclusive piano lounge with a nautically themed interior, serving stylish apéritifs and after-dinner drinks. Apart from an international selection of beverages, it also serves a variety of snacks. The resident band sets the mood for the evening with a wide repertoire of soft jazz and rhythm and blues. It's open from 6pm to 1am.

Copacabana
Foot-tapping music and powerful laser lights will keep you away from your seat for the better part of your time there. With an interior inspired by the carnival atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro, the resident DJ and colourfully dressed bartenders keep you entertained well into the wee hours. The club is open from Monday to Thursday to resident guests and couples only, from 9pm till 1am. The dress code is smart casual.

Club Safari
This three-level club is a mix of high-tech entertainment and ethnic African design. The club seats 450 guests and houses a games room, as well as a pub and a rooftop grill house. The three levels of Club Safari have been named after famous nature reserves in Africa. The games room is located on the ground floor and features two large pool tables and cosy seating areas. Strategically placed television sets enable guests to keep up with major sporting events. The middle level of Club Safari is the Safari Pub, where the exciting rhythms from the resident band can be heard and seen from Sunday through Friday evenings. Club Safari is open from 6pm-1am.

Golden Tulip Seeb
The Mirage Bar, Roof Top Club, Why Not
The Mirage Bar with it Arabic band lends a distinctly local touch to an otherwise global night entertainment option, while the Roof Top Club with its live band will keep boredom at bay. The hotel has yet another nightclub in the offing – the new Why Not club.

Hotel InterContinental Muscat
Trader Vic's
Trader Vic's has a four-piece Cuban band called Los Heraldos Negros that plays Latin music from 9pm till 1am each day, except Fridays. It's open from noon till 2:30pm (except Fridays) and 6pm to 1am.

Al Ghazal Pub
The pub features a five-piece pop and rock band from Australia called Upstart. Performances start at 10pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 9pm on other days, except Mondays. The Ghazal is open from 12-3pm and from 6pm to 3am. You can enjoy the pub between 2pm and 2am on Fridays.

Radisson SAS
The Cellar
The Cellar, which also features major sporting events on the wide screen, is home to Le Mirage, a six-piece band from the Philippines. It showcases its talents from Sunday to Friday every evening. Catch them from Sundays to Thursdays from 9pm onwards and on Fridays at 8pm onwards. Ladies can now enjoy special privileges from Fridays to Wednesdays with a free selected beverage on arrival. In addition they will be exempt from entrance charges on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Coral
The Coral features live piano music in the evenings, while its ambience creates the illusion of an underwater world. Jazz pianist and singer Angela Vaiciulyte begins a new season of performances at the bar from Saturday to Thursday starting at 8pm. The Coral is open from noon to 3pm and from 6pm to 1am.

Crowne Plaza
Duke's Bar
Duke's Bar, located at the lobby level in the Crowne Plaza, is one of the most popular pubs in the city. The Reach Duo performs here every night – their daily performances are complemented by a quiz night on Mondays, a ladies' night on Wednesdays and DJ music on Thursdays.

Al Sawadi Beach Resort
Omani Hut
Try shuaa in a traditional Omani majlis by the beach while enjoying a live performance by a belly dancer. Come here between Sundays and Fridays from 7:30pm onwards.

Periwinkle's Pub
It features traditional pub food and live entertainment as well as an array of exciting tropical and fancy cocktails. Open from 6pm till midnight.

Qurm Natural Park and Marah Land
Horse rides
On your right you will find a small makeshift paddock and by its side you are likely to find Abbas. For RO2 he will give you a tour of half the park in his horse drawn buggy but spend one more rial and you get the complete version. He might even let you hold the reins and let you drive for a while, occasionally giving you tips on how to control the direction of the horse and how to brake. "Pull left gently if the cart is going too much to the right and pull both the reins to bring the horse to a stop," he told us. It's a fun thing to do and seems to come an end too soon. Two more equines were tied in the small paddock – a stallion named Warha and a tiny Shetland pony called Yasmine. The park is also host to a couple of stables and riding schools. There are classes designed for everyone from the first timer who has never been in a saddle to people with more experience. Enjoy an evening on horseback or enroll as a student. For riding lessons call Mohammed Saleh Balushi, the manager of Qurm Equestrian, at 99 832199 or Shah Mohammed Khalili at 99 386978 to enroll in his riding school. Look up The Guide for more sports contacts.

Marah Land
Marah Land is an amusement area situated right next to Qurm Park. An absolute contrast to the calm serenity and the uniform greenery of the natural park, Marah Land is a riot of colours and rides that will make you scream your lungs out. Entry to the amusement park costs 300bz per head and it's worth every bit. Take a ride on the giant Ferris wheel to get a spectacular view of the city each time you reach the top or choose the more adventurous one where you are strapped into a seat at the end of a long arm that will swing around in vertical circles so that you are upside down at its highest point.

Riyam and Kalbuh Parks
As you head from the Muttrah souq towards the Bait al Ahlam, the road to Riyam Park comes up on your right. Inside you will find a coffee shop, a play area for children and manicured lawns with benches. You can choose to sit here and watch children play, gaze at the stars or look out over the sea. The park in Kalbuh is down by the sea on the other side of the curving waterfront. A large fountain dominates the entrance. Inside, there is an amphitheatre, though not quite as large as the one in Qurm. There is also a coffee shop and a few kiosks. Turn around and you will be greeted by the inky black expanse that is the sea, broken by the twinkling lights of ships in the harbour.