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FIQAIN
THE FAMILY ROAD-TRIP
photographed by LETHA JOSE
“The rock, however, had other plans,
and it transported itself back to its
mosque while the man slept”
Ever tried Fiqain? Its easily accessible by road (follow the directions of Jan and Maria Schreurs at the end of this article), takes just about 1.5 hours to get to and makes a perfect half-day trip that the entire family can take part in. you don’t need a 4WD or special preparations, and you can even club it with a visit to neighbouring Manah, or Nizwa and its surroundings if you have more time. Fiqain offers you off-the-beaten-track attractions, like the ability to walk through its old, abandoned quarter without the throngs of tourists who will undoubtedly follow you through Nizwa, and the chance to explore a wonderful characteristic fort in a country where many castles begin to look the same.
NIZWA
Base camp
If you are open to a longer trip you can make your way to Nizwa, barely a few bends away. You can spend the evening exploring its famous souq (although it has degenerated into an incredibly touristy affair) and spend the night in the city. Nizwa offers excellent dining and accommodation, from the open-air shawarma shop at its roundabout to its international fast-food chains to four-star hotels. Plan a trip for Thursday and wake up at dawn on Friday: you will be rewarded by the fabulous open-air Nizwa goat market, especially noted for the thousands of people trading thousands of animals. This, much more than its re-hashed souq, is an authentic experience.
MANAH
Peppered with caves
Manah isn’t without attraction either: like Fiqain it sports an old, abandoned quarter made up of sarooj, that earthy cement so characteristic of Omani architecture. The immediate surroundings are supposed to be peppered with caves that were used for the women and children to hide in times of ancient battles. Likewise, there is supposed to be a hidden underground chamber under one of the old houses of Fiqain. Look out for the Az al Qadim mosque in Manah, from where legends say that a man moved a 100kg rock and took it with him on his travels. The rock, however, had other plans, and it transported itself back to its mosque while the man slept. It is said that the rock can be found inside today, with the imprint of a foot on it.
directions
To get to Fiqain, head towards Nizwa, turning off the airport highway at the clock-tower roundabout.
When you get to the Nizwa junction, don’t turn right into the city, but left, south towards Salalah.
Turn off 4.75km later at the sign indicating Manah. Follow the tarmac through the flat countryside.
Around seven kilometres away from the turnoff you
will come to a picnic area around a large incense burner
monument. From here, you will be able to see the fortress of Fiqain – a distinctively styled construction that rises above the date plantations.
Turn to the right, following the sign and drive into the village. The road winds between the houses and makes its way to the tower. The best parking place is a little bit beyond the old gate and the tower, in the shade of a magnificent tree.
To continue to Manah, return to the main road and
turn right. The tarmac winds around the modern and ruined parts of Manah.
At the first large roundabout turn right.
You will pass a Shell filling station to the right. The road passes a large ruined building on the right before getting to a small roundabout.
To the left of the roundabout is a mosque dating to around 1534 AD.
Turn right at the roundabout onto a gravel road, directly towards the old city walls of Manah. The gravel road turns left around the walls. Follow it all the way down as it narrows between old walls on the right and more modern buildings to the left.
Turning right at the end you can park your car near the large tower and walk to the gate directly under it. |
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