Sur: dhow builders, turtles and the eastern coast

Sur, the capital of South Ash Sharqiyah Governorate, sits on a lagoon at the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, about two hours from Muscat along the coastal highway. For centuries it was the home port of Oman's great trading dhows, which sailed to East Africa and India, and it is still the place where traditional wooden ships are built by hand.

The dhow town

In the yards along the lagoon, shipwrights build dhows using methods passed down for generations. The Fatah Al Khair, a restored ocean-going dhow, stands on display near the maritime museum. The twin districts of Sur and Al Ayjah face each other across the lagoon, connected by a bridge, with white houses, watchtowers and a lighthouse.

Nature around Sur

• Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve: one of the most important nesting sites of the green turtle in the Indian Ocean, with guided night visits.
• Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi: canyons with emerald pools you can swim in, 30 to 45 minutes north of Sur.
• Bimmah Sinkhole: a turquoise limestone pool beside the highway.
• Ras Al Hadd: the easternmost point of the Arab world.

History: Qalhat

Just north of Sur lie the ruins of Qalhat, a medieval port visited by Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo and inscribed by UNESCO in 2018. The Bibi Maryam mausoleum is its best-preserved monument.

Economy

Fishing and shipbuilding remain part of local life, but Sur's modern economy is driven by Oman LNG at Qalhat, which liquefies and exports the country's natural gas, as well as a fertiliser plant and a growing tourism sector. Sur is also a gateway to the Sharqiya Sands desert inland.

Living in Sur

Sur is a quiet coastal town with a mostly Omani population, low rents, a university college and the essentials of daily life. Expatriates are mostly engineers and staff at the LNG complex, as well as teachers and medical staff.

Property

Sur is not a main area for foreign freehold ownership. Visitors who love the east coast usually buy in Muscat, where the coastal road starts at Muscat Bay and Yiti, an hour and a half from Sur.

How R2LUX helps

Our Muscat Bay and Yiti projects sit at the start of the coastal road to Sur. Three current homes are below.