As-Sulaif Fort

As-Sulaif sits on a low rise on the edge of Ibri, a mud-brick fort with round towers on a stone base surrounded by the remains of a walled village, and unlike the restored showpiece forts of the interior it has been left largely as it fell: walls standing to varying heights, roofs gone, rooms open to the sky, a mosque and a falaj among the ruins, and date palms growing through. Parts have had consolidation work but the site remains a ruin rather than a museum. That is its appeal for some visitors and its limitation for others. It gives an idea of how the restored forts looked before intervention, and the view over the Ibri oasis from the towers.

What you actually see

• The mud fort - the towers and walls standing unrestored.
• The ruined village - the collapsing houses within the enclosure.
• The mosque and falaj - the surviving communal structures.
• The oasis view - Ibri and its date groves from the rise.

When to go

October to March; Ad Dhahirah is extremely hot from April to September. Morning and late afternoon light suit the mud walls. The site is open at any time with no gate.

Honest expectations

The structures are unstable and walking among them carries real risk of collapse. There is no interpretation, no staff and no facilities. Rubbish has accumulated in parts. It is a ruin, not a restored attraction.

Nearby

Bat beehive tombs lie east; Bahla is southeast.