Salalah and Dhofar

Dhofar sits far enough south to catch the edge of the Indian Ocean monsoon, and from late June to early September the khareef arrives: constant fine drizzle and fog that turns the bare Jebel hills a startling green, fills seasonal waterfalls, and draws visitors from across the Gulf escaping temperatures of fifty degrees. It is an entirely different Oman from the north. The region was also the historic centre of frankincense, whose trees grow in the dry valleys inland and whose trade route and port sites at Wadi Dawkah, Al Baleed and Sumhuram carry a joint UNESCO listing. Outside the monsoon months, Dhofar reverts to a hot coast of long empty beaches, blowholes and turquoise water.

What you actually see

• The khareef greenery - fog-fed green hills and seasonal waterfalls in high summer.
• Frankincense sites - Wadi Dawkah's tree grove, Al Baleed and Sumhuram ruins.
• Mughsail blowholes - sea caves firing spray through holes in a rock shelf.
• Wadi Darbat - waterfalls and pools that flow during and after the monsoon.

When to go

Two completely different seasons. Late June to early September for the khareef, when it is green, cool, foggy and very busy with Gulf visitors. November to March for clear skies, empty beaches and swimming.

Honest expectations

During the khareef it is genuinely foggy much of the time, and visitors hoping for green hills under blue skies are often disappointed; the greenery and the fog come together. Hotels are heavily booked and priced up in those weeks. Outside the monsoon the hills are brown again and it is very hot. Salalah is a long way from Muscat, so fly rather than drive unless the drive is the point.

Nearby

The Empty Quarter's edge lies inland; the Yemeni border is west along the coast.