Wadi Al Abyad

Wadi Al Abyad, the white wadi, takes its name from the colour of its water: dissolved minerals give the pools a pale opaque blue-white quite unlike the clear green of most Omani wadis, and the rock around them is stained pale as well. The lower part is a broad gravel bed with date plantations and villages, driveable in an ordinary car, and the upper section narrows between rock walls with a series of pools and small falls, reached by four-wheel drive and then on foot over boulders. It is close enough to Muscat for a day trip and less visited than the wadis on the Sur road. Flash flooding is a hazard as in all Omani wadis.

What you actually see

• The white pools - the pale mineral-coloured water in the upper wadi.
• Stained rock - the bleached surfaces around the pools.
• Date plantations - the gardens and villages in the lower wadi.
• The gravel bed - the wide wadi floor on the approach.

When to go

October to April; summer is very hot. Avoid the wadi entirely when rain is forecast. Weekdays are quieter; weekends bring picnic and camping groups from Muscat.

Honest expectations

The upper pools need four-wheel drive and a walk over boulders. Flash flooding is a real danger. Litter left by weekend campers is a persistent problem. Modest swimming dress is expected.

Nearby

Nakhal fort lies east; Ain A'Thawwarah is nearby.