Oman
Muscat
October 2014 • Oman is one of the best-kept secrets in the entire Middle East, if not the world. Hugging the eastern edge of the Arabian peninsula, it's no dessicated landscape roiled by political instability and economic extremes. Oil and gas revenue plus a beloved, visionary sultan have guaranteed Omanis an infrastructure and standard of living that are in line with the 21st century—but nowhere near as cartoonish as the Emirates next door. A variety of mountain range, desert, and coastline refutes any preconception of barrenness. And more important for visitors, Oman has an incredibly welcoming culture of hospitality and generosity, uncorrupted (so far) by foreign interference and mass tourism. Sultan Qaboos has no heir and is reportedly ill, so the line of succession is murky. I'm holding my breath and hoping the best for this extraordinary country.
