Anyone who has read the Travel Section of any newspaper lately has seen articles about travel to Oman and Dubai. It is currently the destination of choice for the chic and "in-the-know" travel crowd. That would be us! Certainly not known as a gay vacation spot, our intention for visiting these two exciting countries is not to find the local bar and disco, but rather to see a very ancient culture where images of the Arabian Nights are unveiled before our eyes. Hospitality is an important characteristic of the people from the Arabian peninsula, and we are sure to experience it each and every day. In this age of widening divisions between Americans and Muslims, it has never been more important to travel to their turf and formulate a personal opinion about world affaires. We have chosen some of the best , value hotels available. If you wish to extend your time in the region, we suggest Salalah, Oman for a few days by the sea with some very exotic surroundings. Farther afield, you might make a stop in Jordan to visit Petra or fly to the Maldive Islands to where there are easy connections from Dubai. Join us to visit this new Disneyland region where fantasy is being taken to an extreme. We anticipate that this tour will attract our intrepid Coda travelers who are seeking unusual and cutting-edge experiences, but for those of you who are skeptical about visiting the Arabian Peninsula, you should take the plunge. It is a very rewarding experience.

Day 1 -- USA
Depart the USA on any regularly scheduled flight to Muscat, Oman.

Day 2 -- MUSCAT, OMAN
Arrival Muscat and transfer to the Shangri-la’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa and check-in and overnight.

Day 3: -- MUSCAT, OMAN
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for a tour of Muscat. Muscat, the seat of the ruling Al Busaid dynasty since the 18th century, is one of the most scenic cities in the entire Gulf region.  Start this tour with a visit to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a splendor of Islamic architecture (Islamic dress code to be observed). We drive through the beautiful embassy quarter of Muscat to visit the National Museum and the Beit Al Zebair museum, both housing impressive collections of Islamic artifacts and Bedouin art. Traveling to Muttrah, a delightful quarter of Muscat, visit the fish market, strolling along the Corniche to see the beautiful merchant houses and discovering a fascinating shopping experience in the busy souk (market}. Here you will find silver crafts, spices and exotic perfumes.  Travel via the old pass road to the former capital of Oman, the old town of Muscat. Walk along the wall of H.M. the Sultan’s Palace and see the forts Jalali and Mirani. Afternoon at leisure. Gather for a welcome dinner this evening with fellow travelers.Overnight at Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat.

Day 4 -- MUSCAT
Breakfast is at the hotel. Full day Rustaq & Sohar tour Join our tour for a relaxing day starting with a visit to the souk in Barka.  We visit Bait Na’am, a fortified house where the Islamic priests, the Imams, would overnight during their journeys into the interior.  From Barka, the drive continues along the famous Batinah plain, the main agricultural area of Oman. With photo stops at Al Hazm and the Rustaq fort, your tour passes along picturesque wadis (dry river beds). We reach the oasis of Nakhl, with time for a visit of Nakhl Fort. Before returning to Muscat we visit the natural warm springs of Thowarah. Overnight at Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat .

Day 5 -- MUSCAT - SUR, OMAN
Breakfast is at hote. Board our 4 wheel-drive vehicle and set off into the desert. The tour begins by taking the road from Muscat to the coastal town of Quriyat, famous for its beautiful, white sand beaches and blue-green water. Pass through the desert; view oases, wadis and contrasting mountainous caves on our way to a photo-stop at the “Bimah Sinkhole”, a spectacular limestone crater created by a mountain collapsing and filling with sea water. Our next destination is Tiwi, a mountain village.  Here we visit the picturesque Wadi Shab with time to wander and enjoy its lush vegetation. Picnic lunch en route. Continue to the lovely seaside port town of Sur where boatyards are filled with handcrafted dhows (fishing boats.) In the late afternoon, venture south along the beautiful coastline to Ras al Hadd, Oman’s unique turtle reserve. Explore the area before checking into the Sur Plaza Hotel, Sur .

Day 6 -- SUR - NIZWA, OMAN
Breakfast is at hotel. Continue by 4-wheel drive vehicle this morning. Depart from Sur and drive to Wadi Bani Khaled, one of Oman’s most beautiful wadis (valleys), famous for its lush green oases, water pools and deep canyons. We then travel into the Wahiba Desert with its rolling sand dunes that vary from red to honey color. An exciting drive over the dunes is followed by a delicious picnic lunch served in the shade of date palms. After lunch, visit a camel camp - an unforgettable Bedouin experience! Continue our journey via Mudairib village, famous for its many watchtowers, to Nizwa, the capital of the interior and birthplace of Islam in the Oman sultanate. Overnight at Falaj Daris Hotel, Nizwa.

Day 7 -- NIZWA - JEBEL SHAMS - NIZWA
Breakfast is at hotel. Start today with a visit to the largest monument on the Arabian Peninsula, the impressive Round Tower Fort, erected in 1670 by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya’ribi.  With its immense size and rounded walls built as a defense against barrages of mortar fire, it projects an aura of invincibility. We’re then off to the renowned Thursday cattle and goat auction – the atmosphere is not to be missed!  Around the corner is the souk, famous for its Bedouin silver jewelry, Khanjars (daggers), and souvenirs. Continue on an off-road track to Misfah, a village seemingly hewn out of rock. From Misfah the path leads to Jebel Shams, the ‘Mountain of the Sun’.  From a height of nearly 3000 metres you will have an outstanding view deep into the ‘Grand Canyon of Oman’. The next stop will be the picturesque Al Hamra, one of the last loam, or clay, villages in Oman. Picnic lunch en route. Overnight at Falaj Daris Hotel, Nizwa.

Day 8 -- NIZWA - AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Breakfast is at the hotel. Drive via Tanuf, a village noted for its natural spring and mineral water, and Bahla, famed throughout Oman for its pottery, to Jabreen, for a visit to one of Oman’s most beautiful forts, the Jabrin Fort. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is famous for its wall and ceiling murals.  Continue on to the Oman/United Araba Emirates border at Jebel Hafeet and complete immigration formalities before crossing into the U.A.E. Travel to Al Ain, the oldest and most established city in the U.A.E.  Tour the sights and sounds of the beautiful Garden City, including a visit to the museum and the renovated Old Palace of the late H.H. Sheikh Zayed, former ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the U.A.E.  Then tour a new market - the camel market - the largest in the U.A.E.  Enjoy the excitement as you are seemingly stepping back in time. And visit Hili Gardens, famous for the archaeological excavations from the 3rd Millennium B.C. Pass by breathtaking red sand dunes with time for photo-stops along the way, as you travel to the quaint, yet modern, city of Ras Al Khaimah. Overnight at Grand Mercure Jebel Hafeet Hotel, Al Ain