The Middle East is becoming an increasingly popular stopover destination for those travelling to The Indian Ocean, as well as being a fantastic destination in its own right.

Oman has managed to walk a tightrope that some of its neighbours in the Gulf have not been able to - namely to modernize in a way that has not infringed upon the state's Arab soul. No skyscrapers tower above the capital of Muscat, only the tower and dome of the large new mosque built in 2001. The Friday goat and cattle market in Nizwa is not much different today than it was in the middle ages. Nizra, the former capital of Oman, has now been replaced by Muscat, a city often referred to as the 'Jewel of Arabia'.