Bordering Saudi Arabia to the West; the United Arab Emirates to the Northeast, and Yemen in the South, Oman was also the first Gulf state to establish official relations with Israel (in 1994) while still maintaining cordial relations with the rest of its Arab neighbors.

Safe and sensible, with a culture that blends the ancient and modern, Oman is a land of old trading towns and cosmopolitan resort hotels, where unspoiled natural beauty and outdoor adventure never fails to impress even the most jaded world traveler.

Most Oman journeys begin in its capital, Muscat, offering modern ammenities with lush public parks and spectacular beaches such as popular Qurum Beach, Yeti, and Bandar Al-Jissah.

Also be sure to take in the city's famous landmarks at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Clock Tower Square and the stunning Al-Alam Palace and surrounding historic forts. (If you're traveling in January, don't miss one of the biggest entertainment extravaganzas in the Middle East at the annual Muscat Festival.)

Things to see :

• Explore Oman's whitewashed capital Muscat by following the corniche from the fish market, past the balconied buildings of neighbouring Muttrah Souk to the Sultan's Palace. The latter shelters beneath the 16th-century Portuguese forts of Al Jalali and Mirani.
• Spend a day the Omani way with a picnic and the company of friends on the beautiful beaches of Yitti, Seifa or Quiryat or in the lush oleander-flowering wadis of Dayqah, Shab and Tiwi.
• Get up with the goatherds in Nizwa, the country's capital during the sixth and seventh centuries. Famous for its early morning livestock market and silver handicrafts, it makes the best base for excursions into the mountains.
• Take a ride on Oman's only train to the depths of Al-Hoota Cave (website: www.al-hootacave.com), first opened to the public in late 2006, near Nizwa and encounter some of the country's limestone wonders.
• Evoke the spirit of the past at the charged World Heritage Sites of Bat (area of ancient burial mounds) and Bahla (one of the most impressive fortified settlements of its kind in the world but not yet open to visitors). Buy a pot from local Bahla potters but don't rub it - Bahla is famous for genii! 
• Wander around the old town of Sur, famous for its traditional shipbuilding - and its local nightlife: at nearby Ras Al-Jinz, female turtles lumber up the beach every night of the year to deliver the next generation before slipping back to the sea before dawn. Most turtles arrive in July. 
• Go in search of unicorns in the dawn mists of the interior at the oryx sanctuary in Jallluni and let a member of the local Al-Harasi tribe show you the secrets of the Huqf Escarpment.
• Join the locals in a gnat-infested, mid-summer mud bath at beautiful Wadi Dhabat in the heart of Oman's southern, subtropical region of Dhofar - if only to enjoy the spectacle of cows and camels grazing in the same pastureland.
• Blow your troubles to the wind at the blowholes of Dhofar's Mughsail before following the Queen of Sheba into the mists of time in search of Boswellia sacra, the frankincense tree.

BTS / Aitken Spence Holidays

BTS / Aitken Spence Holidays is a joint venture between OHI Group, Oman (www.ohigroup.com) & Aitken Spence Hotel Management Asia Ltd., a subsidiary of Aitken Spence PLC (www.aitkenspence.com), a leading diversified blue chip conglomerate in Sri Lanka with interest in resorts & hotels, travel & tourism, port management and logistic solutions in Asia & Africa.

The company provides corporate clients with the most effective & efficient travel solutions under one roof. Holidays division handles worldwide hotel bookings, car hire, cruises, leisure tours and specializes in tailor-made packages for spa & ayurvedic treatment as well as other land arrangements. The destination management division has been set-up to promote “Destination Oman” and offers a complete range of inbound products such as city-breaks, adventure & tours, MICE, rent-a-car, beach stays & leisure.

We believe our greatest strength is being a part of one of the premier business houses in the Sultanate of Oman. Oman Holdings International (OHI), the holding company of the travel & tours division is a diversified Public Limited Group in Oman and is engaged in a spectrum of activities with a strategy for growth through diversification. The activities of the group range from Telecommunication to Information Technology, Marine Engineering, Electronics to integrated Travel & Tourism services.

The group owns and operates three travel companies and major international brands like Budget Rent a Car which is a part of our consortium and under line our commitment to quality and establish us as a major business conglomerate in the Sultanate.

Oman Hotels & Tourism Company SAOG, the portfolio of which includes Al Falaj Hotel & Ruwi Hotel in Muscat, Al Wadi Hotel in Sohar, Sur Plaza Hotel in Sur and Desert Night Camp at Wasil are being managed by Aitken Spence Hotels of Sri Lanka.

Should you require additional information pertaining to our Company and its services, please contact Mr. Suranga Ratnayake, Country Manager whose details are as follows.