The sultanate of Oman on the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula is considered the oldest independent state in the Arab World. Historically, the sultanate was a powerful empire that competed against the Portuguese and British empires for influence in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. 

Oman alternates the fjords of the Musandam peninsula, wadis with lush palm groves, spectacular mountains including the magnificent Wadi Ghul canyon (3,000 m), a desert punctuated by djebels and colorful dunes, and kilometers of coastline.