Lonely Planet Oman, Uae & Arabian Peninsula (Lonely Planet Travel Guides) - Softcover

Walker, Jenny; Butler, Stuart; Carter, Terry; Dunston, Lara; Gordon, Frances Linzee

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1741045460 ISBN 13: 9781741045468

Publisher: Lonely Planet, 2007

Synopsis

Discover Oman, UAE, and the Arabian Peninsula

Sneak (legally) into the dunes of Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter and experience all that's romantic about the desert.
Look beyond Dubai to the rest of the UAE - count the camels on the sublime desert drive from Sharjah to Kalba.
Hike where fragrant rosewater is produced from the pink roses of Oman's Jebel Akhdar.
Discover the secret to eternal life - and what make Suqutra the Galapagos Islands of the Middle East.

In This Guide:

More off-the-beaten-track UAE info than any other guide
Special Haj feature tells the ultimate traveler's tale
Dedicated Expats chapter packed with tips on living in another culture
The only guide with independent reviews of everything you need to know about Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar

About this title

From the Publisher

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At Lonely Planet, we see our job as inspiring and enabling travelers to connect with the world for their own benefit and for the benefit of the world at large.

What We Do
* We offer travelers the world's richest travel advice, informed by the collective wisdom of over 350 Lonely Planet authors living in 37 countries and fluent in 70 languages.
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What We Believe
We believe that travel leads to a deeper cultural understanding and compassion and therefore a better world.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Destination Arabian Peninsula

While mass tourism has reached the most remote corners on Earth, and lunar travel is now a reality, the Arabian Peninsula continues to be seen as a rather mysterious, exotic and alien place.

For those willing to 'risk' Arabia, the region may well hold a surprise or two. Built historically on trade - frankincense and myrrh in ancient times, and oil and gas today - are several great civilizations. Relics range from Yemen's 8th-century BC dam, and Madain Saleh, 'Saudi Arabia's Petra', to Bahrain's King Fahd Causeway, one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century.

Developing from Third World to First World fast - in around 25 years - the Peninsula truly contrasts the old with the new and this is its most fascinating feature. Bedouin tribesmen park 4WDs alongside goat hair tents; veiled women chat on mobile phones while awaiting laser hair removal; and children memorize the Quran while biting on a burger. But beneath the slick, hi-tech veneer lies strata upon strata of traditional Bedouin hospitality, unsurpassed in the world.

Equally diverse is the scenery. Much more than merely desert, there are fragrant forests, rich coral reefs, date-filled wadis and stunning mountain landscapes. Activities abound, from world-class golf, diving and trekking, to desert safaris and turtle watching.

The region also enjoys some of the best shopping in the world at some of the best prices; and some of the world's top hotels, resorts and restaurants at some of the best value.

If travel ever broadened the mind, then travel to Arabia certainly will. You may well learn more about the world from one trip to Arabia than a lifetime's travel elsewhere. And in the process, you might even become passionate about the Peninsula - many travelers do.

About this edition

• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1741045460
• ISBN 13: 9781741045468
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 596