Salalah
Encyclopedia
Salalah is the capital and seat of the governor
or Wali of the southern Oman
i province of Dhofar
. The population of Salalah was 197,169 in 2009.
Salalah is the second largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, and the largest city in the Dhofar Provence. The coastal city of Salalah is a traditional stronghold and birthplace of the Sultan
, Qaboos bin Said
. The Sultan traditionally lives in Salalah rather than in Muscat
, the capital and largest city in Oman; Qaboos
has bucked this trend, and has lived in Muscat since he ascended to the throne in 1970. He does, however, visit Salalah fairly regularly to meet with influential tribal
and local leaders; his last visit was in 2006 and before that he visited in 2002. In mid-2009 the massive Sultan Qaboos Mosque
was opened in Salalah, 39 years after he had taken the throne
.
In 2010, during the 40th anniversary of Sultan Qaboos' taking the throne, he decided to spend his time in Salalah. The 40th anniversary celebrations consisted of a massive parade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSqby74hpeshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbfxFkpZptghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFhD-tSKgv8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBfP58DMqH8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM898NDw-ko from the Sultan Qaboos Mosque until his palace in Al-Haffa. The parade lasted several hours and had an estimated 100,000 attenders.
In the 19th century Salalah was taken over by the sultanate of Oman. In the year 1932, it became the capital of both Muscat and Oman and the sultan, Said, settled there. Later in 1970 he was deposed and the capital shifted to Muscat, the largest town in Oman. Qaboos, the sultan, was a good administrator and worked in tandem with the tribal chiefs. 1975 was the year when Salalah saw itself flourishing globally. The local Airport was turned to an international Airport and the government also concentrated on the construction of the roads.
The history of Salalah throws much light on the cultural aspects of the land, its political status quo and its importance in history. For detailed analysis on Salalah Overview you can browse through the link, Salalah Travel Guide.
, U.A.E, Bahrain
, Saudi Arabia
, India
and some African states.But International flights also fly almost everyday. Seasonal flights, some from as far away as Sweden
, operate during the Khareef
, which is the peak tourism season.
Salalah does not have a public transportation system within the city limits. However long distance air-conditioned luxury coaches are operated daily from Salalah to Haima, Muscat, Nizwa
, Buraimi, Dubai
, Al-Ain, Al-Ghaydah
, Al-Mukalla
, Seiyun
and PDO
locations like Marmul.
Other forms of other public transport popular in Salalah like taxis and micro buses. They are locally called as "Baiza" buses, so named for the lower denomination of the Omani Rial, the baiza (an adaptation of the Indian and Pakistani lower denomination paisa). These are relatively inexpensive and service all major roadways, as well as a wide and loose network of smaller byways connecting smaller towns in Dhofar Governorate with Salalah city. These are mostly Toyota Hiace
or Nissan Urvan. They operate from City Centre, locally called Chowk to places like Dhalkut, Rakhyut, Shahb As'eeb, Sarfait, Shaleem, Shuwamiyah, Sharbithat, Marmul, Al-Mazyounah, Mirbat, Taqah, Sadah, Tawi Ateer, Hasik, Hadbin, Thumrait etc.
Taxis are color-coded orange and white and provide semi-personal transportation in the form of both individual hire and the same opportunistic roadway service as Baiza buses.
Baiza buses, also colour-coded orange and white, and like taxis are unmetered after several government initiatives to introduce meters were rejected. The fare is set by way of negotiation, although drivers usually adhere to certain unwritten rules for fares within the city. One should always find out the normally accepted fare for one's journey from one's hotel or host before looking for a taxi.
, has a relatively large expatriate
community, mainly from Pakistan
, India
, Bangladesh
and Sri Lanka
, as well as a Pakistani and an Indian community school in the Dahariz district.
99.9% of the Omani population in Salalah is Muslim
. Like the majority of the Middle East
, most people in Salalah follow the Sunni sect of Islam
, unlike the majority of Omanis in Muscat which mostly follow the Ibadhi sect. There is also a small population of Christians
, Hindus
and Sikhs
practiced by the Indian and Sri Lankan community.
The unofficial, unwritten, second most spoken language in Salalah, is Shehri
, mostly known as Jeballi. As of 1993 there were 25,000 speakers of Shehri, and the numbers have more than doubled ever since. In Salalah it is very typical to see people speak Shehri to each other whether it be in the market place or the restaurant. In fact, Sultan Qaboos's mother, Mazoon Al-Mashani
, was a native speaker of the Shehri language.
, part of the A. P. Moller-Maersk Group of Denmark, manages the Port of Salalah
; one of the largest ports on the Arabian Peninsula
which is an important transshipment hub for container shipping in the area. The Port of Salalah
is also one of the most vital ports on the peninsula connecting together Africa
, the Middle East
, and Asia
. It is also the largest private employer in the Dhofar region. The Salalah Free Zone, situated right beside the port, is emerging as a new center for heavy industries in the Middle East.
The city of Salalah is known as the "perfume capital of Arabia". The city is a popular destination for tourism due to the natural attractions of the nearby mountains and abundant stands of frankincense
trees lining mountain wadi courses. Around the city and into the mountains the countryside is lush and green during the monsoon period with the vegetation supporting herds of cattle. The climate supports wildlife often more commonly associated with East Africa, such as leopard
s and hyena
s. Also plants associated with Africa, such as the Baobab
tree, are common. Salalah and its surroundings is one of the few ancient areas on the Arabian peninsula
that have extensive coconut
cultivation. In ancient times coir
from the thick husk of the fruit of the local tall variety was used to stitch the planking of the traditional sewn boat
of the Western Indian Ocean. Today, the immature fruit are mostly sold as tender coconut for drinking.
The beautiful beaches and coastline are also major attractions for scuba diving
and bird watching.
Salalah is a city of antiquity, boasting both the ruins of the fortified town Sumharam (Khor Rori
), an important port from 100 BC – AD 400. Modern Oman is also represented by the Port of Salalah, located approximately 15 km to the southwest of the city. The strategic location of this port has made it one of the major entry points to India, the Middle East, and Africa.
.
Dhofar F.C.
have been nicknamed as "Al-Zaeem", or "The Leaders", due to their enormous success in both the Omani League
, and in the Sultan Qaboos Cup
. Dhofar have also have an adequate amount of trophies in sports like volleyball
, and handball
. Al-Nasr have also been known for their great success in football
, winning the Omani League 5 times, and the Sultan Qaboos Cup 4 times. Al-Nasr, like Dhofar, have also been successful in other sports such as hockey
, basketball
, volleyball, and handball.
Salalah currently has 2 stadiums, the Salalah Sports Complex
(also known as the "Youth Sports Complex"), which is the only multi-purpose stadium
in Salalah. The newer, Al-Saadah Stadium
is the newly built stadium in Al-Saada district of Salalah devoted to football. Incorporated in the walls of the sports complex apart from the football stadium is a hockey field, tennis court
, olympic swimming pool, and indoor volleyball/basketball court. Al-Saada Stadium is the venue where Saudi national football team
, and the Omani national team
first met in Salalah on August 12, 2009.
The most popular sport played among the youth is by far football. It is very normal to see a group of boys and young men from around the area playing in make-shift fields in parking lots, or in a large open area. Beach football is also a common sight to see along the beach in the Al-Haffa district. Another popular sport in Salalah is volleyball. Although not as popular as football the game is frequently played.
The Salalah College of Applied Sciences incorporates an English Department. Its aim is to offer students a solid grasp of the English language so that they may go on to complete further studies in important sectors such as I.T. and Communication and Design.
Salalah is also home to a private university, Dhofar University, which has significant shares owned by Mustahil Al-Mashani, uncle of Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Recently the university has started construction of a new campus that reached deals worth 25 million OR
.
The Indian School Salalah
is an Indian-run, self financing, co-educational institution, primarily established to meet the academic needs of children of Indian expatriates working in Salalah
.The school also admits children of other nationalities. The school is located in the Dahariz area, of Salalah town.
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
or Wali of the southern Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
i province of Dhofar
Dhofar
The Dhofar region lies in Southern Oman, on the eastern border with Yemen. Its mountainous area covers and has a population of 215,960 as of the 2003 census. The largest town in the region is Salalah. Historically, it was the chief source of frankincense in the world. However, its frankincense...
. The population of Salalah was 197,169 in 2009.
Salalah is the second largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, and the largest city in the Dhofar Provence. The coastal city of Salalah is a traditional stronghold and birthplace of the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
, Qaboos bin Said
Qaboos of Oman
Qaboos bin Said Al Said is the Sultan of Oman and its Dependencies. He rose to power after overthrowing his father, Said bin Taimur, in a palace coup in 1970. He is the 14th-generation descendant of the founder of the Al Bu Sa'idi dynasty.-Early life:...
. The Sultan traditionally lives in Salalah rather than in Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, the capital and largest city in Oman; Qaboos
Qaboos of Oman
Qaboos bin Said Al Said is the Sultan of Oman and its Dependencies. He rose to power after overthrowing his father, Said bin Taimur, in a palace coup in 1970. He is the 14th-generation descendant of the founder of the Al Bu Sa'idi dynasty.-Early life:...
has bucked this trend, and has lived in Muscat since he ascended to the throne in 1970. He does, however, visit Salalah fairly regularly to meet with influential tribal
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
and local leaders; his last visit was in 2006 and before that he visited in 2002. In mid-2009 the massive Sultan Qaboos Mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
was opened in Salalah, 39 years after he had taken the throne
Throne
A throne is the official chair or seat upon which a monarch is seated on state or ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the...
.
In 2010, during the 40th anniversary of Sultan Qaboos' taking the throne, he decided to spend his time in Salalah. The 40th anniversary celebrations consisted of a massive parade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSqby74hpeshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbfxFkpZptghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFhD-tSKgv8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBfP58DMqH8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM898NDw-ko from the Sultan Qaboos Mosque until his palace in Al-Haffa. The parade lasted several hours and had an estimated 100,000 attenders.
History
Salalah history shows that it gained prominence due to the Frankincense that was extracted from the Frankincense trees that are found in this region. Frankincense is an extract from these trees that is used for perfume and incense sticks. These perfumes are used for ritualistic purpose and are hence widely popular among the practitioners of Judaism. Belonging to the Boswellia family, these trees also have medicinal values.In the 19th century Salalah was taken over by the sultanate of Oman. In the year 1932, it became the capital of both Muscat and Oman and the sultan, Said, settled there. Later in 1970 he was deposed and the capital shifted to Muscat, the largest town in Oman. Qaboos, the sultan, was a good administrator and worked in tandem with the tribal chiefs. 1975 was the year when Salalah saw itself flourishing globally. The local Airport was turned to an international Airport and the government also concentrated on the construction of the roads.
The history of Salalah throws much light on the cultural aspects of the land, its political status quo and its importance in history. For detailed analysis on Salalah Overview you can browse through the link, Salalah Travel Guide.
Culture
Salalah's culture is a combination of the traditional Omani heritage and an international lifestyle.Transport in Salalah
Salalah has an International Airport, mainly catering to domestic flights from Muscat and some regional countries such as KuwaitKuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, U.A.E, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and some African states.But International flights also fly almost everyday. Seasonal flights, some from as far away as Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, operate during the Khareef
Khareef
Khareef is a colloquial Arabic term used in southern Oman and southeastern Yemen for the south east monsoon. The monsoon affects Dhofar Governorate and Al Mahrah Governorate from about June to early September. Towns such as Salalah depend upon the khareef for water supply...
, which is the peak tourism season.
Salalah does not have a public transportation system within the city limits. However long distance air-conditioned luxury coaches are operated daily from Salalah to Haima, Muscat, Nizwa
Nizwa
-Attractions:The main tourist attractions in the city are Nizwa Fort, the traditional Souq and Falaj Daris. In the 1990s, the Jama, the fort and the souq which sit next to each other in the centre were renovated using the same traditional materials...
, Buraimi, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, Al-Ain, Al-Ghaydah
Al Ghaydah
Al Ghaydah is the capital city of Al Mahrah Governorate in southeastern Yemen. It is located at around ....
, Al-Mukalla
Al Mukalla
Al Mukalla is a main sea port and the capital city of the Hadramaut coastal region in Yemen in the southern part of Arabia on the Gulf of Aden close to the Arabian Sea...
, Seiyun
Seiyun
Say'un is a town in the Hadhramaut region of Yemen. Postage stamps from the former Aden Protectorate sultanate of Kathiri are sometimes inscribed "Kathiri State of Seiyun." As of 2006 the population was 75,700....
and PDO
Petroleum Development Oman
Petroleum Development of Oman is the foremost exploration and production company in the Sultanate. It accounts for more than 90% of the country's crude-oil production and nearly all of its natural-gas supply...
locations like Marmul.
Other forms of other public transport popular in Salalah like taxis and micro buses. They are locally called as "Baiza" buses, so named for the lower denomination of the Omani Rial, the baiza (an adaptation of the Indian and Pakistani lower denomination paisa). These are relatively inexpensive and service all major roadways, as well as a wide and loose network of smaller byways connecting smaller towns in Dhofar Governorate with Salalah city. These are mostly Toyota Hiace
Toyota Hiace
The Toyota HiAce is a motor vehicle produced by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota. First launched in 1967, the HiAce has since been available in a wide range of configurations, including minivan and minibus, van, pick-up, taxi, and ambulance....
or Nissan Urvan. They operate from City Centre, locally called Chowk to places like Dhalkut, Rakhyut, Shahb As'eeb, Sarfait, Shaleem, Shuwamiyah, Sharbithat, Marmul, Al-Mazyounah, Mirbat, Taqah, Sadah, Tawi Ateer, Hasik, Hadbin, Thumrait etc.
Taxis are color-coded orange and white and provide semi-personal transportation in the form of both individual hire and the same opportunistic roadway service as Baiza buses.
Baiza buses, also colour-coded orange and white, and like taxis are unmetered after several government initiatives to introduce meters were rejected. The fare is set by way of negotiation, although drivers usually adhere to certain unwritten rules for fares within the city. One should always find out the normally accepted fare for one's journey from one's hotel or host before looking for a taxi.
Demographics
The city, like many other in Arab states of the Arabian peninsulaArabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
, has a relatively large expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
community, mainly from Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, as well as a Pakistani and an Indian community school in the Dahariz district.
99.9% of the Omani population in Salalah is Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. Like the majority of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, most people in Salalah follow the Sunni sect of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, unlike the majority of Omanis in Muscat which mostly follow the Ibadhi sect. There is also a small population of Christians
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, Hindus
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and Sikhs
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
practiced by the Indian and Sri Lankan community.
The unofficial, unwritten, second most spoken language in Salalah, is Shehri
Shehri language
Jibbali - frequently called Shehri in Omani Arabic - is a South Arabian language spoken by a minority native population in the mountains and wilderness areas upland from Salalah in Dhofar Province in the southwest of the Oman.While sometimes confused as a dialect of Arabic even by Omani Arabs,...
, mostly known as Jeballi. As of 1993 there were 25,000 speakers of Shehri, and the numbers have more than doubled ever since. In Salalah it is very typical to see people speak Shehri to each other whether it be in the market place or the restaurant. In fact, Sultan Qaboos's mother, Mazoon Al-Mashani
Mazoon al-Mashani
Princess Mazoon al-Maashani was the second wife of Sultan Said bin Taimur and the mother of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman.-Biography:...
, was a native speaker of the Shehri language.
Economy
APM TerminalsAPM Terminals
APM Terminals is an international container terminal operating company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. It is one of the world's leading port and terminal operators as well as providing cargo support and container Inland Services, and is the largest port and terminal operating company in...
, part of the A. P. Moller-Maersk Group of Denmark, manages the Port of Salalah
Port of Salalah
Port of Salalah is one of the deepwater ports in Oman which was formerly known as Raysut Harbour or Mina' Raysut or Port Raysut. It can accommodate large vessels up to 16m draft. It is the main Container Transhipment Terminal of the region....
; one of the largest ports on the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
which is an important transshipment hub for container shipping in the area. The Port of Salalah
Port of Salalah
Port of Salalah is one of the deepwater ports in Oman which was formerly known as Raysut Harbour or Mina' Raysut or Port Raysut. It can accommodate large vessels up to 16m draft. It is the main Container Transhipment Terminal of the region....
is also one of the most vital ports on the peninsula connecting together Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It is also the largest private employer in the Dhofar region. The Salalah Free Zone, situated right beside the port, is emerging as a new center for heavy industries in the Middle East.
Tourism
Frankincense
Frankincense, also called olibanum , is an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia, particularly Boswellia sacra, B. carteri, B. thurifera, B. frereana, and B. bhaw-dajiana...
trees lining mountain wadi courses. Around the city and into the mountains the countryside is lush and green during the monsoon period with the vegetation supporting herds of cattle. The climate supports wildlife often more commonly associated with East Africa, such as leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s and hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
s. Also plants associated with Africa, such as the Baobab
Baobab
Adansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island....
tree, are common. Salalah and its surroundings is one of the few ancient areas on the Arabian peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
that have extensive coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
cultivation. In ancient times coir
Coir
Coir is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, mattresses etc. Technically coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. Other uses of brown coir are in upholstery...
from the thick husk of the fruit of the local tall variety was used to stitch the planking of the traditional sewn boat
Sewn boat
A sewn boat is a type of wooden boat which is clinker built and held together with tendons or flexible wood, such as roots and willow branches. Sewn boat construction techniques were used in many parts of the world prior to the development of metal fasteners, and continued to be used long after...
of the Western Indian Ocean. Today, the immature fruit are mostly sold as tender coconut for drinking.
The beautiful beaches and coastline are also major attractions for scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
and bird watching.
Salalah is a city of antiquity, boasting both the ruins of the fortified town Sumharam (Khor Rori
Khor Rori
Khor Rori is an Early South Arabian archaeological site near Salalah in the Dhofar region of modern Oman. The small fortified town was founded as an outpost for the kingdom of Hadramawt in modern Yemen around the turn of our era, but the site shows signs of Hadrami settlement back to the third...
), an important port from 100 BC – AD 400. Modern Oman is also represented by the Port of Salalah, located approximately 15 km to the southwest of the city. The strategic location of this port has made it one of the major entry points to India, the Middle East, and Africa.
Sports in Salalah
Salalah has been known for homing some of the best football clubs in Oman. In total, Salalah has 4 sport clubs based in the city: Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Nasr, and DhofarDhofar (football club)
Dhofar Sports, Cultural, and Social Club " because of their great success, or just plainly as Dhofar) is an Omani sports club, based in Salalah. Their home stadium is Al-Saada Stadium, but also recognize the older Salalah Sports Complex as their home ground...
.
Dhofar F.C.
Dhofar (football club)
Dhofar Sports, Cultural, and Social Club " because of their great success, or just plainly as Dhofar) is an Omani sports club, based in Salalah. Their home stadium is Al-Saada Stadium, but also recognize the older Salalah Sports Complex as their home ground...
have been nicknamed as "Al-Zaeem", or "The Leaders", due to their enormous success in both the Omani League
Omani League
The Omani League is the top division of the Oman Football Association, and was officially created in 1976. Currently the most successful team in the Omani League, trophy-wise is Dhofar with a total of 9 trophies....
, and in the Sultan Qaboos Cup
Sultan Qaboos Cup
The Sultan Qaboos Cup is Oman's premier knockout tournament in men's football . Its first edition was held in 1972 and the champions were Al-Ahli. Fanja are the most successful club in the competition by the cup 8 times, and Dhofar comes next by winning 7 times.-Previous winners:-Performance by club:...
. Dhofar have also have an adequate amount of trophies in sports like volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, and handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
. Al-Nasr have also been known for their great success in football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, winning the Omani League 5 times, and the Sultan Qaboos Cup 4 times. Al-Nasr, like Dhofar, have also been successful in other sports such as hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, volleyball, and handball.
Salalah currently has 2 stadiums, the Salalah Sports Complex
Salalah Sports Complex
Salalah Sports Complex also known as The Youth Complex , is a government owned multi-purpose stadium in the Auwqad district of Salalah, Oman. It is currently used mostly for football matches, and also has facilities for athletics. It the home stadium of the Dhofar Football Club, as well as...
(also known as the "Youth Sports Complex"), which is the only multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
in Salalah. The newer, Al-Saadah Stadium
Al Saada Sports Complex
Al-Saada Stadium , also known as Al-Saada Sports Complex is a government owned multi-use stadium in the Al-Saada district of Salalah, Oman. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Dhofar, as well as Al-Nasr...
is the newly built stadium in Al-Saada district of Salalah devoted to football. Incorporated in the walls of the sports complex apart from the football stadium is a hockey field, tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
, olympic swimming pool, and indoor volleyball/basketball court. Al-Saada Stadium is the venue where Saudi national football team
Saudi Arabia national football team
Saudi Arabia national football team is the national team of Saudi Arabia and is controlled by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation...
, and the Omani national team
Oman national football team
The Oman national football team is the national team of Oman. Although the team was officially founded in 1978, the squad was formed long before, and has established a proper football association in only December, 2005...
first met in Salalah on August 12, 2009.
The most popular sport played among the youth is by far football. It is very normal to see a group of boys and young men from around the area playing in make-shift fields in parking lots, or in a large open area. Beach football is also a common sight to see along the beach in the Al-Haffa district. Another popular sport in Salalah is volleyball. Although not as popular as football the game is frequently played.
Education
Currently Salalah has 2 colleges, the Salalah College of Technology and Salalah College of Applied Science, both of which are government owned and sponsored.The Salalah College of Applied Sciences incorporates an English Department. Its aim is to offer students a solid grasp of the English language so that they may go on to complete further studies in important sectors such as I.T. and Communication and Design.
Salalah is also home to a private university, Dhofar University, which has significant shares owned by Mustahil Al-Mashani, uncle of Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Recently the university has started construction of a new campus that reached deals worth 25 million OR
Omani rial
The rial is the currency of Oman. It is divided into 1000 baisa .-History:Before 1940, the Indian rupee and the Maria Theresa Thaler were the main currencies circulating in Muscat and Oman, as the state was then known, with rupees circulating on the coast and Thaler in the interior...
.
The Indian School Salalah
Indian School Salalah
The Indian School Salalah is an Indian-run, self financing, co-educational institution, primarily established to meet the academic needs of children of Indian expatriates working in the Sultanate of Oman in the Persian Gulf. The school also admits children of other nationalities...
is an Indian-run, self financing, co-educational institution, primarily established to meet the academic needs of children of Indian expatriates working in Salalah
Salalah
Salalah , is the capital and seat of the governor or Wali of the southern Omani province of Dhofar. The population of Salalah was 197,169 in 2009....
.The school also admits children of other nationalities. The school is located in the Dahariz area, of Salalah town.