Sports and Recreation

If all of that camping, mountain biking, horse riding, hiking, pot-holing, diving, fishing, snorkelling and driving, that we have included in our environmental, cultural and historical exploration of Oman is not enough, then please read on for even more ideas to keep you occupied after work. Who said there is nothing to do in the desert?

 Aerobics is an excellent way of keeping fit, whatever the weather. Classes are available in most hotels costing from RO 1.5-2.5 for members and from RO 2.5-3.5 for non members. Aqua aerobics is an excellent way to combine aerobic activity with the chance to splash around in the water.

Archery can be practised with the Muscat Diving and Adventure Centre (24 485 663) who will show how much fun you can have trying to shoot an arrow straight. Lessons last for 2 hours and start at RO 15.

Basketball can be played with the Oman Basketball Federation (www.asia-basket.com), who runs regular competitions.

Bowling can be enjoyed at the City Bowling Centre (24 541 277), where you can also play snooker, billiards and video games. The bowling alley has eight lanes and boasts a very active league, and organises regular tournaments and social events. There is also the Sheraton Oman Bowling (24 772 772) at the Sheraton Oman Hotel.

Cricket is a very popular sport with so many expatriates from cricket-loving nations. There are currently 60 teams registered with the Oman Cricket Association (99 314 348 / Near Haffa House Hotel in Ruwi), and to enter the only condition is to have one Omani in your team and that he bats in the top five. If you do not have one you can only bat with 10 men!

Cycling is a great sport with so many routes along the coastline and through the rugged mountains to enjoy. And it is the best way to explore Muscat, by weaving through the streets of the old town and along the corniche. Do exercise caution on the roads, as drivers in the Middle East are not very sympathetic to cyclists and do not allow them much space or time. Join a cycling club like the Muscat Cycling Club (99 324 594) who welcomes both road and off-road cyclists, and it has an active social life too.

Football is always popular wherever you go in the world and you do not have to travel far to find a game in action in a rural village, on the beach or as part of the semi-professional football league.

Golf in Muscat has a healthy band of supporters who play on brown (sand) courses, but the lack of green is set to change at the Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club (24 510 065 / www.muscathills.com) which is being built behind the Seeb Novotel. Please note that in these climatic conditions, golf can be a more physically demanding game. There is the Al Maha Golf Club (24 522 177 / Oman Automobile Association), the Ghallah Wentworth Golf Club (24 591 248 / near As Sultan Qaboos Mosque) with driving range, and the Marco Polo Golf Course (23 235 333 / Crowne Plaza Resort) an unusual 9 hole par 3 set in a coconut grove. It has a driving range, practise area and putting green.

Hashing is described as a drinking club with a running problem, and represents the world famous sport of expatriates gathering on a weekly basis to jog through the desert, the mountains, the wadis, the streets, whatever the terrain, following a flour trail with false leads and water stops in a fun and non-competitive manner. Welcome to the Hash House Harriers, a fantastic way of joining a social group to make friends and to get a bit of exercise. The first hash club was formed in Kuala Lumpur in 1938, and it is now the largest running organisation in the world, with members in over 1,600 chapters in 180 countries. There are two groups in Oman Jebel Hash House Harriers (24 494 226 / www.omanshash.com) and Muscat Hash House Harriers (99 619 320)