The Gulf's beautiful exception: Oman chose authenticity over towers — white architecture, the Hajar mountains, turquoise wadis and aflaj. Two Omans in one: elegant Muscat and the mountains (Oct-Apr), and Salalah's khareef monsoon miracle (Jun-Sep) when Dhofar turns green while the Peninsula burns — the Gulf's favorite summer escape. The paved Empty Quarter road puts Muscat ~8h from Riyadh; OMR ≈ 9.75 SAR.