Savor The Sweeping “Green Mountain” Views At Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort In Oman

I love the desert. From the Atacama desert in Chile to the sweeping sands of the Gobi desert in Mongolia, there isn’t a barren landscape I haven’t enjoyed. There’s something about the pure sunshine, quietude of the land, and expansive views deserts offer that set them apart from other terrains across the world. I am also struck by what thrives in a desert despite its harsh conditions: agile mountain goats, tiny beetles, hawks, thorny bushes, and even flamingos in Chile’s Atacama region. Sometimes humans thrive in the desert as well such as in Oman’s Al Jabal Al Akhdar (or “green mountain”) area, the 10,000 foot or so high desert mountain region that requires four-wheel drive to access.

Earlier this spring, a rented Jeep hauled me up the Al Hajar mountains. “Dear Visitor” signs note points of interest and altitudes, a cute balance to the steep road and halting limestone mountains seemingly chiseled by hasty gods. It’s absolutely breathtaking and so was my first view from Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, a luxury property perched right over the mountains’ dramatic canyons. Though the drive up the desert mountain was speckled with nothing more than shrubs and sliding rocks, I soon realized how the “green mountain” came to be named. The highest altitudes of Al Jabal Al Akhdar receive about a foot or two of rainfall every year, enough to support farms of apricots, peaches, pomegranates, walnuts, and roses. For centuries, Arab tribes in the region perfected the al falaj (“split into parts”) irrigation system which still exists today.

The Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort showcases waterways as well as rose gardens throughout its property, but one of its best aspects, besides unimaginable views, is its immediate access to the rich heritage of the region. I did a guided walk right from the property to working terraced villages that still hug the mountains and burst with the fragrance of damask roses growing in flower beds. Walking up and down the various staircases of the quiet villages and terraces has a childlike appeal, like a secret adventure few have taken. Our guide was just as enthusiastic, sharing stories about certain neighbors and quizzing us with herbs plucked from the gardens. Down the mountain and about a 25 minute drive from the property, the UNECSO World Heritage Site, Birkat Al-Mouz, still shows the intricate al falaj system that was used in the village. I stopped by the charming Bait AlSabah Heritage Inn & Cafe for an iced coffee and marveled at the beige ruins one late afternoon. Back at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, I enjoyed morning walks through the sleepy and more modern town, watching kids trot out to their school buses and workers strolling to their construction sites.

Another great aspect of this Anantara property is its spa. Meticulously designed by French-Moroccan architect Lotfi Sidirahal (who also completed the entire resort’s design), the spa incorporates al falaj styled waterways indoors. One of the treatment rooms functions as a hammam, the traditional Middle Eastern bath experience, and the Royal Hamman Ritual service is a must after a day of a dusty desert adventure. Nothing quite polishes and invigorates the skin like a full body scrub that a traditional hammam offers, and the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort surely delivers. Excellent yoga classes are also offered in the mornings from the spa which overlook the resort’s spectacular canyon views.

At sunset, I would perch like a desert hawk on the 2nd story of the resort’s main building, taking in the kaleidoscopic show that would unfold every evening across the canyon walls and mountains’ crevasses. I would listen to the happy chatter in German, Italian, French, and Arabic from nearby guests and the clinking of wine glasses. The desert draws a lot of travelers, I, for one, included.