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Ibra Travel Guide

Travel to Ibra - Souqs, Tombs and Old Houses

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Known as the ‘Gateway to the East’ of Oman Ibra, is famous for its fine horses, its wonderful souq, a dramatic cave and beehive tombs. There’s heaps to see in the area and it makes a great stop if travelling in this eastern area.

With trading links to East Africa Ibra has always been a mercantile town, yet today its old houses in the once-wealthy Al Kanaatir and Al Minzfah areas have fallen into disrepair. The Al Harithy tribe are numerous in the area.

Today most people know Ibra as the ‘Gateway to the East’, perhaps because it was situated on the caravan routes between the interior and the once grand port of Sur. Its horses and horsemen are famous as is the women-only souq on a Wednesday morning.

Attractions in Ibra

Ibra’s Wednesday souq is famous throughout the region and is a dream photo opportunity if sensitivity is used. In the area can be found 5000 year-old, strange beehive-shaped tombs whilst those that enjoy wandering around streets lined with old buildings should head to Al Mudayrib. If forts are your thing then Al Mintirib has the Bidiyah Castle to explore.

Activities in Ibra

Visit on a Wednesday to take in the souq and allow the best part of a day to explore the area.

Relaxing

Shopping with locals in the bazaar is a great way to meet people in this relatively little-visited corner of the country

Getting Around

You’ll definitely need your own transport to get the best out of Ibra as most of the areas sights are well out of town. The town can be included on an itinerary that takes you from Nizwa to Al Mudaibi into the Wahiba Sands and then back to the coast at Sur, but there is no doubt it’s a bit of a dog’s leg.