“The Lazy River” at Shangri-La, Oman

Anyone who’s been to the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa in Muscat, Oman and tried “The Lazy River” will probably understand why it’s one of (many of) my favorite things about the resort.

“Meander your way between Al Waha, Al Bandar and back again on inflatable tubes along the Lazy River, inspired by the centuries-old falaj system that brought fresh water to remote Omani villages. The Lazy River is open daily from 9.30am to 7pm.” (from shangri-la.com)

This is the starting point of the 500 meter-long Lazy River.  Just grab a tube, relax, kick back and enjoy! If you look carefully, they have tubes for 1 or for 2 if you want to go down with a partner.

You’ve been warned. (If you can read the sign that is…)

Part of the lazy river goes under the Bait Al Bahr restaurant.  You can see a tube just starting to emerge from under the restaurant on the right.

Back to the start! If you just let yourself coast along with the slow, lazy-pace of the current, you should take 7 to 8 minutes each way for a total round-trip journey of about 15-16 minutes.  I know because I videotaped one of my trips down lazy river. Here it is to give you an idea of what it’s like:

Have any of you been on Lazy River? Did you enjoy it as much as I did?

“The Splashpad” at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa

“The refreshing Splashpad located on the headland of the hotel (far right of the beach along Waha Hotel) is a fun aquatic area with numerous water effects from light mists to touch sensitive sprays and projection jets.” 9am-7pm

Our son couldn’t get enough of the Splash Pad. We tried to do as much as we could during our stay at the Shangri-La, but Gershom would request time and time again to splash around at this fun spot!  Here is a short vid:

“The brightly coloured Splashpad features over 20 water activities, some aimed at toddlers and others at older children and adults alike in a fully shaded area, allowing use throughout the day, even in the summer.  Splashpad is a zero depth pool area that contains no standing water – different water movements come from a combination of flowing, misting and jetting, while surface water is channelled away.” (from smartoman.com)

The Splash Pad is labelled “Outdoor Children’s Play Area” on the lovely resort map they give to all overnight guests.

A great place for anyone with small kids. We definitely hope to make it back here!  Have any of you been to the Splashpad at the Shangri-La?

Al Kasfah Hot Spring, Al Rustaq

Al Kasfah Hot Spring is located in Al Rustaq which is about 170 kms from Muscat.  It would have been much easier to find if I knew that it was next to a mosque!

The water here reminded me of the Bimmah Sinkhole but on a much smaller scale.  The water was constantly bubbling which is hard to make out in a photo.  Here is a short video to give you a better idea:

They say the average temperature of this hot spring is 45-46 degrees Centigrade. (113-114.8 degrees Fahrenheit for you Americans out there! 😉 )  People believe that the water in this hot spring has healing properties due to its sulphur content.

Another video from a different angle:

They seem to love posting signs near this spring! Here are a few that seem to contradict one another: (No Bathing? Bathing ok but not with detergent? Just not during certain hours?)

This is one of the “bathing rooms” with a flowing falaj from the hot spring that might allow you to soak your feet but I don’t know about getting much more than that wet.

Here’s a look at the falaj as it flows down the street from the hot spring.  Notice the dragonfly?

Here are a few pictures of the area immediately around the hot spring:

If you’re looking for this hotspring, keep your eye out for this Rustaq Municipality map located right next to the spot.

If you read Arabic, these markings on the nearby mountain read: “Aiyn Al Kasfah”. (So the local Rustaq boys told me.)