At Mughsail the mountains of southern Oman run straight into the Arabian Sea and stop. The cliffs here, pale and weather-stained, drop in sheer walls to a long beach of pale sand, and in the middle of the rock you will find the blowholes, natural chimneys through which the sea is forced up and sprays into the air. They perform best in the khareef, the monsoon season from about July to September, when the swell is heavy and the spray rises high above the platform. Salalah lies about thirty-seven kilometres to the east, and that is where you will find fuel and a proper meal before you come out here.
The coastal road from Salalah is flat, straight and fast, running across a green plain of banana, coconut and papaya plantations, and in khareef the whole landscape is wrapped in cool cloud and drizzle, which feels almost unreal in this part of Arabia. After the monsoon the hills dry to a soft gold and the sky clears. Outside those months it is hot, so ride early and carry water. Camels wander the road without any sense of urgency, so slow down, especially at dusk when they are almost invisible, and give them plenty of room.
The region is known for frankincense, the aromatic resin tapped from Boswellia trees, and the trade it supported made this coast rich two thousand years ago. Ancient caravans carried the resin north across the desert to Egypt, Rome and beyond, and the old port of Khor Rori, near Salalah, was part of that trade. The frankincense land is now listed by UNESCO, and scrubby little trees with papery bark still grow on the slopes above the beach, where you can sometimes smell their sweet, smoky scent on a warm morning.
The beach and the blowhole platform have a few stalls selling coconuts and fresh juice, but beyond that there are no services, so bring what you need. Past the beach the road climbs into the cliffs toward the Yemen border in a long series of bends, and parts are restricted, so check before you go on. Sunset on the sand, with the cliffs glowing orange and the waves crashing at your feet, is a reward for a very long ride.