Salalah is the capital of Dhofar, Oman’s southernmost province, and is a vibrant, colourful place that has its roots in the profitable frankincense trade that proliferated in the region. An important port for centuries, the town has something of an East African flavour as a result of Oman’s former territories, and plantations of bananas and papayas add to this feel.

Salalah is an excellent place from which to make some fascinating excursions into Dhofar. The ancient tomb of 'Prophet Job', which lies in the green mountains of the Salalah Plains, is a particularly important religious site and legends abound that the Queen of Sheba had a palace near here. At Khor Rohri Bay lies one of the world’s most significant ports of the antiquity, from were the trade of frankincense and incense was controlled and exported to the rest of the Arabian Peninsula. Near Mirbat was the ancient capital of Dhofar, which in the 9th century traded in frankincense, horses & slaves. The streets are lined with old Omani mud houses and Dhofar's best known historic site – the twin-domed Bin Ali Tomb and Mosque, a classic example of medieval architecture – is here.