Salalah offers a genuinely different Oman from Muscat's desert-mountain landscape, built around a tropical monsoon climate found nowhere else in the Gulf. Here are ten things worth your time. Frankincense Land and Wadi Dawkah together cover the historic trade that once made this coastline wealthy — a museum experience paired with the actual wild groves still harvested today. Al Mughsail Beach's dramatic cliffs and natural blowholes spray seawater high into the air during rough surf, particularly spectacular after storms or during khareef season. The Dhofar Mountains during khareef season (June through September) turn genuinely green and misty, an experience unlike anywhere else in the Gulf region. Al Husn Souk offers frankincense, traditional textiles, and local crafts in a working market setting rather than a tourist-oriented one. A banana and coconut plantation visit shows the agricultural side of Salalah's surprisingly lush coastal plain, distinct from the rest of arid Oman. Mughsail's coastal drive, connecting several scenic viewpoints along the cliffs, makes for an easy half-day even without stopping at every individual sight. The Tomb of Job (Nabi Ayoub), an important pilgrimage site, sits in the hills above the city and offers panoramic views as a secondary draw. Khor Rori, an ancient port ruin near Salalah, gives historical context to the region's importance as a historic trading hub. A traditional Dhofari meal, distinct from the cuisine found in Muscat, is worth seeking out at a local restaurant rather than only at resort dining options. Finally, simply driving the coastal road between Salalah and Mirbat reveals beaches and viewpoints that rarely make formal itineraries but reward unhurried exploration. A rental car is genuinely useful here, since the region's best sights are spread out well beyond walking distance from the city.