Oman to reopen Al Hoota Cave ahead of Eid Al Adha

Oman will reopen its popular attraction Al Hoota Cave to the public ahead of the Eid Al Adha holidays, the Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) revealed on Wednesday.

The cave, which has been closed temporarily for renovation during the last few years, will reopen on September 5.

“The facilities at Al Hoota have undergone significant improvements,” the statement said.

A natural phenomenon, the cave system stretches more than 4.5km, with only 500m publicly accessible.

As part of the new experience, visitors will be able to ride Oman’s only electric train from the visitor centre into the cave.

Inside, an interactive geological museum showcases over 150 items of rock, wood and corals and will provide more details about the history of the cave.

A children’s play area, a restaurant and a gift shop are also located onsite.

A new website will also be launched on September 5 for online bookings and ticket payment.

Khalid Mirza, director of Projects Development at Omran said: “Al Hoota is the first tourist cave to open in the GCC, first opening to the public in November 2006.

“It was critical that maintaining such an important and precious natural attraction was done comprehensively, especially to address areas of the cave that’d been affected by floods.

“Omran has worked closely with the Ministry of Tourism to enhance the natural assets of the cave to create a top class tourist experience.”

Responsibility of the development was handed over to Omran by the Ministry of Tourism on June 1, 2015.

Omran has since invested in broad enhancements of the site.

“We’re expecting a lot of visitors to come and discover the caves during the Eid Al Adha weekend, whether for the first time or for a return visit,” added Mirza.

The cave used to welcome 75,000 visitors per year before it closed for renovation.

Timings:

Saturday-Thursday: 9am-6pm
Fridays: 9am-12pm and 2pm-5pm