Wahiba Sands is a remote sea of sand dunes, best experienced on a guided desert tour. Although sometimes called the Sharqiya Sands, this enticing swathe of honey-coloured sands is most often referred to as Wahiba, after the name of the local tribe.

The rolling Wahiba Sands extend from the Eastern Hajars to the Arabian Sea. They are 200 kilometres long and 100 kilometres wide, with individual dunes rising up to 200 metres or more. It is a harsh but beautiful landscape, which nomadic Bedouins know intimately. Fortified towns fringe the Sands, home to Omani pit-weavers - who design elegant textiles from looms dug into the earth.

Staying for a night or several nights at a luxury desert camp provides the chance to explore the dunes by day and stargaze and swap stories by firelight at night. Camel treks and four-wheel drive adventures into the desert are classic Oman holiday experiences and can easily be incorporated into a tailor-made Wahiba Sands itinerary.