MUSCAT: Adam – like all picnic spots in the Sultanate of Oman is inviting, a fertile and virgin picnic spot with a long history to back.

A wilayat in Al Dakhiliyah, situated less than 300km, a 2-hour drive or little more, from the national capital Muscat, Adam, is full of interesting facts.

After Adam, it is the desert.

So that’s the first main point and a quiet place where about 20,000 peaceful and always smiling citizens live in nearly 60 villages.

For an archaeology student, it is a must-visit place and for others, don’t lose your hopes, Adam will open up your mind and gain more knowledge.

Harrat Al Ain, Harrat al Bousaid, Harrat Al Hawashim, Harr Al Jamii and Harrat Bani Shiban are archaeological sites and give glimpses of pre-Islamic history too.

If you love architecture, traditional Omani structures will keep you glued.

If you want to explore more, your plate is overflowing with ancient forts, citadels and towers, mosques and deserted traditional souqs (markets).

You can chase plenty of sheeps, goats and camels and a place where Bedouins (tribes) frequently make their camp, particularly during spring.

In Adam, you can watch date forests, citric plantations and other local grown produce. Before you advance, you can take a bath at one of the two sulfur springs at Ain Namah, Ain al Rakhim. Naturally you can alsoo see  aflaj (ancient water channels and traditionally irrigation way known only in the Sultanate) of Al Malih, Al Ain, Al Shari’. If you are a birdwatcher too, there is plenty to watch, enjoy and relive!.

If you are heading to Salalah in Dhofar, Adam is a must stop-over before the long drive.