Sour (Oman)

Sur (Ṣūr) is the capital city of Ash Sharqiyah South Governorate, and the former capital of Ash Sharqiyah Region in northeastern Oman, on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. It is located about southeast of the Omani capital Muscat. Historically, the city is known for being an important destination point for sailors. Today, the sea still plays an important part of life in Sur. By the 6th century, Sur was an established centre for trade with East Africa. Ibn Battuta commented on his visit to this "roadstead of a large village on the seashore." In the 16th century, it was under Portuguese rule but was liberated by the Omani Imam Nasir ibn Murshid and underwent an economic revival, as a trade centre with India and East Africa. This continued until the mid-19th century, when the British outlawed the slave trade. The city was further ruined by the opening of the Suez Canal, which saw it lose trade with India. The main college in Sur is the Sur College of Applied Sciences. The college has over 4000 students and offers degrees in Business, Communication, Information Technology and Design and Applied Biotechnology. It is considered one of the better institutions of higher learning in Oman. The second college is Sur University College. There is an Indian school, Indian School Sur which offers classes up to Grade 12. The springs and aflajs represent tourist attractions in Sur, where there are some small springs in the mountainous areas. Additionally, there are 102 flowing channels used by the residents of the governorate for various livelihood purposes. Freshwater streams from the high mountains intermingle with the saltwater of the sea at its edges, thanks to the proximity of the wadi to the sea. This proximity has contributed to creating the environmental diversity through which nature has crafted unique elements for this wadi, distinguishing it from the rest of the valleys in the Sultanate. A trip to Wadi Shab is considered an exciting adventure, involving boat crossings in certain areas and allowing visitors to walk on foot through the mountainous terrain.