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Wilayat of Bidiyah

02/10/2025

Wilayat of Bidiyah

The Wilayat of Bidiyah is one of the Wilayats of North Al Sharqiyah Governorate. It lies in the centre of the Governorate and is bordered to the north by the Wilayat of Al Qabil and to the east by the two Wilayats of Al Kamil Wal Wafi and Wadi Bani Khalid. The Wilayat has adopted the Mabsali palm as its emblem. It has about 106 population centres, including Al Mintirib, Shahik, Al Huwayah, Al Wasil and Al Dhahir. The landscape of the Wilayat of Bidiyah varies between sands, mountains, plains and green oases, which number 15 and where wild plants grow. The Sharqiyah Sands lie within the Wilayat, which also has springs, including Ain Abu Suhaylah, Ain Abu Suraymah, Ain Abu Ghafah, Ain Habsin, Ain Yaya and Ain Al Tamr. The people of the Wilayat rely on aflaj to draw and use groundwater; there are 17 aflaj, nine of which are still flowing, and all of them are 'Adi (ancient) aflaj. Wild trees such as ghaf and conifers grow in the Wilayat of Bidiyah, which is also home to wild animals such as gazelles, as well as reptiles and birds. Bidiyah has historical sites such as Al Wasil Castle and the forts of Al Mintirib, Al Shariq, Al Huwayah and Al Ghubbi. The Wilayat of Bidiyah in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate enjoys tourist and heritage attractions and a unique reputation at home and abroad, which have enhanced its natural assets and distinctive environment. Bidiyah and its beautiful oases, with their fine golden sands, are a gateway for convoys of foreign tourists and visitors heading to the Sharqiyah Sands. Like the other Wilayats of the Sultanate, Bidiyah has received an ample share of development and modernisation during the prosperous, blessed era. Development has reached all the oases, areas and villages of this beautiful Omani Wilayat, where the spirit of Omani authenticity and history blends with modernity in a rare and unique harmony that brings together nature, heritage and Omani authenticity. What most distinguishes Bidiyah from the other Wilayats of the Sultanate is its people's attachment to their traditional heritage and their love and preservation of authenticity, despite the modernity the Wilayat enjoys as it combines the old and the new. This is reflected in their adherence to customs and traditions in certain traditional arts and in the competitions held on religious and national occasions, such as camel and horse parade races, and the arts of Al Razha, Al Azi, Hambal Al Bosh, Al Taghrud and other Bedouin arts. The Wilayat also preserves a number of crafts and handicrafts made from natural raw materials linked to the desert environment and its beautiful traditional and natural features, which the young men and women of the Wilayat have begun to invest in by setting up small and medium enterprises and marketing their products as tourist souvenirs. The main traditional crafts are gold and silver smithing, including jewellery, khanjars and swords; palm-leaf crafts, including makhazif (tools for gathering fresh dates from palm trees) and dhurouf (containers used for storing dates); leather tanning, including khanjar belts and sword scabbards; and palm-frond crafts, the most important of which are ropes and du'un (palm-frond mats).

Population

42725

Government Schools

12

Private Schools

8

Number of Hospitals and Health Centres

5

Civil Society Associations

Location Phone Number Email
Omani Women's Association in the Wilayat of Bidiyah +96899543202
+96825583044		 o.w.a-bidiyah@hotmail.com
Department of Social Development in Bidiyah +96825582501 Aliya1@mosd.gov.om

Travel and Tourism Agencies

Office Name Phone Number
Asdaf Quriyat Modern +96899217006
Ajnihat Al Sama Travel and Tourism +96896020313
Al Siraj Travel and Tourism +96896020313
Abu Aseel Al Balushi Travels +96899450087
Harat Al Jami Trading (Basmat Haima) +96899232819
Hilm Al Rimal Tourism +96899518882
Al Kuthban Al Dhahabiya Tourism +96892349999
Bidiyah Safari Tourism +96892864776
Lail Al Sarmadi Tourism +96899558717
Majan Safari Tourism +96899310108
Al Rahhala Adventures Tourism +96898922669
Bidiyah Desert Adventures +96899767494
Tilal Al Sahra Tourism +96895555748
Manarat Al Shubbak Trading +96896665522
Qila Rimal Bidiyah +96899343851
Al Mughamarat Al Asliya (Original Adventures) +96892538805

Hotel Establishments

Establishment Name Rating Phone Number Email
Nakheel Al Sahra Resort ★★★☆☆ +96895528952 Karthik.indiago@misgsa.com
Desert Nights Resort ★★★☆☆ +96894295831 reservations@desertnightscamp.com
Jauharat Bidiyah Resort ★★★★☆ +96896025646 at@jauharat.com
Oriental Nights Rest House ★☆☆☆☆ +96892896363 ONRHOMAN@gmail.com
Areen Hotel Apartments ☆☆☆☆☆ +96897810104 alareengghotels@gmail.com
Bidiyah Camp ☆☆☆☆☆ +96899332914 hiybadiy@hotmail.com
Nomadic Desert Camp ☆☆☆☆☆ +96899336273 nomadicdesertcamp@yahoo.com
Arabian Oryx Camp ☆☆☆☆☆ +96899311338 info@oryx.comp.com
Sama Al Wasil Camp ☆☆☆☆☆ +96897408800 info@samaresorts.com
Al Raha Tourist Camp ☆☆☆☆☆ +96899343851 ALRahaoman@gamil.com
Desert Retreat Camp ☆☆☆☆☆ +96899332264 desertretreat@yahoo.com
1000 Nights Camp ☆☆☆☆☆ +96899448157 wisal@1000nigntscamp.com

Tourist and Heritage Sites

Place Name Location
Al Wasil Fort
Al Mintirib Fort
Bidiyah Private Museum
Shajjat Al Rakah
Desert Show Site for Modified Sports Vehicles (Al Runat)
Shajjat Al Safah

Photo Library

  • Bidiyah Sands

    Bidiyah Sands

    The Bidiyah Sands, also known as the Al Wahiba Sands, are distinguished by their golden colour and vast expanse. As a result, they are among the most beautiful places for camping, especially for lovers of desert camping, and a key destination for four-wheel-drive owners and desert-driving enthusiasts.

  • Al Mintirib Fort

    Al Mintirib Fort

    Al Mintirib Fort overlooks a fertile palm oasis on the edge of the Sharqiyah Sands, home to large numbers of nomadic Bedouin who gather in Al Mintirib and other oasis towns from June to September each year during the harvest season. The fort covers an area of 900 m².

  • Al Wasil Fort

    Al Wasil Fort

    Al Wasil Fort is one of the oldest forts in the Wilayat. It was built by the Al Hajri tribe as a defensive position at the time and was the first fort to be built in the Wilayat of Bidiyah. It is the largest and most beautiful, with four impregnable towers and an internal souq, and is one of the most prominent landmarks of the village of Al Wasil and the Wilayat of Bidiyah. It was restored by the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture and is a tourist attraction housing many heritage artefacts and collectibles.