A private Indian Ocean beach. The Arabian desert. An exotic culture to explore. Swimming with whale sharks. Camels swimming in an oasis. We know a holiday destination where you have all this and more.
It’s a very private Indian Ocean getaway, further from civilisation than most islands in the Maldives and Seychelles. But also a base to explore local history, hospitality, nature and culture. Welcome to southwest Oman and Alila Hinu Bay.
Surprisingly different in Salalah
Salalah is a destination of epic proportions. An oasis of palm trees and camels, turquoise waters and welcoming Arabian culture. Drink sweet tea at a palm-shaded cafe, explore an old souq, then walk across a red mountain and snorkel with a whale shark.
This is a fascinating and very remote place, with a history as long as Europe’s and remarkable nature. Much of Salalah is like the rest of Oman and the Middle East – dry, dusty desert. But thanks to an annual monsoon, you’ll find green valleys, waterfalls and oases in the desert.
Surprising is an understatement for what you can explore here.You might see camels wading across turquoise waters, led by semi-nomadic herders. Or the tropical Tawi Atair Sinkhole in a desert forest. If you’ve experienced Oman you won’t be surprised though – do you know about Six Senses Zighy Bay?
Introducing Alila Hinu Bay
Want to Holiday in Oman? Or Somewhere Else That's New?
This is the Indian Ocean. You need to have a proper beach holiday as well. Alila Hinu Bay finds this wonderful balance, between exploring and an exclusive beach getaway. It’s the sister property of another favourite of ours – Alila Jabal Akhdar, in the mountains of Oman.
Hinu Bay seems endless. Alila is the only building on the beachfront. So you have many kilometres of empty Indian Ocean white sand to yourself. It’s located 90 kilometres from Salalah – far enough away to feel like a private island retreat, close enough to still explore.
In better known Indian Ocean destinations like Mauritius, even Zanzibar, you simply cannot get this amount of space.
Alila Hinu Bay is a new hotel, with 96 guest suites and 16 pool villas. Measuring over 150 sqm with both prime resort location and the pools, we highly recommend these villas.
Clean lines and spacious rooms showcase what traditional Arabic architecture is known for. It’s subtle, simple, luxurious but not showy. There’s a spa focused on individualised treatments, a restaurant featuring a lot of produce grown on the property, plus options for romantic dinners at secluded places across the resort.
Is South Oman Your Next Holiday?
Alila means surprise in local Sanskrit. We love how Alila Hinu Bay is different. And we think it can be a surprisingly luxurious and unique holiday for you. Not many people explore Oman. So if you feel the popular Indian Ocean destinations are no longer exclusive, take a look a little further north and Alila Hinu Bay.
