‘Sarb’ Season Begins in Dhofar Governorate
Salalah: Dhofar Governorate today welcomed the astronomical spring season, or as it is locally called “Sarb”, which affects the coastal states of the governorate from Dhalkut in the west to Mirbat in the east, and continues until December 21 of each year.
The “Sarb” season is one of the most beautiful natural seasons in Dhofar Governorate, as it comes after the rainy autumn season, as the weather changes from the humid atmosphere of the autumn season to a more moderate atmosphere, nature regains its greenery and splendor, roses and flowers bloom, the sun shines, in addition to the low humidity and calm sea waves, in addition to the splendor of the natural scenery in the mountains, valleys and plains and the blowing of cool breezes.
The “Sarb” season has a positive impact on economic activity in the governorate due to the increased influx of visitors to enjoy the beauty of nature and various activities, while economic activities flourish among farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders; due to the seasonal agricultural harvest in the mountainous and plain areas that depend on seasonal autumn rains, including corn, local beans and cucumbers, in addition to the increased production of honey and the availability of large quantities of surface and bottom fish with high nutritional value, most notably: sharka, kanaad fish, sardines, safi and shaari.
The “Sarb” season is characterised by spring grazing (Khateel Al-Ibil), which begins annually in late September. Camel owners in the mountains of Dhofar Governorate are keen to move their camels in groups from the plains or areas behind the mountains (Al-Qatn) to the pastures that are closed with the beginning of the autumn season, chanting a number of traditional sung arts and poetic verses, accompanied by some inherited social customs.
The spring/Sarb season in Dhofar Governorate has distinctive characteristics such as increased production of meat and honey, in addition to dairy products and their derivatives, most notably butter (Qatmim) and local ghee (Mishah), as a result of the abundance of green pastures for livestock in the plains, plateaus and mountains.
Among the most prominent tourist destinations in the Sarb season in Dhofar Governorate are the mountainous areas that receive a great turnout from visitors and tourists due to their picturesque nature, moderate climate, wide, extended plains, and the spread of trees that citizens and residents visit to seek shade and spend beautiful times in the embrace of the picturesque nature.
As part of promoting the Serb season, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism organized joint sessions between tourism sector partners in the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in mid-September in Dhofar Governorate, as part of the “Marhaba Dhofar” event organized by the Ministry with the participation of more than 40 tourism companies and 13 media professionals representing media institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry also organised the “Dhofar Path 2024” event, a photography tourism forum that hosted a group of professional photographers from the Sultanate of Oman and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to provide an opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Dhofar during the Sarb season with its bright colours and stunning scenery.
The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism will continue to organize familiarization trips for tourism offices and media delegations from various global markets to introduce the natural and touristic features that the governorate abounds with during the Serbian tourist season.
The Ministry is preparing to launch the third edition of the Frankincense Season events next December to stimulate tourism and introduce the frankincense sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
For its part, Dhofar Municipality is organizing many events during this year’s Sarab season that attract visitors and tourists, including the Dhofar Municipality Championship “Ironman 70.3”, as well as the Dhofar Municipality Championship “Salalah Half Marathon”, in addition to the Dhofar Municipality “Iron Child”.
These sporting events will be held over two weeks in October, with each event featuring its own program that targets different categories and serves the community in multiple ways.
The municipality will also organize the Dhofar International Theater Festival in early October, with the participation of local and international theater groups in various fields of theater and arts.
