Barka is one of the historic cities on the coast of Oman which flourished the Ya'aruba and the Bu Said dynasties. It was an area of export and received produce from the neighbouring areas to ship to India, Basra and East Africa.
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In
Barka, many reminders of the prosperity of historical times remain, they include the
Al Na'man Fort, built by the
Imam Saif bin Sultan al Ya'rubi (Qid al Ard), who planted 30,000 palm and coconut trees around its walls. The fort, which was built in the late 17th century, sits just metres from the beach and was built as a defence against Persian and Portuguese invaders of the time.
It boasts a rather unusual octagonal tower and has been pretty well fully restored over the past few years. Administered by the Ministry of Culture and Antiquities, it is open to the public and is well worth a visit, if for no other reason than for the splendid views over the town, the gigantic date palm grove, and the azure waters of the
Gulf of Oman.
Al Sayid Sultan Bin Ahmad built the garrison headquarters of
Bait al Falaj in the 19th century AD which is now the Armed Forces Museum. You should definitely pop into the world famous
Omani Halwa (a sort of sweet) factory there. You can do lots of taste testing before you buy.
Bullfights are the main spectator event in
Barka, these take place on Friday afternoons throughout the winter, and fairly large crowds come to the event, which is, by the way, free of charge. To find them, ask at either the Shell or BP station on the edge of town as you drive in.
In order to preserve the
Omani heritage, a Directorate-General of Camel Affairs was established in 1989. Located in
Fulaij, it is equipped with the most modern race tracks and camel pens. This concern testifies to the esteem in which the ancient craft is held among Omanis.
