Sur

Sur (صور‎‎ in Arabic) is a city of 120000 inhabitants located along the coast in central Oman, located 160 km southeast of Muscat. It is the capital of the Ash Sharqiyah region. Sur has an attractive coastal corniche road, two forts and is a convenient base from which to explore the region. South of Sur there is a large lagoon and on the other side, the city of Al Ayjah. Since the 6th century Sur has been a centre for the trade with East Africa and later also with India. After the 19th century Sur experienced a period of decline due to the loss of the slave trade and the opening of the Suez channel. The Sunaysilah castle was built in the 18th century on a hill overlooking Sur and measures 30m x 35m. The Bilad Sur castle is 200 years old and has four towers.