Some cities are meant to be walked. Muscat, it turns out, is also meant to be flown over. As the sun sinks into the Arabian Sea, the capital sheds its everyday face and becomes a stunning mosaic of mountains, coastline and history – a reminder that the most familiar places often hold the greatest surprises when viewed from above

Muscat – A city is more than its roads, buildings and landmarks. It is a collection of memories, quietly stitched together over the years. Every shoreline, mountain ridge and winding street becomes part of our inner landscape, often without us realising it.

Most of us experience a city from the ground, where daily routines shape our view. But every now and then comes an opportunity to see those familiar places from above, where the ordinary transforms into something extraordinary.

That is exactly what happened during a helicopter sightseeing flight with Al Sharqiya Aviation (ASA), Oman’s first private helicopter operator. As the helicopter lifted into the evening sky, Muscat slowly unfolded beneath us.

Bathed in the warm glow of sunset, the capital shimmered in shades of gold and amber, its coastline tracing a delicate line between rugged mountains and the Arabian Sea. From above, the city looked less like a collection of neighbourhoods and more like a carefully painted canvas. The view was at once unfamiliar and deeply personal.

The helicopter glided over mountains sculpted by time, quiet beaches, winding coastal roads and endless stretches of blue sea. Places that had become almost invisible through familiarity suddenly demanded attention.

Nestled between rock and sea, centuries-old Portuguese graves rested in silence, almost hidden within the landscape. Time seemed suspended around them, their weathered presence a quiet reminder of Muscat’s layered history.

Then came Qantab

It is a place I often visit with nothing more than a small camping stove, a chair, chai and a packet of instant noodles. Seen from the air, however, the beach became something entirely different. The evening sun turned the shoreline into a ribbon of gold, while gentle waves reflected the fading light in shimmering patterns across the water.

Further along the coast stood two of Oman’s best-known resorts – Al Bustan Palace and Shangri-La – their elegant architecture blending seamlessly with the dramatic coastline. From this vantage point, long golden rock formations stretched into the sea, creating a striking contrast between warm earth tones and the deep teal waters. The scene carried a quiet solitude, evoking the feeling of discovering an untouched island.

The entire flight lasted just 15 minutes, yet time seemed to slow.

Looking down at the Muttrah Corniche, I found myself wondering whether this was really the same road I drive almost every weekend. Its graceful curves hugged the coastline in a way that could never be appreciated from street level.

As daylight faded, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque emerged like a jewel, its domes and minarets glowing softly beneath the last rays of the sun.

The route carried us over Azaiba, Qurum, Wadi Kabir, Ruwi, Darsait, Muttrah and finally Qantab. Along the way, familiar landmarks including the Royal Opera House Muscat, the Rose Garden, Al Bustan Palace and Al Alam Palace appeared as pieces of a vast artistic composition.

Behind the experience is Al Sharqiya Aviation, which launched operations in 2020 as Oman’s first and only private helicopter service. The company operates Airbus H145 twin-engine helicopters alongside Airbus H125 single-engine aircraft, serving sectors ranging from tourism and corporate transport to emergency medical services and aerial filming.

The H145, valued at around US$13mn, can be rapidly converted into an air ambulance equipped with a specialised stretcher system. It is also fitted with emergency flotation equipment for water landings. Depending on the mission, the helicopters can fly at speeds of around 240km/h and operate at altitudes of up to 20,000 feet.

For visitors and residents seeking a different perspective of the capital, ASA offers a 15-minute sightseeing flight over Muscat for RO42.

“The company also provides passenger and corporate transport, load lifting, tourism and sightseeing flights, filming and media services, air ambulance operations, oil and gas aviation support, crop spraying and advertising services,” said Tamar Al Gendy, ASA’s Vice President for Rotary Wings and a pilot.

“Our helicopters can carry up to one tonne for construction-related lifting operations and reach locations that are otherwise difficult to access. We have also supported major productions, including Bollywood films and the Tour of Oman.”

Captain Ivan van Rooyen, one of ASA’s pilots, believes the greatest reward is sharing a different perspective of the world. “It is incredibly beautiful to see the world from above. We normally experience the world as something flat, but from the air everything changes,” he said.

By the time the helicopter descended, Muscat had become both familiar and entirely new.

Some places are meant to be explored on foot. Others reveal themselves only from the sky. And perhaps that is the city’s greatest secret – not that it hides its beauty, but that it quietly waits for us to discover it from a different point of view.