Al Hamra – Perched above the terraced farms and mud-brick houses of Misfat Al Abriyeen, an apiary is turning Oman’s beekeeping heritage into an agri-tourism experience that attracts thousands of visitors each week during the peak season.

The House of Misfat for Honey introduces tourists to traditional and modern methods of raising bees in Oman’s mountain villages, while offering guided tours, honey tastings and displays of locally produced goods.

Established in 2015 by Ali bin Mohammed Al Abri, as visitor numbers to Misfat Al Abriyeen began to rise, the apiary was designed to preserve local knowledge while creating a new attraction in the historic village.

“The aim was to introduce tourists to the traditional practice of beekeeping in mountainous areas and explain the stages of honey production,” Al Abri said.

The apiary now has about 340 hives, ranging from modern wooden boxes to palm-trunk hives used in traditional beekeeping. It produces several varieties, including sidr, acacia and herbal honey.

Some hives are transported across Oman according to flowering seasons – Dhofar in April to produce frankincense honey and Ras al Hadd in South Sharqiyah for mangrove honey.

The business expanded its range in 2025 by introducing honey flavoured with thyme, cloves, ginger, rose, saffron and cinnamon.

This year, it moved to a new location overlooking Misfat Al Abriyeen and added date syrup and other bee-derived products. The larger site has also allowed the apiary to introduce tours where visitors can observe hives being opened under specialist supervision and learn about the behaviour of bees.

During the tourism season from September to April, the apiary receives between 2,000 and 2,500 visitors a week, with numbers peaking in November and December, according to Al Abri.

The House of Misfat for Honey has become a regular stop on itineraries offered by tour operators bringing visitors to the village. Guests are given an introduction to beekeeping and honey extraction before sampling different varieties.

The apiary reflects a wider shift in Oman’s tourism sector, where young entrepreneurs are using agriculture, crafts and local knowledge to develop experiences rooted in their communities.

By combining farming traditions with direct visitor participation, the apiary is generating income from local resources while strengthening Misfat Al Abriyeen’s appeal as a rural and cultural tourism destination.