Oman The Travel Show

Now on BBC News, it's time for The Travel Show.

This week on The Travel Show, I'm dolphin-watching in Oman.

About four foot out of the water.

And travelling Bedouin style across the desert.

Plus we meet the woman who has travelled to more than 190 countries

in less than 18 months.

Oman is a 1000-mile-long coastal plain at the south-east tip

of the Arabian Peninsula, lying between the Gulf

and the Arabian Sea.

With a population of just over 4 million, it is bordered

by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

It's a country with a rich history and fascinating culture that dates

back well over 5000 years.

But for many travellers, including myself, Oman

is still a place which is something of an unknown quantity.

One of the must see places to come to is the Sultan's Palace.

This place is beautiful.

It's immense.

It's not that old, either.

But it's got that old feel to it.

This is his humble abode.

And it's not bad!

I'm sure you'd be impressed if you were the pizza delivery man.

You wouldn't know which door to go to!

It's not a place I have heard much about until now,

and it's very different to its UAE neighbours, like Dubai

with its skyscrapers and huge shopping malls.

You won't find any of that here.

What you will find, though, are vast mountains, masses of deserts,

and amazing rugged coastlines.

That was incredible.

That was incredible.

I'm in the lovely, warm, calm waters of the Gulf in Oman.

I've just been snorkelling, and you can't see, there's loads

of fish, it is teeming with them, and they are all sorts

of bright colours.

The rich plankton and geological position of Oman attracts a wide

array of marine life, including whale sharks,

humpbacks and manta rays.

OK, I've been snorkelling, which was pretty good,

but now I'm going to enjoy something that Oman is really famous for,

and that's dolphin watching.

They've got many types of dolphin out here,

but the most common type is called the spinner dolphin,

and that is supposed to be the most athletic type of dolphin,

just like myself.

I'm really looking forward to this, but I'm rubbish on boats,

so I'm hoping for some calm waters.

Please!

Can you just hold the back?

That's fine.

Now, apparently, the spinner dolphins are the smallest dolphins,

and I thought all dolphins were really athletic,

but these ones are super athletic, so hopefully they're going to put

on a show for us.

About four foot out of the water.

It is probably very difficult for you to say,

but what is the population like?

Is it healthy?

Are there many?

Well, I think it is, because there is a 90%

chance of seeing dolphins if the weather is OK.

But the fishing hasn't been as good as it was in the past.

We used to regularly pull in tuna, yellowfin tuna, over 70 kilograms.

But it's gone off a little bit.

But who knows?

Maybe it will improve again.

The tuna is a real sign of healthy sea, and there

will be dolphins around, because that is what they feed on.

Exactly.

The dolphins are chasing tuna, and that is why the fishing boats,

they will know where the dolphins are, and that is when

they catch the tuna.

And it's the fishing that's putting Oman's dolphin population at risk.

Last year, a large number of dolphins washed up

dead on beaches here.

Some had suffocated due to oil spills, but many others got

tangled up in fishing nets, and that has prompted

the government to act, because dolphin watching is the top

tourist activity here, and it contributes millions

to the local economy.

Back on dry land, I meet with Aida Al Jabri,

a marine biologist.

She's been given the job of protecting Oman's dolphins.

We are raising a lot of awareness for visitors

and for the local community.

There have been stories of dolphins dying here.

There is a lot, and last year, because of fishing, by accident.

Because they usually like to swim with tuna.

The government has outlawed the use of certain types of fishing nets

to protect dolphins and whales, but a total ban on all nets isn't

to protect dolphins and whales, but a total ban on all nets isn't

on the cards, because a large percentage of the population rely

on fishing to make ends meet.

It's also an issue globally.

Last year, an unusually high number of dolphins became stranded

Last year, an unusually high number of dolphins became stranded

on the beaches here.

Aida and her team of biologists now run monthly workshops to train

locals in how to deal with stranded dolphins, by recreating

real-life scenarios.

Fortunately with a rubber replica called Flipper.

I'm told this is what normally happens when

a dolphin gets stranded.

Crowds gather along the beach to take pictures, which wastes

valuable time in what is a life or death situation for the dolphin.

The aim of the role-play is to show locals they can do something far

more useful with training than just taking photographs.

More than 40 dolphins washed up along beaches in Oman last year,

and that's too many.

This is a first time for us to train them,

and of course this is a basic, and then we will have another

workshop is an advanced to show them exactly how to check,

and if it is stranded and dead, how to open the dolphin

with a veterinarian.

So this is a very new process?

Yes, it is not that new, but before it was without practical.

But this is a first time for them as a practical.

And although campaigners want to see a total ban on all fishing nets,

the government has set up an office, and will continue to run public

education programmes like these, which will help to ensure dolphins

have a much safer home in the waters of the Gulf.

Still to come on the Travel Show: We meet the slackliners

taking their tightrope walking to some of the world's

most stunning locations.

And I head to the desert here in Oman to spend

a night under the stars.

The Travel Show, your essential guide wherever you are heading.

It's time now for trending travel, your monthly mash up of the best

travel related stories, snaps and videos online.

Cassie De Pecol is on track to visit an estimated 196 countries

in less than 18 months.

That should make her the fastest person to travel the world.

It's part of Expedition 196, a campaign promoting peace

and responsible tourism.

I love showing people the beauty of these countries all over

the world, including Afghanistan, including Somalia.

I think we hear too much negativity we too often, and as a woman,

as a young American woman, I really want to show

people want peace.

The quest for that perfect selfie leads people to some

pretty crazy places.

Sometimes with tragic consequences.

Selfies have been responsible for over 120 deaths since 2014

according to a team of developers with a unique solution

to the problem.

They are working on an app that can identify when a user

is in a dangerous location.

Then the app will switch off the phone's camera.

Until then, the Icelandic tourist board shared this video,

offering some safety advice.

I know you want to look hot in a selfie, but some hot springs

and geysers can be over 100 Celsius, so please admire it from a distance.

Us travellers do love our smartphones.

And conservation experts are hoping to repeat the success of popular

apps like Pokemon Go.

That app used augmented reality to encourage millions of users

to get out and explore new areas.

Experts suggest similar technology might be fitted to zoos

and natural habitats, trading Pokemon for

real-life creatures.

Augmented reality has also been used in Britain to restore the ruin

of Coventry Cathedral to its former glory.

The cathedral was destroyed during the Blitz, a bombing campaign

that obliterated large areas of the UK during World War II.

But now the Rising Peace forum has teamed up with a local university

to digitally rebuild the site.

If you fancy exploring the cathedral, the Apple will be

available on Google Play and the App Store.

Using the device, it allows me to hold up the device

against the ruins as they are now, and actually see what they looked

like before the Blitz.

As I turn the device, it moves with me.

It's spatially aware, as well, so I don't need

to be stood in one point.

It really is like stepping back in time.

Thanks to everyone who sent us their pictures using

the hashtag #traveltuesday.

Here are some of my favourites.

Fatima Ali was in Hatta, where she captured this view

of the Hajar mountains in Dubai.

And Ben Elmirez sent us these stunners from the Big Apple.

The great work, Ben.

Don't forget to check out our Twitter and Facebook ages

for loads of extra special Travel Show content that

you won't see anywhere else.

Now let's look at the travel videos clocking up the views online.

Turn away now if you've not got a head for heights.

For six years, Valentin Rapp and friends have been slacklining,

that's tightrope walking on a looser rope.

You can setup a new high line anywhere, and the first step

you take on it is always scary.

And then from time to time, you get more confident,

and then you learn how you can enjoy the height, you can really

play with the line.

And if you see anything you think we should know about,

because I can't keep on top of everything, you know,

don't forget to get in touch.

It's @bbctravelshow.

And to end this week in Oman, I've taken a three-hour car

ride from the capital, Muscat, to the Wahiba Sands

for the second part of our journey here.

Right, we've just pulled over to get the tyres deflated on our 4x4,

which I was quite surprised that, but apparently, softer tyres

and enable the car to travel across the dunes easier.

Now, we are going to be spending the night with a Bedouin family,

and they are one of the oldest Bedouin families in Oman.

I'm not sure how my tyres are going to handle the sand dunes,

but it is going to be a genuine nomadic experience

just for one night.

Let's do it!

We are heading to rereading of the desert which is home

to the Bani Wahiba tribe.

They're Omani Bedouins, and getting to their home is no easy feat.

You need a 4x4 and an experienced driver to handle the dunes.

The bumpy journey feels more like a funfair ride.

The camp offers overnight stays to visitors who want a taste

of life as a Bedouin.

Here we are.

Hello, salaam alaikum.

Welcome to nomadic desert camp.

Welcome to us.

You are in room number 12.

Over there?

This way, please.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Let's go this way.

The Bedouin culture stretches back thousands of years throughout

the Arabian Peninsular, the Middle East and

parts of North Africa.

But today, their mainly nomadic lifestyle is under threat, making

this an extra special experience.

The Bedouin have used camels to get around for thousands of years.

It's their oldest mode of transport.

And these are really hardy beasts, because they can go up to two months

without any food and water.

I wouldn't last two minutes!

Now, over there is the oldest Bedouin camp in Oman,

and I am going to be spending the night there.

It has got no mod cons, no regular running water,

no electricity, no Wi-Fi!

So tonight it's going to be just me, the camel and some starlight.

He's playing.

The midday heat is intense, and temperatures here in the summer

can often top 40 degrees.

Life out here is tough, and so are the people.

This camp is one of the last remaining in Oman that actually run

by Bedouins themselves.

It's seriously no frills, and gives a good insight

into the everyday lives of these seminomadic people.

It's taken me ages to get here.

It's just like I thought my chair is not going to cope with this sad.

So it's time to switch to the sticks.

It's lucky I brought these beauties!

It's actually roasting in this place.

It's really cosy.

There's no mod cons, but it's what I was a bit,

because they are trying to recreate an authentic Bedouin experience.

I do get a bright towel, a lamp and a torch,

but there's no toilet, and it gets very dark at night here.

But the question is, how long can this unique lifestyle survive?

There are many things changing, and also if you look

for the people from here, from the desert, they move out

from the desert to the town, to the city, because of school,

hospital and jobs are.

Young people left and the old people died, and very few people

will be left behind.

Or somebody still who love the desert, and he don't

want to move, because the life is so basically.

But the Bedouin culture will continue?

I hope so.

One thing Bedouins are known for is their generosity and hospitality,

and although the facilities are basic, food plays a big part

in the whole experience.

It tastes really nice.

It's just tastes like good bread.

The thing I like about this is normally if I have bread,

I have to put some condiment on it, jam or something.

But I could just eat this on its own.

As the day begins to draw to a close, I'm invited to watch

the sun setting from up high on the dunes.

It's an amazing experience, and because of the lack of light

pollution, I really am going to have a night beneath

the stars out here in the desert.

Back at camp, preparations are under way for dinner.

The food is cooked in the traditional way, using hot stones.

On the menu tonight is lamb.

Meat is usually only on the menu here for special occasions,

and it looks like tonight I'm in luck.

Yes!

They've cooked me up a proper feast here,

and I've got some lamb which was cooked on the open fire,

and the traditional Bedouin way of eating this is with a little

bit of honey.

Let's have a go.

A bit of rice on there.

Whoops.

Oh, yeah.

That's good.

That's really good.

After dinner, we are treated to some Bedouin entertainment.

These songs and dances date back hundreds of years.

And as I sit back and enjoy the experience, it will be

interesting to see what their future holds, as many of the younger

generation are tempted to leave the desert in search of the bright

lights in the big city.

Well, that's it on what's been a brilliant day here in Oman.

I'm tired, so I'm off to bed.

But coming up next week: 50 years after it ceased publication,

we're in New York to learn more about the Green Book, a travel guide

used by African-Americans during the days of segregation.

My grandmother owned the only hotel in Charlottesville, Virginia,

that black people could stay in in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.

The Green Book listing was very important to the business,

because people travelling through the South and even places

in the North really relied on that book to figure out

where they were going to stop.

So enjoy that if you can.