OMAN NIGHT LIFE

LEFT BANK

Sitting high on a hill and overlooking the Qurum rose gardens, the mountains, the sea, and city below, Left Bank is one of the only places in Oman where visitors can order a drink outside of a hotel. The popular destination draws a decent crowd during the week and can get lively on Thursdays and Fridays, when there's sometimes a live DJ spinning tracks. The crowd tends to be heavily expatriate, with a few local Omanis here and there. The drinks are pricey and the food mediocre, but the views are unparalleled. For those who prefer a quiet drink with a view, the venue remains quite tame until midnight, when things sometimes pick up.

RUMBA LATTINA

Housed in a Pan-Latin restaurant in the The Cave restaurant complex, this nightclub gets into full swing well after 11 pm most nights, with the largest crowds on Thursday evenings. Music videos flash on the flat-screen TVs behind the long bar. The style of music changes nightly depending on the DJ, though you can expect typical nightclub favorites, light hip-hop, and plenty of Latin dance music. The club draws a mix of local Omanis, Western expats, young Zanzibari dance enthusiasts, and some tourists. Drinks are on the expensive side (as is the cover charge for men), but if you are looking for a dance party that caters more to the younger set, with a more balanced ration of men to women, then this is the only real option in town. To avoid paying the cover charge, make a reservation and go for a late dinner at the perfectly good, though a bit overpriced, Latin American restaurant, and then stay for a night of dancing.

THE LONG POOL

Candlelit couches surround the black waters of the long pool at The Chedi Muscat. The beautiful jet-set crowd gathers here during the peak season for cocktails and light Asian-inspired snacks, but it is a relaxed place for a quiet drink anytime. The romantic atmosphere makes it a popular place to take a date before you hit the town since it closes early, at 11:30 pm.

TRADER VIC'S

This Polynesian-themed international chain restaurant transforms into a Salsa club on the weekends, with a live band belting out Enrique Englesias hits to a packed dance floor of swaying couples and lines of young men practicing their moves. During the week the restaurant remains a popular destination for a relaxed cocktail from the extensive menu of tiki-style tipples. The crowd is a consistent mix of expats and locals, popular both with the young party set and older expats. There are tables available inside and on the patio