I enjoy walking when I visit a new city. It’s the best way to find a lot of places that aren’t on the typical “must-see” lists. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option in Muscat. After just a minute outside, I found myself desperately searching for air conditioning. With the heat that intense, the only realistic way to explore was by joining a tour.

Planning the trip wasn’t without its challenges. One of the biggest issues? I couldn’t find a single tour that accepted just one person. Every option required a minimum of two participants. Why is that? There are plenty of solo travellers out there. Left with no other choice, I booked an evening tour for two and decided to pretend I was travelling with my invisible friend.

The tour company offered pick-up from several locations, but of course, Crowne Plaza Muscat OCEC wasn’t included. No problem, I simply set the pick-up point to the Grand Mosque. Thanks to the taxi app on my phone, getting there was easy.

The guide, Khalid, was a bit surprised when I turned up alone, having expected two people. He explained that with tourist season over (thanks to the summer heat consistently hitting above 30°C), all tours had been adjusted to require at least two guests. It simply wasn’t worth running them otherwise.


Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

Our first stop was the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. Khalid gave a detailed explanation of the mosque’s history and the origins of its impressive decorations. When I mentioned I planned to visit again the following morning, he advised going as early as possible and even recommended a good photography spot.


Royl Opera House

Next, we headed to the Royal Opera House, an absolutely beautiful building, though we didn’t go inside as it was already quite late.

Al Angham restaurant next to the opera. According to my guide, the Sultan chooses the menu

Opera Galleria

Between Opera Galleria and W hotel

I asked if we could add a quick stop - Qurum Beach. Since I was the only one, he agreed. To be honest, it didn’t seem particularly special. Maybe it’s popular because of the calm waters, which are ideal for swimming. From there, I could see the Crowne Plaza hotel I’d originally intended to book.


Qurum Beach

An unexpected but very welcome stop came at Tea Corner. Khalid rolled down the car window, ordered tea and a special Omani bread, then parked so we could wait. While we waited, he pointed out Ramssa, a nearby restaurant known for serving good-quality traditional Omani food.


Omani bread

Menu

"Kitchen"

The Omani bread was somewhat like a crepe, cooked in a similar way, with a choice of fillings. Mine had egg, cheese, and Omani crisps. It had been on my food bucket list and didn’t disappoint.

Karak tea is a local favourite, but since it contains milk, I went for a simple tea with two mint leaves instead. It was just Lipton, but the mint really enhanced the flavour. The tea cost 0.1 OMR (around 20p), and Omani bread 0.4 OMR. The place was clearly popular. By the time we left, there was a long queue of cars waiting to order.

On the way to Old Muscat, the historic heart of the city, we pulled over so I could take a few photos.


Old Muscat

We then visited Al Alam Palace, the current sultan’s residence. It’s not open to the public, but one can take some beautiful photos from the avenue connecting it to the National Museum of Oman.


Al Alam Palace

Between palace and museum





National Museum of Oman

Our next quick stop was Al Mirani Fort, from where I could spot Al Jilali Fort across the bay—built by the Portuguese around 1500. It once served as both a royal refuge and a prison.


Al Alam Palace from another side

Al Mirani Fort

Al Jilali Fort

The final stop of the evening was the Mutrah Promenade and Mutrah Souq. The gold souq is especially popular with brides shopping for wedding jewellery.


Mutrah Promenade is several km long

Mutrah Souq entrance

Mutrah Souq

Frankincense is everywhere



Somewhere in the Mutrah Souq

Decoration

Ceiling

You could find everything there

Gold souq was not as big as in the other ME big cities


The next morning, I returned to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It’s open to tourists from Monday to Thursday, 8:00–11:00. I tried to find the photo spot Khalid had recommended, but quickly regretted it - it was far too hot.


Apparently this was THE spot.

Supreme Court of Oman

Inside the mosque - women prayer room

There were several people making sure everything was spotless clean

Chandelier from Swarovski crystals- men prayer room

It was time to leave Muscat and check out of the Crowne Plaza Muscat OCEC, where I had enjoyed a very pleasant stay. The journey to the airport was short, no more than fifteen minutes. Muscat International Airport has just one terminal, used for both domestic and international flights.


MCT airport outside

MCT inside

MCT

Oman Air economy counters

One of many self-checkin machines

And there, under the palm tree, I was waiting until the check-in for my flight was open

Just like in Doha, business and first class passengers have a dedicated entrance. I had completely forgotten that I’d upgraded my flight and was sitting under a palm tree until the check-in opened.

About a week before departure, Oman Air sent me an email inviting me to bid for an upgrade. I selected the lowest possible amount, 30 OMR (roughly Ł60), mostly out of curiosity, not expecting it to be accepted. But to my surprise, the day before my flight, the amount was deducted from my account and I received confirmation that I had indeed been upgraded.

Once I remembered I was flying business class, I headed to the correct check-in area. I handed over my passport and, while the agent processed my booking, I wandered around taking photos.


Oman Air First and Business Class check-in

Seating

Check-in area

Way to the passport and security checks

Security was a breeze. There was no queue at all, and everyone I interacted with was warm and welcoming. I was repeatedly wished a pleasant stay in Oman.


I followed the sign

In case passengers need something from a pharmacy

MCT is a nice airport


Oman Air LoungeThe lounge was located upstairs, accessible by escalator. As far as I could tell, there was no separate first class lounge, everyone shared the same space. However, YYCCL3 reported here that there is one.


Entrance

WY Dreamliner

It wasn’t busy at all, with more staff than passengers, which made it easy to take some photos.










Dining part

Some food

More food

Fish

Lamb

Drinks


Sweets

Biscuits

Menu

Omani coffee

More sweets

Even more sweets

After I finished eating, I moved to a different section of the lounge near the bar, simply because I found plug sockets there and needed to charge my laptop while getting some work done.




Bar

Area behind the bar

More tables

Office part with computers




I noticed there was a terrace behind the curtains, but I couldn’t figure out how to access it. When the third person approached me to offer a drink, I gave in and ordered a glass of white wine and a halloumi wrap.


Bar menu

White wine

Mini Philly Sliders, Halloumi tortilla, Tacos

Shower

An hour before departure, I went to the gate. I hadn’t realised that the time printed on the BP was when the gate opened, not when boarding began. Most boarding passes I’ve had usually state the boarding time, so this caught me out.

Boarding was at Gate A6. I didn't see a separate line for business class, but in the end, it didn’t matter. After boarding passes and IDs were checked, everyone was ushered into a large hall downstairs to wait. I joined the crowd and watched the process unfold.


Gate A6

We all waited in this area

About 30 minutes later, the cabin crew boarded the aircraft, followed shortly by the pilots. Business class boarding began a few minutes after that, though many other passengers also joined the queue, I assumed they were frequent flyers.

The Flight: WY921, B738The business class cabin had a 2–2 configuration with three rows. Economy was in a standard 3–3 layout, with extra legroom in the first row.


Business class seat

Seat in fron of me

Headphones, not sure if they were noisecancelling as I always use mine

Seat controls

Ports for charging

Table

Lights and ventilation

There were several German-speaking passengers onboard. Oman must be a popular holiday destination for them. Pre-departure drinks were offered – orange or apple juice.


PDB

There were no announcements from the pilot or crew about the flight time or any other details, which felt a bit odd.


The view of the city during takeoff

We pushed back on time, and while the pilots completed their checks, the crew came around to take meal orders. There were two options – vegetarian and non-vegetarian. That was the full description, which wasn’t very helpful. I had pre-ordered a non-lactose meal (NLML), as dairy tends to be everywhere in these meals, especially milk and yoghurt. It turned out that my meal looked almost identical to the regular option, though I had a salad instead of couscous.


NLML

Once the seatbelt sign was switched off, the crew got to work quickly. It was a short flight, and they had to serve all passengers in business class in a limited time.

I had barely finished eating when we began our descent into Salalah. It’s a small airport with just four gates.


Welcome to SLL

Arrivals

Arrival in Salalah
Unfortunately, ride-hailing apps like Otaxi, Marhaba, Tallem, don’t operate at Salalah Airport. A single taxi company has exclusive rights there, so there’s no competition. Prices are listed on a board on the wall, which means you don't need to negotiate the price, but on the downside, many drivers don’t accept card payments.

When I was choosing a hotel in Salalah, it came down to the Crowne Plaza or the Hilton. I ended up booking the Hilton, but once I arrived, I regretted not choosing the Crowne Plaza instead. Here’s why.

When the taxi driver dropped me at the hotel, I was incredibly relieved. His car had no seatbelts, and it genuinely felt as it could fall apart at any moment during the journey.


Hotel


At the hotel reception, the staff were fantastic. We had a good laugh, and they were quite amused to learn about a nearby tourist destination famous for its frankincense trees, something they, as locals, had never even heard of. By the time I left the reception, my head was so full of information (breakfast time, pool opening, location of each place, etc..) that I managed to forget half of it before I even reached my room.


Entrance

View from the reception area

Decoration: Omani daggers

Meeting rooms

Gift shop (always closed)

Another store

For those who wanted to play tennis

Of course, I had to inspect everything, so here are all the photos of the room:


Hallway with rooms on both sides

King bed

Bathroom

Bathroon - view from the shower

Amenities

Shower gel, shampoo and conditioner

Desk I used a lot while working

Not sure if it is just a sofa or a sofabed

Different angle


Horrible coffee. I am glad I always carry my own

Wardrobe with a safety box

A nice surprise was waiting for me

The room had a small balcony overlooking the pool and the sea. However, when I returned to the room, I could not get the air conditioning to work. I considered calling reception, but decided to investigate first. After retracing all my steps and still having no luck, I realised it might be something to do with the balcony door. Indeed, there was a trick: once the door was closed, you had to push the second panel until it clicked. Only then did the air conditioning start working.


Balcony with the pool view (and sea)
Hearing so many European languages around the hotel, I began to suspect that it was popular with holidaymakers. A quick search confirmed this, many travel agencies offered packages starting at around 1,000 euros for a week including flights. The hotel ticked all the boxes for a typical holidaymaker: a bed, a pool, a beach, and restaurants.

There were two pools: a children’s pool with water up to my knees (not theirs🙂 ), and a larger pool with a depth of 1.5 metres.


Day view

Night view

I hear some parents complaining that the kids area was not as big as advertised, and the kids were disappointed.

Kids area

The hotel also had a beach, but it was a public one with views of the local port. The water had a strong smell, yet people still swam there. Numerous signs warned about dangerous rip currents. And, as it was a public beach, it was not as clean as you might expect from a private resort beach.


To the beach

Manual lawn mowing

The beach (and the port)

Hotel

Breakfast was served buffet-style. There was a wide variety on offer: cold mezze, salads, vegetables, breads, a continental breakfast spread, hot dishes, fresh fruit, sweets, pancakes, and an egg station where eggs could be cooked to order.
















Guests could choose to sit indoors, where it was cool, or outside with better views of the pool and beach. However, eating outside came with its own hazards. Local crows were always watching and would swoop in to steal unattended food. The staff did their best to keep them at bay, but with only one person on duty, it was an impossible task.


I had to try everything

The biggest drawback of this hotel was its location. There was nothing nearby – no markets, no restaurants, just a rather ugly port. If I could choose again, I would book the Crowne Plaza or find a hotel closer to the city centre.


Café, but it was closed

Café

Pool Bar and Palm Groove restaurant

Guests on full board did not have to worry about finding dinner, as it was served in the same restaurant as breakfast. Fortunately, there was another option on-site: Palm Grove restaurant. When I spotted lobster on the menu, I was excited, but when I asked, they told me it was frozen rather than fresh. Instead, I went for a local classic, the Mishkak Grill, and ended the meal with a pistachio crčme brűlée made with camel milk.


Palm Groove restaurant

Mishkak grill. I specifically said no yogurt...

Camel milk crčme brűlée

One morning, after breakfast, I went for a walk to explore the area. As I was taking pictures of some nearby buildings, a whole herd of camels suddenly appeared. All the tourists, myself included, hurried to take photos of them.

Vorel was here!

I was the only one there

Here they are!

I found many tours covering the east and west of Salalah, but, once again, I ran into the same problem I had in Muscat – they all required a minimum of two people. Ah, the joys of travelling solo.

Eventually, I found one tour that accepted a single traveller: the Sunset and Desert Safari in Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter). In the end, there were three of us, as a lovely Swiss couple joined me. We had a good chat while our tour guide, Ali, drove us. I found it fascinating that the couple would switch languages mid-conversation, sometimes speaking Italian, then German, and then something that sounded like Dutch.

On the way to our first stop, we spotted camels by the road. Our driver did not hesitate and pulled over so we could take some photos.


Hello, camel

Look, tourists again. They are taking pictures of us, again

The first official stop was Wadi Dawkah, where we saw hundreds of frankincense trees. Ali explained the whole process: how often the trees can be cut and how long it takes for the frankincense to dry out. Frankincense is extremely popular in Oman. Every family uses it several times a day, believing in its revitalising and health-giving properties. Oman is apparently known for exporting some of the world’s finest frankincense.


Frankincense tree

This is how you cut it

Now, it just needs to dry out for several weeks

Each tree had a QR code

Our next, unofficial, stop was for coffee. We each received a small cup of Arabic coffee along with some delicious dates.


Coffee and food

Arabic coffee with dates


Omani dagger - each man should have one

Farms on both sides of the road.

The second official stop was the Lost City of Ubar, sometimes called the Atlantis of the Sands. It is believed to be the site of a legendary lost city, although our guide was sceptical. We had a quick look from the car windows but decided not to go inside. It was simply too hot, and the site itself did not look particularly interesting. Ali mentioned that the excavations were led by Italians, much to the delight of my fellow travellers.


Ubar

The third stop was a camel camp. As the camp migrates every two or three months, Ali had to ask some locals for directions. They had moved only two days earlier, and he was not entirely sure where they had gone. After a short drive on the main road, he suddenly turned the steering wheel and we found ourselves driving across a field. I wondered how he knew where to go. It must have been something like, “turn left at the third stone, continue straight until you see a green patch, then turn left again.”


No road, no signs

After around twenty minutes, we found them. This group was special because they had black camels too. I was surprised to see that the dromedary camels (one-humped camels) roamed freely. Only the male camels had their legs tied together.




TGIF selfie 😇

Hello, and welcome, my dear tourists

The locals offered us fresh camel milk. I would have loved to try it, but I was unsure how my intolerance would react. One of the Swiss travellers was brave enough to taste it and said it was delicious, describing it as very creamy.


Freah camel milk

Owning camels is very common in Oman, but it has become extremely expensive. On average, a family owns around 3,000 camels. They are mainly raised for milk and meat, although so far they have not yet learned to make butter or cheese from camel milk.

We then continued along a new road, spotting several fata morganas and dust devils (I had to look up the name later).


New road

The highlight of the tour was supposed to be a stunning sunset over the dunes in the Empty Quarter. Instead, a sandstorm swept in, giving us a completely different kind of experience. Ali was very apologetic. He said sandstorms were rare and happened only once every couple of months.


Sandstorm is coming

We all agreed that the perfect way to end this wonderful day would be to have camel meat for dinner. We stopped in the middle of nowhere, where the tour company had set up a camp with several tents for overnight stays.


Tents for tourists

Instide a tent was this huge bed

The camel meat was excellent, very tender and flavourful. I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. We ate dinner under a sky full of millions of stars, which was absolutely magical.




Dining room

Vegetable and rice

Chicken and camel meat

On the way back, with no lights around, we made another brief stop to admire the spectacular night sky, full of stars.

I asked the hotel reception to call a taxi for me. Interestingly, this was the only time in Oman I saw a man with long hair. Ali mentioned during the tour that it is common among mountain people for men to have long hair. He also had a rather unique car, decorated in a very colourful style.


He said he is a tour guide as well

Check-in at the airport was quick and smooth. I hadn’t been able to select my seat online, so I asked the staff for help. They were extremely friendly and assigned me seat 15F by the window, just as I had hoped. They also printed the boarding pass for my connecting flight, although it didn’t display a seat number. I was curious to see how that would be resolved later.


Entrance to the airport

Departure hall

Departures - looked like a busy day. I was surprised to see BTS and PRG.

Since I was flying economy and didn’t have any status with Oman Air, I used my Priority Pass to access the Oman Air lounge.


Just follow the signs

Entrance to the lounge

The lounge is located just across from Gate 4B. I’m not sure if lounges in the Middle East ever get crowded, but this one certainly wasn’t.


Decorantion and the sultan(s)


The lounge lounge dragons were very polite. One of them scanned both my Priority Pass QR code and boarding pass, wished me a pleasant stay, and directed me to enter through the right-hand side marked “Entrance”.

The lounge wasn’t very large, but given that Salalah was a small airport, I found it more than adequate. I was the fourth person there, so I could sit wherever I wanted. Naturally, I chose a spot with a power socket so I could charge all my devices, ideally to 100%. It was going to be a long day, and I wanted everything fully charged.


Not many people aroudn, perfect for taking photos

Seating area on the right side

Seating area on the right side

Seating area on the right side

Office part

First, I explored the lounge. It didn't take a long time to see everything there was to see.





Next, my feet led me to the area with food and drinks. One of the staff members approached me immediately and asked what I would like. I asked for Arabic coffee and watermelon juice, a combination I’ve been told is a bit strange, but I enjoy it. He looked offended when I wanted to pour it myself. He was there to serve us. All we needed to say what we wanted, and the staff would bring it to the seat.


Food and drinks

Fruit and more food

Sandwiches and vegetable

My coffee


The food was catered by the nearby Crowne Plaza hotel, and there were several hot and cold dishes available.

On my previous flight with Oman Air, I was not only able to select my seat, but could see the virtual 3D seat map. I was cool. Here are some screenshots I took:


Select your seat

Business class cabin

Economy class cabin had several points I could click on

One of tje view

View from the seat


I was curious to see how boarding would be organised, as my boarding pass indicated Zone 2. I arrived at the gate around 40 minutes before the scheduled departure. Just five minutes later, pre-boarding began for passengers requiring special assistance.

Shortly after, I heard staff walking around the gate calling for business class passengers, followed by those in Zone 4. A minute later, they announced boarding for Zone 3. Then, somewhat abruptly, they stopped making announcements and no longer called out any zones. It felt disorganised and not very passenger-friendly. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone missed the flight.

I’m genuinely interested to see how they plan to manage oneworld group boarding in future. I might need to return just to observe it.


Boarding

I boarded near the end, since I only had a small backpack that fits under the seat. I was mildly annoyed to discover that my “window” seat had no actual window. And someone else was already sitting in it.


Business class seat as I saw it

I politely pointed out that the seat was mine, and the woman quickly moved. Looking around, it seemed many passengers had taken random seats, as the cabin crew spent time relocating several people to their assigned places. Once boarding was complete, we departed on time. The safety demonstration video was played on the monitors and the crew pointed the emergency exits. I enjoyed the video, as it showed how beautiful Oman is.

It was ok for a 1h flight. Same as BA ET

Power socket was under the seat in fron of me

Safety card

Safety card

Safety video

View of a small part of Salalah

Snack box

Omani chips/crisps are almost like a regular crisps but they are cut into smaller pieces

A few minutes after take-off, the seatbelt sign was switched off and the crew began the service. First, each passenger received a small bottle of water. My seat neighbour mistakenly assumed both bottles were for her and took mine. After realising the mistake, she asked for another bottle for me. We were also given a snack box containing Omani chips and a chicken sandwich. I wasn’t hungry, so I just had the chips and offered the sandwich to my neighbour, who happily accepted with a big smile. Despite not sharing a language, she spoke no English, and I didn’t know Arabic, we somehow became friends during the short flight.

While taxiing to the terminal in Muscat, I noticed an Airbus A320 Prestige belonging to the Royal Air Force. It had flown to Salalah and landed just before us. Since Salalah is relatively close to Yemen, military activity is common in the area. Throughout my stay, I frequently heard helicopters flying over the hotel, day and night.


A320 Prestige

And its flightpath from fr24

More info from fr2r

Helicopter, I saw from the balcony in Salalah

As I was walking to the transfer desk I met my seat neighbour again. With a big smile on her face she waved me a goodbye.

Back at MCT

I had five hours until my next flight. I went to the transfer desk to ask what to do about my boarding pass, which didn’t show a seat number. As it was an Etihad flight and only Oman Air staff were present, they weren’t able to assist. One of the agents advised me to simply try scanning the boarding pass and see if it would allow me through security and passport control, and then ask at the gate.


Transfer desks with nobody around

Transfer area

I could smell frankincense everywhere. It was coming from these

Luckily, everything worked and I passed the security and passport control without issues. As I walked around, I discovered a small Omani cultural exposition.




The Omani Khanjar (dagger)

The airport app showed two lounges I could access – Majan and Primeclass.


Lego store



On the way to Majan Lounge

I decided to check out the Majan Lounge first, which was located on the top floor above the Oman Air and Primeclass lounges. However, the lounge attendant informed me that they had stopped allowing access via Priority Pass, Amex and Dragon Pass about a month ago.


Primeclass Lounge entrance

Waiting to get in

Lockers for luggage and bags

I took the escalators one level down to the Primeclass Lounge. There was a short queue at the entrance, so I expected the lounge to be crowded. To my surprise, it felt spacious and comfortable once inside.




Entrace to the main area








Unfortunately, there were no runway or apron views, so plane spotting was off the table. In the centre of the lounge stood a piano, giving the space a refined, elegant feel. At one end, there were two pool tables for those wanting entertainment. That section had a small area with refreshment, too.






Fruit and desserts


On the opposite side was the food and beverage area. It was always busy, so I only managed to take a few quick photos.


Arabic coffee and dates

Sweet section




Cold mezze and vegetable


Juices

Soft drinks

The food selection was excellent, offering a wide range of cold mezze and several hot dishes.


Kids zone

While waiting in the lounge, I checked the Etihad Airways website to see if I could check my seat and download my boarding pass. I managed to retrieve my booking, where I saw the dreaded middle seat: 8B. If I wanted to change it to the exit row seat, it would cost me 13.6 OMR (around Ł28). There was a restriction, though: no travelling with a falcon. That was a deal-breaker, if I can’t bring my falcon, I’m not paying extra for that seat!



Etihad Airways offers various discounts in Abu Dhabi, including at hotels, spas, restaurants, and for different experiences, which is a nice touch for travellers looking to explore the city.




As I walked towards my gate I saw the history of the MCT airport





Some store on the way

Boarding was almost identical to my previous flight from Muscat. After the boarding passes were scanned, passengers were directed to a designated waiting area. Boarding began with business class passengers and frequent flyers. Then they announced boarding by rows, starting with 20–30, followed by 10–30… and then, nada. Nothing more.


Waiting area

Our bird was arriving from AUH

Once again, I waited until the end to board. I wanted to minimise my time in the middle seat.


Stickers on the plane

When I reached my seat, my 8C neighbour looked clearly annoyed that he had to pause his furious typing on the laptop and stand up to let me in. He continued angrily typing even as we taxied to the runway, and the cabin crew seemed to turn a blind eye. He didn’t stop even during takeoff.

As for the safety demonstration, there was no information on what to do if you happen to be travelling with a falcon. Disappointing, really.


Safety instructions

Mext page

No monitor, bring your own device

After takeoff, the crew handed out small paper snack bags to everyone. While we were rummaging through them, the first officer welcomed us onboard, told us the usual weather ifno and announced we’d be landing in 30 minutes.



He was wrong. We landed in just 22 minutes. As we taxied to the stand, passengers started getting up, my neighbour was probably the first one, and opening overhead lockers while the seatbelt sign was still on. The crew said nothing.


AUH

Waiting and waiting.....

As a returning visitor, I was able to use the eGate, which made passport control quick and easy. Though sadly, it meant no new stamp in my passport. I reached the baggage belt well before the first bags began to arrive, and of course, mine came out nearly last. Classic Sod’s law.

As for the safety demonstration, there was no information on what to do if you happen to be travelling with a falcon. Disappointing, really.

Now I need to know, do falcons get seat belts?

No idea. Will they get their own life jacket?

Reunited with my luggage at last, I stopped by the SriLankan Airlines checkin desk where I was handed four tickets - two boarding passes and two lounge access cards.


AUH Departures

SriLankan: checkin open

Security was a breeze, and my first stop was the Pearl Lounge. There was a long queue for Priority Pass, DragonPass, and similar programmes, while business and first class passengers had a dedicated counter. Still, many people ignored the signs and shamelessly jumped the queue, one even moved directly in front of me.


Priority lane

Vuew from the lounge: priority line on the right side, rest on the left

Thankfully, the lounge dragon was having none of it and promptly sent them to the back of the other line.

Business class passengers had a designated area on the terrace, where food could be ordered and served by staff. I wasn’t hungry, so I opted for dessert only. While relaxing, I completed the online form for my Indonesian eVisa. After paying over half a million rupiah, it was instantly approved.


Area for the priority passengers

Muffins were too dry



SriLankan Airlines Business Class: AUH to CMB, A320, Flight UL208
The economy cabin was full, but there were just two of us in business class. Once boarding was complete, the captain welcomed us on board and informed us of the 4-hour 10-minute flight to Colombo. As usual, he reminded everyone to keep their seatbelts fastened due to expected light turbulence.


Gate B15 for this flight

Business class seats

To my surprise, we were provided with an amenity kit containing the usual bits: hand cream, lip balm, tissues, a comb, and earplugs. I always carry lip balm as the air on planes is so dry, but realised I must have lost mine back at the Pearl Lounge.


Amenity kit

Menu

Prawn masala

As it was a night flight, I had planned to sleep. Unfortunately, the CSM had other ideas. He was shouting or talking loudly throughout and slamming doors far too often. I don’t usually complain, but it was hard to ignore this time.

Since I couldn’t sleep, I tried the meal, and for airplane food, it was actually very good.

As on my previous flight, passengers began standing up during taxiing. But this time, the crew shouted at them to sit down again.

We parked a bit further from the gate. There were busses waiting for us - one for the business class, several for the economy.


Serendib Lounge at Colombo (CMB)
There are several oneworld lounges at CMB, but I only visited the Serendib Lounge. I’m sure if JapesUK had been here, he’d have reviewed them all and shared a detailed report with plenty of photos. JapesUK planning a Sri Lanka trip anytime soon? 😀

I was exhausted, so only took a few pictures.

A330 in the lounge




SriLankan Airlines Business Class: CMB to CGK, A320N, Flight UL364
My BP indicated a boarding time of 6:45 a.m. I arrived at the gate at exactly 6:45, only to see Final Call displayed. When I left the lounge, it had still shown Go to Gate. I guess they skipped all the intermediate steps.

One thing I dislike about CMB airport is the security check at every gate. Their old scanners required me to take out all electronics and liquids from my bags, which took a while.

This time, the business class cabin was full. And the passenger from my previous AUH flight was there too.

There were no hot towels or amenity kits on this leg. I skipped the food, though I glanced at the menu. The first thing I noticed: no alcohol. Not that I had planned to drink, but it had been available on the AUH flight.



On arrival, I was pleased to find I could use the eGates. It was absolutely brilliant, as it helped me avoid the massive queues.


CGK - baggage hall

CGK - arrivals

Using Grab for transport was also incredibly easy. The app included directions and detailed photos of the pick-up area, and there were plenty of signs throughout the airport guiding the way.

I had booked a standard room, but was kindly upgraded to a one-bedroom suite with a city view. The receptionist was absolutely fantastic. I secretly checked her name, wrote it down and later mentioned in my feedback. I prefer writing compliments than complains.




View from the window next to the lifts

My room for one night

The suite was enormous for just one person. I couldn’t resist taking photos from every possible angle.


First room

Had its own small bathroom



Bedroom with a big, comfy bed

I expected better coffee in Indonesia. Glad I brought my own

Plenty of space to store stuff

Ensuit bathroom

Amenities

My plan was to check out the swimming pool, grab a good coffee, and then enjoy some proper Indonesian food. But first, I decided to test how comfortable the sofa was. Three hours later, I woke up to the sound of a noisy aircon.

So much for the swimming pool.

I opened Google Maps to look for nearby coffee shops, only to doze off again. This time for another four hours. I finally woke up, now quite hungry. So much for all my plans...

As it was already past ten, I ordered room service: Mie Goreng Jawa noodles with a papaya juice.


Mie Goreng Jawa

Nught view from the room

It was only a short stay, but I wouldn’t have minded a few more days.

You certainly don't want them landing on yours with those sharp talons!

As I was getting ready to leave the room, the handle on my luggage completely shattered. In hindsight, it wasn’t the best idea to check it in on so many previous flights. After all, we all know how baggage is treated. Buying new cabin luggage wasn’t originally on the agenda, but it was clearly unavoidable now.


Hello again, CGK


Once again, I received four tickets after checking in myself and my bag. Security was a breeze. They had modern scanners, so everything could stay inside the bags.


International departures

On the way to the lounge, I stopped at one of the airport shops to buy some Indonesian coffee. Last year in Japan, I discovered drip bags in one of the hotels, and I’ve been trying to stock up ever since. They’re perfect for travelling. Especially when most hotel coffee is, frankly, dreadful. Yes, I’m a coffee snob. To spare my colleagues from dealing with my grumpiness, I try to bring my own supply wherever I go. That brown water hotels call “coffee” just doesn’t cut it.



Pleased with my purchase, I made my way to the Plaza Premuim Lounge at CGK. It was divided into several sections. Priority Pass, DragonPass and similar schemes had a dedicated room via the first door I passed. The last section was reserved for business and first-class passengers, with Singapore Airlines having a private room at the end. One could buy the access to the lounge for more than 800k IDR. Shower was additional 320k IDR.


Entrance fee

Iced Java palm latte was good

I had just a coffee and a few sweets. There was a small kitchen where you could order a hot meal, with other dishes placed around the lounge buffet-style.

Unlike my inbound flight, which parked at the very far end of the airport, this time we had Gate 5 not too far from the lounge. When I arrived, business class boarding was just finishing and the tensa barrier was closed. I wasn’t in a rush and took a moment to photograph the aircraft. After I returned, they spotted the red BP and kindly opened the barrier to let me through before the rest of the passengers.


Terminl

Our bird

The aircraft for UL354 was 4R-ABN, the same one that brought me to CGK. This time, they offered champagne as a PDB. No idea why there wasn't alcohol the day before. I went for orange juice.

As usual, there were three rows of 2-2 seats, with nine passengers onboard. The flight was uneventful, but during the meal service, I was asked a strange question—whether I wanted my meal served “at the same time.” I was confused, as everything is usually served on a single tray.


Menu

Devilish chicken

I chose the devilish chicken from the menu. It wasn’t as spicy as the name suggested, but still very tasty.

The service varied across all my flights, there was no consistency. No hot towels this time, and again, that odd meal question.


According to the IFE, CGK-CMB was 14 hours flight...

Once the trays were cleared, the crew dimmed the lights and closed the window shades. It was 3pm on a bright day. Why were we pretending it was bedtime? When they approached me and gestured towards the window, I gave them my best “don’t even try” look. Other than that, our cabin crew member was fantastic, she was proactive, attentive, and made sure none of us were thirsty or hungry. SriLankan Airlines sends feedback requests after each flight, and I made sure to write only compliments about her.


Tips for the passengers

Approaching Colombo, we hit some turbulence, felt like we dropped suddenly, probably a vacuum bubble. Hopefully, everyone had their seatbelt on, as the sign had been lit for most of the flight. Landing was smooth and we were soon parked.



Back to the Serendib Lounge for a quick phone charge. When it was time for boarding, I checked the monitors in the lounge. All of them still showed “Go to Gate”. When I saw R4 on the screen, I knew it was a bus gate, so I grabbed my things and headed over.

It was just a couple of minutes to the gate, but when I arrived, it was already showing “Last Call” and not a soul was around. They had a security check at the gate, and as the scanners were old, I had to remove all my electronics. In my post-flight feedback, I mentioned the issue with the inaccurate gate info on the monitors. No idea if they’ll do anything about it but I assume the aswer is probably NO 😁.

Flight UL204 from CMB to AUH was just over 4 hours. This time there were 7 passengers in business class. The purser personally welcomed everyone, something that hadn’t happened on my previous three UL flights. We even received hot towels. Throughout the flight, the purser addressed me by name, while everyone else was just “Sir” or “Madam”.


Menu

Fish curry

Both cabin crew were exceptional, the best service I had across all four flights. I had a short chat with the purser, who shared that he normally doesn’t fly anymore. He’s now a senior instructor focused on training, but due to staffing shortages, he stepped in to avoid the flight being cancelled. When I said it had been the best service I’d experienced on UL, he looked genuinely touched.

First of my 4 flughts where they served tea like this

Was not on the menu

Another smooth landing and we parked at the gate. As a returning visitor, I used the eGate again. This time, it didn’t like me for some reason, and I had to ask for help.

At the baggage belt, the luggage had just started arriving. Thirty minutes later, the belt stopped and a message appeared saying all luggage had been delivered. Great. But where was mine? I walked around, scanning the belt, but saw nothing. I checked the tracking app, which showed my bag in the general vicinity, but not quite where I was. So I headed to the Lost & Found counter. A friendly agent checked the system, confirmed it hadn’t yet been delivered, and rang a few people. Ten minutes later, it magically appeared on the belt. The upside of having brightly coloured luggage is that it’s easy to spot.


Where's mine?

Reunited with my broken suitcase, I booked an Uber and went to the designated meeting point.

Taxi apps that work in Abu Dhabi: Uber, Careem, Yango. And there is no need for WhatsApp 🤣