Umm al Samim
A brackish salt marsh and quicksand area on the eastern edge of the Rub al Khali, largely inside Oman's borders. Its surface is a hazardous, shifting crust of mud and salt, and it is best seen from the edges.
- Where
- Adam, Ad Dakhiliyah, Oman
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 21.6333, 55.9000
Get the Umm al Samim stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Umm al Samim. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Ad Dakhiliyah volume with your photos and a note.
Near Umm al Samim
Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn 202 km
A group of Bronze Age tombs and towers near a palm grove in the Ad Dhahirah region. The beehive shaped tombs date from the Hafit period in the 3rd millennium BC, and together the sites form one of the best preserved prehistoric landscapes in the region.
Bahla Fort 207 km
A mud brick fortress with stone foundations at the foot of the Jebel Akhdar, on the edge of the oasis town of Bahla. It was the first monument in Oman to be listed by UNESCO, in 1987, and its walls and towers stretch around the old town.
Oman Across Ages Museum 213 km
A national museum in the interior of Oman, whose foundation stone was laid by Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 2015. It was designed by Cox Architects and inaugurated by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in 2023, telling the story of Oman from prehistory to the present.
Wadi Ghul 216 km
A deep canyon below Jebel Shams, near Al Hamra, with an abandoned village on its floor. It is often called the Grand Canyon of Arabia, and its sides fall away for around a thousand metres.
Al Hoota Cave 220 km
A show cave of about 5 kilometres in the mountain near Al Hamra, with lakes, stalactites and stalagmites. Local people have known it for centuries, and visitors enter on a small train and then walk on a marked path.
Nizwa Fort 221 km
A 17th century fortress in the heart of Nizwa, built in the 1650s under Imam Sultan bin Saif. Its huge round tower, with walls several metres thick, is the landmark of the old capital, and visitors climb to the roof for views over the palm groves.
Aflaj Irrigation System 227 km
A set of ancient channels that carry water from springs and underground sources to fields and villages across Oman. The systems date from about AD 500, and several, including Falaj Daris near Nizwa, are still shared out by traditional timetables.
Jebel Shams 227 km
The highest mountain in Oman, at about 3,000 metres, in the Hajar range above the town of Al Hamra. A rim walk follows the edge of Wadi Ghul, a canyon often compared with the Grand Canyon.
More hidden gems in Ad Dakhiliyah
Questions
Where is Umm al Samim?
Umm al Samim is in Adam, Ad Dakhiliyah, Oman. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn (202 km), Bahla Fort (207 km), Oman Across Ages Museum (213 km).
How do I get the Umm al Samim stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Umm al Samim and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Ad Dakhiliyah volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Umm al Samim before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Ad Dakhiliyah volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 40 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.