Salalah is the capital of the southern region. It is a city set amongst coconut groves and banana plantations, sprawled along sandy beaches that run the length of its plain. The lush vegetation makes Salalah seem almost tropical.
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate reached 1.2 million as of April 2014.
Even though Oman is a modern country, western influences are quite restricted. The Ibadi form of Islam is also conservative like Sunni Islam and Shi'a Islam. About 75% of Oman is Muslim. As is the case with most Middle Eastern countries, alcohol is only available in some hotels and few restaurants.