Wakan
وكان
Village
The village of Wakan overlooking Wadi Mistal
The village of Wakan overlooking Wadi Mistal
Wakan is located in Oman
Wakan
Wakan
Location of Wakan in Oman
Coordinates: 23°8′36.54″N 57°44′4.6″E / 23.1434833°N 57.734611°E / 23.1434833; 57.734611
Country Oman
RegionAl Batinah Region
GovernorateAl-Batinah South
WilayahNakhal
Population
 (2020)
162 (2,020)[1]
Time zoneUTC+4 (GST)

Wakan, Wukan[1] or Wekan[2] (Arabic: وكان, romanized: wkān) is a village in the wilayah of Nakhal in Oman. It lies on the slopes of the Wadi Mistal mountains at an altitude of approximately 1500 m a.s.l.[3][4][5] in the Western Hajar Mountains, 140 km from Muscat and 56 km from Nakhal.

The village is known for its terraced gardens and orchards, where pomegranates, apricots, peaches and dates are grown. Unlike the majority of Oman where the climate is hot and dry, the village enjoys mild temperatures in summer and cold winters, thanks to its altitude and location.[6] A system of falaj runs through the village, carrying water from the top of the mountain to irrigate the fields.[7]

Farming and tourism are the main sources of income for its inhabitants.[6]

Population

Population census
YearPop.±%
2003 124—    
2010 112−9.7%
2020 162+44.6%

As of 2020, the village counted 162 inhabitants. Of these, 135 were Omani nationals and 27 foreign residents (16.7%).[1]

Tourism

Tourism contributes to the livelihoods of the village inhabitants.[6] Tourists visit the village for its vantage point, offering views over the Wadi Mistal and the surrounding mountains, as well as for its terraced gardens. A walking trail of 700 steps starts at the entrance of the village and guides the visitors to the top through orchards and fields.[8]

A tourist attraction is the apricot blossom season, from February[9] to mid-March. The harvest season is usually in mid-April and lasts about two weeks.[7]

The village is reached from the Nakhal-Awabi Highway 13, through Wadi Mistal on a graded road until the final ascent to the village, on a mountain road that requires a four-wheel drive vehicle.[9]

Sport

The village is the starting point of two trekking routes:[3]

  • W24b: Wakan to Hadash (Arabic: حدش) via Al Qawrah
  • W25: Wakan to Hadash via the north flank of the Saiq Plateau

Wakan hosted the first edition of the Red Bull Titan of the Hill race, a downhill mountain biking and enduro competition, in 2017.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Wukan (Nakhal, Al Batinah South Governorate, Oman) - Population Statistics". CityPopulation.de. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  2. ↑ "Oman Tourism: Visit Picturesque Wekan". Times of Oman. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Oman Trekking Explorer" (PDF). destinationoman.com. Minister of Tourism, Oman. 2005. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Al-Kalbani, Basim; Al-Yahyai, Rashid; Al-Sadi, Abdullah; Al-Mamari, Al-Ghaliya (30 July 2020). "Distribution Of Pomegranates and Other Deciduous Fruit Crops in Omani Mountains" (PDF). Solid State Technology. 63 (1): 917–926.
  5. ↑ Several non-specialized sources report an altitude of 2000 m.
  6. 1 2 3 "قرية " وكان " بوادي مستل مزار سياحي تجمع الطابع الجبلي والسهلي والتنوع الزراعي". Oman Info (in Arabic). Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 "We Love Oman: Beckoning the season of apricots in Oman". Times of Oman. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  8. ↑ "We Love Oman: Terraced gardens of Wakan Village". Times of Oman. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  9. 1 2 The Rough Guide to Oman. Apa Publications. 1 October 2018. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-78919-507-1. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  10. ↑ "Red Bull Titan Of The Hill makes event debut in Oman". Times of Oman. 16 April 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
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