Sur is located in the northern part of the Sharqiya coast in the Sultanate. It is constrained on the east side between the Arabian Sea on one side and the Gulf of Oman on the other. From the west it neighbors the Wilayat of Wadi Bani Khalid and from the north the Wilayat of Quriyat which is part of the Governorate of Muscat and in the south it neighbors the two Wilayats of Al Kamil and Al Waafi and Bani Bu Ali & Ja'alan Bani Bu Hassan. It stretches from Ras Al Had in the east to the mountains of Bani Jabir in the west and from Tiwi in the north to Al Faleej in the south. It contains about 112 villages and towns. They describe it as the pearl of the east coast of the Sultanate. It was the main source for sailors for Oman's navy, which played an illustrious role in maritime history. It formed the gateway of the east of Oman and was a historical meeting place for sea routes. Malik Bin Faham Al Azdi Al 'Umani adopted it as the capital of his kingdom in 2500 B.C. When Qalahat became an important urban centre, the Wilayat of Sur flourished. In ancient times it was a Phoenician settlement, named after a city in south Lebanon. Ras Al Hadd is part of the Wilayat of Sur, it overlooks the sea and it is a natural harbor for sailing ships. When storms blow, they can take refuge in the two inlets of Al Hajar and Jarama. The area is characterized by its tortuous inlets, which I made it a suitable place to build an air base during the Second World war. It was a refuge where aero planes took shelter when they needed it. Traces of this airport can still be seen !
One of the most outstanding fortresses in the wilayat of Sur is the fort Al Rafsah which was used- long ago- to guard the main gateway to the Wilayat on the desert road .Now, a strong chain has been put up to stop people going in, for safety and preservation purpose. This forts was restored recently by the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture." Hasan Bilad Sur" is considered one of the most important forts in the Wilayat, it was previously the Wali's forts, used as a place of celebration on festivals and special occasions. It has also been restored. There are also other Forts like Sinaislah Forts, Ras Al Had and Ebn Magrib Fort.
