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[dropcap size=small]P[/dropcap]rincess Diana dropped by the location in 1986 when it was undeveloped, landing in a helicopter in the wilderness to get away from it all. Now, the spot in Oman is home to the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, and, true to the hospitality group’s appreciation for remote settings, the property is situated 2,000m above sea level, on the edge of a canyon. It’s two hours by car from the airport in Muscat, or four and half hours from the airport in Dubai.

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Depending on the season, the landscape changes from lush to barren.

Lauded as the highest five-star resort in the Middle East, the sprawling property is inspired by the region’s mountain citadels and fortified architecture, and has only 115 guest rooms and villas. Solitude and meditation are on the cards, certainly, but also adventure. If soaking in an infinity pool overlooking the canyon is not your thing, you can scale the mountainside on the via ferrata climbing route.

(RELATED: Your Private Island Getaway: Dive, Fish and Relax at Africa’s Medjumbe Island in Mozambique.)

As an escape, Al Jabal Al Akhdar is a far cry from Asia’s ubiquitous beach resorts, but that is precisely what makes a stay there unforgettable.

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