Oman Travel Guide

Basic Facts of Oman

Area: 309,500 square kilometers (119,498 square miles)
Location: Middle East
Population: 3,957,000
Official Language: Arabic
Currency: Rial (OMR)
Time Zone: UTC+4
Capital: Muscat
Administrative Division: 11 governorates
Religions and Beliefs: Islam

Top Things to Do in Oman

Except the northeast mountains, Oman belongs to tropical desert climate. Once you are there, you can not only enjoy ocean activities such as surfing and fishing but also experience the wildness and nature of desert.

Top Destinations & Attractions:
Muscat: Al Alam Palace, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Natural History Museum, Bait Al Zubair Museum
Salalah: Marneef Cave & Blow Holes, Al Baleed Archaeological Site, Taqah Castle, Al Mughsail Beach, Sultan Qaboos Mosque
Nizwa: MisfatAl Abriyyin Village, Nizwa Fort, Jebel Akhdar
Seeb: Naseem Park, Seeb Palace

Best Time to Visit Oman

The best time for Oman holiday deals is October to March when the weather is cool and pleasant. Oman has hot season and cold season. The hot season is from April to October, and the average temperature rises above 40℃ (104℉); the cool season is from November to March, and the average temperature reaches about 24℃ (75℉). The annual rainfall is about 130 millimeters.

Transportation

Getting there:
By plane: You can take international flights arriving at Muscat International Airport (MCT), also you can choose to land in Salalah. The airlines include Oman Air, Emirates, Gulf Air, Etihad, British Airways, Kuwait Airways, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
By car: If you are from Dubai, you can drive into Oman with your National ID Card.
By bus: You can take regular buses from Dubai to Muscat.

Travelling around:
If you want to get around in Oman, you can choose different vehicles, such as plane, bus, taxi and car.

Oman Travel Tips

Non-Muslim adult tourists can bring two liters of alcohol if landing at Seeb airport. If the drugs you take exceed the amount limit, you need to show the prescription to pass the customs inspection.
It is not allowed to bring alcohol in private cars at borders.
As Oman is an Islamic country, you should respect the local culture. You should not wear short clothes and eat or drink in public during Ramadan. In line with the Omani tradition, do not wear skimpy clothes or swimwear in residential areas.
It is not allowed to eat pork or drink wine.

History

In 754, an imamate was established in Oman. During 1507-1650, Oman was colonized by Portuguese. Now the colonial architectural style remains. During 18th and 19th centuries, it was in an anti-aggression period against Persia and other countries. In 1970, Sultan Qaboos overthrew his father's control and opened up the country, which established a solid foundation for the future development.

Geographical Features

Oman is located in southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. A desert plain covers the most of central Oman. The country's main cities lie in the North Mountains and southeast coast. Oman is faced with the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The coastline is 1,700 kilometers (1,056 miles) long.