Oman is one of the most underrated countries in the Middle East, and one of the friendliest and safest countries you could travel to. You won’t have to worry about scams, pickpocketing, or any other shady behavior. At most, you may just have to haggle a bit at the shops.
Below are some quick Oman to-knows before visiting, and I hope they help you prep for an amazing trip ahead!
WHEN TO VISIT OMAN, AND HOW MANY DAYS?
October through March is the best time to visit the Middle East in general. Visiting outside of these months means you will be confronted with extremely high temperatures in scorching desert heat.
I spent 7 days in Oman, but if I could redo my trip, I would spend at least 10. You can find an in-depth 10 day itinerary to help you plan here. But of course, you can shorten your trip based on what locations you would like to prioritize!
OMAN VISA
Most countries are required to obtain a visa before entering Oman. Only citizens of GCC countries (the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and residents of the United Arab Emirates) do not require visas to enter Oman. But do double check on this as rules and regulations seem to change often.
You can easily apply for an e-visa here and it cost me (as an American) around $120 for 30 days.
HOW EXPENSIVE IS IT TO TRAVEL OMAN?
Personally, I did find Oman to be quite expensive, relative to the UAE even. It is definitely not a low cost budget travel type destination (think Thailand or India). Their currency is stronger than the US dollar (at least, at the time of this post), which should give you an inkling as to how things are priced. If you are looking for a budget friendly backpacking type travel experience, then Oman may not be the right destination for that. But I promise you, the sights you will see in this beautiful country is worth it!
CURRENCY
The local currency is the Oman Rial. I recommend withdrawing cash from the ATM’s at the airport right upon arrival to avoid having to hunt down ATMs later on (not as easy as you think trust me!). With that being said, I used my credit card for most of the trip – even small stores at the souqs accepted credit card. Cash is really only necessary for tipping, and random small expenses, or if you are planning to book a local tour upon arrival (which I recommend against and will get into later.)
SIM CARDS
I flew Oman Air and the flight attendants handed out sim cards with 1GB free before we landed. Though I’m not sure all airlines do this, you can definitely pick one up at the airport upon arrival. Data usage is actually quite affordable! I paid 5 OMR ($13) for 8 GB for one week.
HOW TO DRESS
Don’t worry, you will not be expected to dress conservatively and cover your hair (only when visiting a mosque.) However, with that being said, Oman is still an Islamic country, therefore it is in your best interest to respect the local culture by dressing moderately when out and about. Think long sun dresses, pants, slacks, etc. You won’t need to cover your arms, but I would definitely avoid low-cut shirts and clothing items that have too many revealing cutouts. Unless you want to draw unwanted and uncomfortable attention to yourself :p For men, t-shirts and shorts are fine, but I would suggest avoiding loose muscle tees (the ones that are sleeveless and reveal your ribs) While on the beach, at beach resorts, or at wadis and sinkholes, you can most definitely wear whatever your please – bikinis, beachwear, etc.
GETTING TO OMAN
There are many ways to get to Oman! The most popular of course is by flight. There are four international airports in Oman which are – Muscat International Airport (I flew in here), Salalah Airport, Sohar Airport and Duqm Airport. Muscat International Airport is obviously the most popular choice. Dozens of airlines fly in and out of Muscat.
The other option is to fly into Dubai, and drive in from there. The drive from Dubai to Muscat is a trip of about 450 kilometres, a journey that Google Maps estimates will take around four-and-a-half hours. Locals from Dubai have recommended driving through the Hatta-Al Wajajah border to leave Dubai for Oman. Make sure your car insurance covers you to drive in Oman, otherwise you can purchase temporary insurance at the border, although the latter only covers third party damage.
HOW TO GET AROUND
I found tours to be priced higher than I’ve experienced in most other countries. I recommend renting a car and driving to all the locations on your own, as not only are tours expensive, so are taxis. I learned this the hard way as though my friend and I initially rented a car, we unfortunately were involved in a car accident the first day, and our vehicle was totaled. I ended up being forced to book tours online and paid a sore price. My Muscat tour was around $250 JUST for visiting local spots such as the Opera House, the Mosque, and Sinkhole to name a few, and my Nizwa tour was $400 (they price by car) though it included a 3.5 hour drive round trip. Personally, I felt the tours were overpriced and mediocre quality, and I would have had a more wholesome experience had I had the freedom of being able to drive myself on my own time. So, PLEASE RENT A CAR. It’s SO much more affordable and flexible. And what could be more fun than roadtripping with your friends? (Or yourself, if you don’t mind driving alone!)
This pretty much covers everything you need to know before visiting this beautiful country, and I hope you end up loving your trip as much as I did!
Don’t forget, check out the link to my full itinerary for Oman here 🙂