Oman is getting more and more popular as a travel destination. Rightfully so – it is an amazing country! But the many options you have when visiting Oman can be overwhelming. That’s why we share our knowledge from our latest trip to the country and answer the most important questions for your 2024 Oman trip in this post.
1. Where should I go to when visiting Oman?
From there, we like to think of 3 areas to visit: The mountains, the sea and the sand dunes. Let’s dive into those destinations individually.
a. The mountains
The mountains are a beautiful area with stunning views located near Nizwa and about a 2.5 hour drive from Muscat. They look similar to the grand canyon in the USA, although a lot smaller. The main activity you can do there is hiking. We especially loved exploring the Jebel Akhdar which consists of several terraces used for agriculture. Besides that, you can drive to the famous Nizwa Fort within about an hour (depending on where you stay).
When planning to go to the mountains, make sure to book a four-wheel drive. This is mandatory and a military checkpoint at the beginning of the mountains makes sure your car applies to this standard. If not, you will not be able to enter the area. As always, we booked our rental car through Sunny Cars. They have an all-inclusive insurance with zero excess to be paid in case of damage which makes your trip so enjoyable since you don’t have to worry about anything!
The hotel we recommend in the mountains is the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort. We stayed there for four nights. The architecture of this hotel is simply amazing. You also get to watch the most amazing sunsets from the main pool area, enjoy amazing food in three different restaurants and excellent service. In short, this hotel is world class. We will cover it in more detail in a future post (make sure to stay tuned for that!). If you choose to stay at a different hotel, we highly recommend to get a day pass for the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort for OMR 25.00 (ca. USD 65) per person so you can enjoy this beautiful hotel and its stunning views.
b. The sea near Muscat
After our stay in the mountains, we went to stay east of Muscat where you can find some incredible beaches (a popular one is called Qurum Beach). What makes them so special is the crystal clear water and the scenic cliffs with amazing sunrises and sunsets. It very much reminded us of the epic beaches in Algarve, Portugal.
We recommend you to stay at a hotel with beach access so you can enjoy the sea every day, which is what we did. We loved the Shangri-La Al Husn, where we stayed for 5 nights. It has a great view from its beach and is an iconic hotel overall. Be sure to read more about this hotel in one of our upcoming blog posts.
If, like us, you decide to stay near Muscat, you can also explore lots of things in the city such as Grand Mosque (must see!) and in the area such as Wadi Shab (one of the best things to do in Oman!), Bimmah Sinkhole and Dimaniyat Island. If you would like to know more about these activities, we will cover the best things to do in Oman soon.
c. The sand dunes (desert)
Since we were running out of time with so many things to explore in the mountains and near Muscat, we decided not to go to the sand dunes. However, the sand dunes of Wahiba are only a 2.5 hours drive from Muscat and if you are interested in that and have enough time be sure to check it out.
d. Other regions
Since the country is so big, naturally there are many more regions to explore. Amongst those, the most popular destination probably is Salalah with its beautiful waterfalls. But if you, like us, don’t have unlimited amounts of time you will probably not want to drive for many more hours to explore those other regions which are further away from Muscat.
2. What is the best time to visit Oman?
In general, it is best to go there between October and March when it’s not too hot. We went there mid until end of February and really enjoyed the warm weather. In the mountains it can get a bit cold at night and early morning though so make sure to bring a jacket and a pair of warm trousers (i.e. not linen).
When visiting the country in spring we recommend to not go during Ramadan since tourist attractions, guided tours and restaurants might not fully operate. In addition, you might be limited regarding consumption of food and (alcoholic) beverages.
3. How to travel in Oman?
We recommend to rent your own car since streets in Oman are great, there’s lots of free parking available and gas is super cheap. As mentioned above, make sure to check-out our well trusted Sunny Cars.
Besides renting your own car, the only option we see is to book a car transport. However, this will quickly get much more expensive than booking your own car which is why we don’t recommend it.
4. Do I need visa for Oman?
Yes, it is very likely that you need visa for Oman. They have different options depending on how long you stay. Make sure to check out visa requirements in advance depending on your country of origin via https://evisa.rop.gov.om/.
We got a 10-day visa at Muscat airport upon arrival and didn’t have to do anything for that in advance.
5. Is Oman safe for travel?
Absolutely! This country is probably the safest one we have been to. You should not have any trouble (also if you are a woman traveling alone). In addition, people are very friendly and helpful if you have any questions.
Make sure though to not fly a drone without the required permission or to be affectionate with your spouse in public as this might get you in serious trouble.
6. Is Oman expensive?
Yes, it definitely is one of the more expensive countries you can visit. However, this mainly depends on the type of hotels and restaurants you choose. In more luxurious places you pay more but also get a great experience and great service. On the other hand, there are lots of budget friendly options for hotels (or even camping) and restaurants and many tourist attractions such as the Grand Mosque are free of charge.
Alcohol is very expensive in Oman so if you plan on drinking wine or beer as a pre-dinner drink consider bringing them with your checked-in luggage to safe some money.
7. Should I pay tips in Oman?
Tipping is not expected like it is in the USA for example. We usually rounded up our bill or asked staff to keep the change which usually resulted in a tip of one to a few rials. However, most hotel restaurants add a service charge which, as we have been told, includes tips. This is why we did not tip additionally in such restaurants.
8. Dresscode in Oman
Women should wear long, loose clothes covering at least the knees and shoulders. If you go to a mosque make sure to cover your head though.
For men it is less strict but we would recommend to wear a t-shirt (no tank-top) and trousers or longer shorts.
With that said, you will occasionally see (male and female) tourists wear shorts and tank-tops in public. We wouldn’t recommend to do so though since it is not appropriate. Also be aware that dress code at a touristic hotel is usually more relaxed than what you should wear when going to public places.
9. Do people in Oman speak English?
People’s command of English is excellent. We did not speak to a single person who wasn’t fully fluid in English, it’s crazy.
Conclusion
Now that you know the most important things, don’t overthink your journey or individual requirements such as dress codes. Omani people are super friendly and helpful, so if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask them!
We hope you enjoy your Oman trip as much as we did! If so, let us know in the comments.