The original Oman, despite being in the neighborhood of petrodollar monsters, is modest, hospitable and full of dignity. The man-made oasis of Muscat and ancient Nizwa, excursions to medieval forts and the sands of Wahiba – all about Oman: tours, prices, weather, reviews and hotels. See Countryaah.com for other countries starting with O.
Why do tourists choose Oman ? Firstly, unlike other countries of the Persian Gulf, the nature here is very picturesque: mountains, waterfalls, savannahs, tropics, fjords. Secondly, Oman has miraculously preserved its Arab identity: in fact, it is the only Middle Eastern country that has not “fallen” under modern civilization and at the same time has maintained a high standard of living. Thirdly, there is a rich “excursion”, since the history of this land can easily compete in the duration and richness of events with many of the world’s “mastodons”. But young people in Oman can be pretty bored: there is very little entertainment, and there are no nightclubs at all.
And Oman is also the place where Job was buried, the Queen of Sheba ruled, and from where Sinbad set off on his legendary voyage. The ruler of the country – the sultan – pays a lot of attention to ecology: there are national parks in all corners of the country, coastal areas are protected. Rare animals are found in the reserves of Oman: the oryx antelope, the giant sea turtle, the almost extinct Arabian tahr (wild goat), the wolf and leopard, the striped hyena and the ashen falcon. The most common type of recreation in Oman is scuba diving (the country ranks second after Egypt in fishing and diving). All conditions for motorsport and karting are also created.
Cities and regions
The capital is Muscat.
Smaller resorts and simply interesting cities in terms of tourism: Nizwa (Nizwa), Salalah (Salalah), Sohar (Sohar), Sur (Sur), Dakm (Duqm).
For a complete list of interesting cities to visit in the country, look on the page cities and resorts of Oman.
How to get to Oman
In autumn 2018, Oman Air launched daily direct flights on the Moscow-Muscat route.
You can fly from Moscow to Dubai (travel time about 5 hours) with Emirates, and from there fly to Muscat (another 50 minutes in the air). Another option is to use the Qatar Airways service on the Moscow-Doha route (flight time is 5 hours 20 minutes), and then fly Doha-Muscat (plus 3 hours). You can also get to Oman on the wings of Etihad (via Abu Dhabi) and Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul).
Find cheap flights to Oman
Visa to Oman
A visa to the Sultanate of Oman can be obtained at the airport upon arrival (it will be issued by a representative of the meeting party in the transit zone), or by contacting the embassy on your own. Russia was also included in the list of countries whose citizens can visit the Sultanate under a simplified scheme. The visa can be applied for online on the special visa website of the Oman Police. In addition, tourists can be advised to pre-arrange medical insurance for the entire duration of the trip.
- In which Sultanate of Oman is a UAE visa valid?
Customs
The import of drugs, psychotropic drugs, weapons is prohibited. Printed and video materials can be seized for pornography and “undermining the fabric of society.” Products and plants may be withdrawn for inspection. Animals must be quarantined. When buying “antiquities” you need to keep a receipt for presentation in case of possible questions, when buying national daggers when exporting from the country – they need to be packed in luggage.
Tourists taking strong medications are advised to carry a prescription with them.
Phone numbers
Embassy of Oman in Moscow: Staromonetny lane, 9, pp. 6-7; tel.: (499) 230-15-87, 230-12-55
Russian Embassy in Muscat: Shattii al-Qurum, Sarooj Street, Way 3032, “Sarfait” Residential Complex; tel.: (24) 602-894; Web site
General emergency number (police, ambulance, etc.): 9999.
Oman transport
There are no railways in Oman, but intercity bus service is well developed: for 10-14 OMR you can travel through the whole country. The system of service taxis and minibuses is very convenient, travel in them is quite cheap (3 OMR per 100 km on intercity routes, ~ 1 OMR within the city). In Oman, taxis (orange and white cars) are driven only by local residents, they attract the attention of pedestrians with beeps, they do not use meters, and payment is made “by agreement”. On average, they ask for 0.25 to 0.5 OMR per kilometer.
“Authorized” taxi drivers are often on duty at the entrance to the hotel, if the hotel is in the city, it is enough to move away from the hotel and you can find a taxi for a lower price.
Rent a Car
To rent a car, you need a credit card and an international driver’s license (new Russian driver’s license is also valid). The minimum age of the driver is 21 years old, driving experience is at least a year. Driving in Oman is on the right.
Here it is customary to give way if someone leaves the parking lot or is reversing. On the tracks come across scorchers who love to suddenly cut a neighbor. However, foreigners driving (they are easy to recognize by the numbers of the rented car) in Oman are treated with attention.
Fined for not wearing seat belts, speeding and using a mobile phone while driving. Drunk drivers are severely punished.
Tourist safety in Oman
Oman is an absolutely safe country. It is more difficult for Arabs to get a visa to this country than for Russians to America. There is no Islamic opposition here. The attitude towards tourists from Russia is very friendly.
Tap water is usually artesian or desalinated sea water and is perfectly safe. But due to the complete absence of mineral salts in this water, it is recommended to use bottled water for drinking.
You can drink and buy alcoholic beverages in specially designated places (in licensed hotels and restaurants). In public places, women should not wear lightweight and very revealing clothing, shoulders and knees should be covered. Men in public should wear trousers and a shirt (short sleeves are acceptable). Topless sunbathing is prohibited. Do not take pictures of locals without their permission.
Climate of Oman
Oman has a subtropical arid climate with a pronounced monsoon influence. Summers are hot and humid on the coast and hot and dry inland. Winter is moderately warm. The best time to visit Oman is from September to April, May to August is very hot and humid. It rains very rarely, Muscat has 320-350 sunny days a year. Average temperature in the capital: September +36 °C, November +30 °C, January +25 °C, June +41 °C, July +39 °C, August +37 °C.
Average air temperature in Muscat: September +36 °C, October +35 °C, November +30 °C, December +27 °C, January +25 °C, February +27 °C, March +30 °C, April + 33 °C, May +39 °C, June +41 °C, July +39 °C, August +37 °C.
Average air temperature in Salalah: September +29 °C, October +31 °C, November +33 °C, December +29 °C, January +29 °C, February +28 °C, March +30 °C, April + 32 °C, May +33 °C, June +33 °C, July +29 °C, August +29 °C.
Actual information: weather forecast for the main resorts of Oman for the coming days.
