Oman
Discover Oman
The Sultanate of Oman (Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula. Under the radar of most visitors to the Gulf, Oman is peaceful and prosperous, with amazing natural sights and hospitable people. Oman has two exclaves separated from it by the United Arab Emirates, the Musandam Peninsula and Madha.
Taste of Oman...
Omani food tends to be simple but rewarding and filling. Rice is the main staple and so is bread. The national dish is called " Qabuli", consisting of; spiced rice, lamb or chicken, split peas and caramelized onions. It can be found in many restaurants across the country. Another popular dish is "shuwa" which consists of a whole roasted lamb wrapped around banana or palm leaves and marinated in a plethora of different spices, before being buried underground and cooked for an overnight. Shuwa is often served with plain rice but in some upscale restaurants it can be served as a sandwich with fries and ketchup. You have to try harees whenever possible, which is a porridge-like dish of cracked wheat, ghee, chicken or beef and some spices. With a long coastline, Oman has a rich seafood culture and freshly caught fish served with a salad and rice is not unheard of for lunch. Street food is now becoming a trend. Make sure to try shawarma- strips of chicken or lamb grilled on a rotating spit, shaved and served in a wrap with an abundance of pickles, vegetables, tahini sauce (if lamb) or garlic sauce (if chicken) and French fries or deep fried chickpeas and beans balls called "falafel". They can be found in many street corner cafeterias for a very cheap price. For an authentic delicacy try barbecued meat marinated in tamarind and chili called "mishakeek". It can be bought from the stalls along just about any beach in Oman.
Culture & Religion
Religion
Officially Oman is a Muslim state, and the Sultan and the vast majority of Omanis are Ibadi Muslims. However, Oman is a very tolerant country; there is a significant Sunni minority in Salalah, Sur and the northern parts of Oman and active Shiite communities in Muscat, Suhar, Al- Khabourah and Saham. Hindus have their temples in Muscat and one is said to be at least 350 years old. Omani citizens make up the majority of Oman's total population and consist of many different ethnic groups. Oman is home to its shipbuilders, who over the passage of time, have mastered the design of wooden trading ships. Arabic is the national language, and there are three major dialects are spoken in Oman: Omani, Gulf and Dhofar Arabic. But most Omanis will speak good to excellent English, and particularly so in major tourist areas and cities. An English-speaking traveller should have no language difficulties.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Oman into what it is today.
The oldest known human settlement in Oman dates to the Stone Age. Sumerian tablets refer to a country called Magan, a name thought to refer to Oman's ancient copper mines. The present-day name of the country is believed to originate from the Arab tribes who migrated to its territory from the Uman region of Yemen. Many tribes settled in Oman making a living by fishing, herding or stock breeding and some present day Omani families are able to trace their ancestral roots to other parts of Arabia. From the 6th century BCE to the arrival of Islam in the 7th century CE, Oman was controlled or influenced by three Persian dynasties: the Achaemenids, Parthians and Sassanids. By about 250 BCE the Parthian dynasty brought the Persian Gulf under their control and extended their influence as far as Oman and established garrisons in Oman. In the third century CE the Sassanids succeeded the Parthians and held the area until the rise of Islam four centuries later. Centuries after the rise of Islam, Oman became a sultanate under a maritime empire and maintained links with the Portuguese and British Empires. In the 19th century, the Omani Empire reached its height under Sayyid Said bin Sultan, extending to places corresponding to modern United Arab Emirates, Southern Iran and Zanzibar. The Empire however, soon fell into internal strife after he died, and Zanzibar seceded from Oman in 1861. Continuous turmoil also enabled the British to force Oman into a protectorate in 1891....
Climate
The climate generally is very hot, with temperatures reaching 54°C (129°F) in the summer, from May to October. Annual rainfall in Muscat averages 100 mm (3.9 in), falling mostly in the winter. Dhofar is subject to the southwest monsoon, and rainfall up to 640 mm (25.2 in) has been recorded in the rainy season from June to September. While the mountain areas receive more plentiful rainfall, some parts of the coast, particularly near the island of Masirah, sometimes receive little to no rain at all within the course of a year. Officially Oman is a Muslim state, and the Sultan and the vast majority of Omanis are Ibadi Muslims. However, Oman is a very tolerant country; there is a significant Sunni minority in Salalah, Sur and the northern parts of Oman and active Shiite communities in Muscat, Suhar, Al- Khabourah and Saham. Hindus have their temples in Muscat and one is said to be at least 350 years old.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsCitizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) may enter Oman without a visa and stay indefinitely. A single entry visa can be obtained upon arrival at any air, land or sea terminal by citizens of the following countries: The 30-day visa costs 20 rials, 10-day one - 5 rials. You can pay online before arrival at the Royal Oman Police e-visa website or at MCT airport where you need to get the visa from the money changers which add a 1 rial commission. Your passport should be valid for no less than 6 months from the date of arrival. Any visa fees can be paid using UAE dirhams at a rate of ten dirhams to one Omani rial. At the airports, visa fees can be paid in any Gulf Co-operation Council currency, euros, and US dollars. Oman has a common visa facility with the Emirate of Dubai....
Regions
Explore AreasOman has two exclaves separated from it by the United Arab Emirates, the Musandam Peninsula and Madha. Until Sultan Qaboos bin Said exiled his father, the previous Sultan, in 1970, Oman was an under-d…...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Oman Air is the national carrier and flies regularly between the two airports in the country (Muscat/Seeb, and Salalah). Air Arabia offers flights to Salalah and Muscat from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There are regular, daily bus services connecting the bigger cities within Oman (Muscat, Salalah, Sohar, Sur and Nizwa). There are several, daily bus services from Muscat to Dubai. There is one bus a day from Muscat to Abu Dhabi. For details see the pages of the Oman National Transport Company . Mowasalat is state-operated public transportation company in Oman. The company operates bus lines which connect some of the major cities in Oman. All taxi drivers in Oman are Omani nationals as this is a protected profession. In Muscat there are call/telephone taxi services. Whilst safe and generally turn up when you want them to the costs are comparatively high. Look for "Hello Taxi" and "Muscat Taxi" amongst others.
Where to Stay
Oman has the full spectrum of accommodation - from ultra-luxurious hotels to extremely rustic huts in the desert constructed from date palm leaves. Oman has been attempting to turn itself into something of a five-star destination for the well-heeled traveller, there are five five-star hotels in the capital. This does not pose a problem to the budget-minded in Muscat, and even outside of the capital there is still a range of budget options. In some parts of the country, however, accommodation may be limited to higher-end hotels and resorts. Working in Oman requires that you hold a residence permit. In common with other Gulf countries, you must be sponsored by an employer to obtain a residence permit. It's not uncommon for people to enter on a tourist visa then look for a job - this is fine. Penalties for the employer are substantial if they are caught employing illegals, although this naturally varies depending on how good their connections are.
Money & Budget
The currency in Muscat is the Omani rial, denoted by the symbol "ريال" (ISO currency code OMR). Wikivoyage uses "RO" to remote the currency. One rial is made up of one thousand baisa (also written baiza, Arabic: بيسة). The Omani rial is tied to the US dollar at 1 rial = US$2.6008 making it one of the largest units of currency in the world; exchange rates on the streets are a percentage point or two lower. The exchange rate to the neighboring country United Arab Emirates is also fixed at about 1 rial = 10 dirham. Banknotes that circulate are in 0.100 rials (a small, green banknote and not to be confused with the 20-rial note), 0.500 (⁄2) rial, 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50-rials. Coins in circulation in Oman come in denominations of 5, 10, 25 and 50 baisa.
Language & Talk
Arabic is the national language, and there are three major dialects are spoken in Oman: Omani, Gulf and Dhofar Arabic. But most Omanis will speak good to excellent English, and particularly so in major tourist areas and cities. An English-speaking traveller should have no language difficulties. The historical presence of Indian traders has meant that Hindi or Urdu will be understood in some urban areas. In the southern Dhofar region, a Semitic language called Jibbali is spoken. Swahili and Baluchi are languages spoken by ethnic minorities in Oman, especially in the capital Muscat. The presence of a large number of expatriates from the Indian state of Kerala, has made Malayalam a prominent language.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Homosexuality is illegal in Oman. LGBT tourists should be self-aware. Driving in Muscat can sometimes be a problem, although this is due more to congestion than bad driving on the part of the locals. Outside of the major cities, a common driving risk is falling asleep at the wheel due to the long stretches of featureless desert. Driving in Oman calls for attention to the unexpected. It has 85.3 road fatalities per 100,000 motor vehicles, which is more than double the UAE and much higher than most European countries. Omani drivers outside of the cities tend to drive very fast and pass with impunity. Driving at night is especially hazardous as many drivers fail to turn their headlights on, or are unaware of people crossing the road on foot for example on the road from Sohar to Muscat. Camels will walk into the road even if they see cars approaching, and collisions are often fatal for both camel and driver. See the above section on driving in wadis for off-road safety.