Oman is a beautiful country in Middle East which is often overlooked by tourists visiting the region. After spending 5D4N in Oman which I'm glad that I did, I would recommend to anyone looking to experience Middle East culture to include Oman in their travel list.
Visa Requirement:
Citizens from GCC countries (Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE) do not require a visa to visit Oman. Tourists from other countries can apply e-visa online. The application and approval process is fast, I got my e-visa approved in 1 day. My tourist visa is single entry and valid for 10 days. The e-visa cost me OMR 5 per person.
Website: https://evisa.rop.gov.om/#
Getting in:
Most tourists would fly in and arrive in Muscat International Airport. The new terminal which opened in March 2018 is modern and have state-of-art facilities. You can buy duty free beer after arriving at the airport before exiting the airport. The beer is quite cheap, around OMR 5.90 for 6 cans.
Oman Air is the national airline but this time I chose to fly with Salam Air, low cost airline in Oman, since I was only flying a short distance from Doha to Muscat during the June Eid holidays.
The local currency is Omani Riyal. Currently, 1 OMR = 2.60 USD.
Getting around:
As I mentioned before, the best way to travel around Oman is to hire a car if you plan to drive or a driver/guide and it's best to get a 4x4 vehicle as you will be travelling in mountainous terrain and desert.
I hired a tour guide for my 3D2N tour (Day 2 - Day 4) from Muscat including transport, 2 nights accommodation, 2 breakfast and 2 dinner. The tour cost is OMR 490 and the tour operator is Afaq Travel & Tourism. You can contact them through the website www.afaqtourism.com
My 5D4N itinerary is as below (click on links to read related posts):
Day 1 - arriving Muscat at night - overnight at Naseem Hotel
Day 2 - Muscat (Muttrah Fort) - Birkat Al Mauz - Misfat Al Abriyeen - Al Hamra ruins - Jebel Shams - overnight at Sama Heights Resort
Day 3 - Bahla Fort - Nizwa Fort and souq - Wahiba Sands - overnight at Sama Al Wasil Desert Camp
Day 4 - Wahiba Sands - Wadi Bani Khaled - photo stop at Wadi Shab - Bimmah Sinkhole - Muscat (Muttrah Souq and Corniche) - overnight at Naseem Hotel
Day 5 - Muscat city tour - Muscat International Airport
Day 1 - arriving Muscat at night - overnight at Naseem Hotel
For accomodation in Muscat, I would recommend to stay at Muttrah Corniche area. The hotel that I booked was Naseem Hotel which is reasonably priced at EUR 51 per night for a double bed room. Check the hotel price at Agoda, expedia.com and Hotels.com
Day 2 - Muscat (Muttrah Fort) - Birkat Al Mauz - Misfat Al Abriyeen - Al Hamra ruins - Jebel Shams - overnight at Sama Heights Resort
Since it was the first day of Eid holidays, my Omani tour guide met us around 11am instead of the originally planned 9am. I had some free time in Muttrah area and my hubby climbed up to the Muttrah Fort.
My first stop for this tour is the viewpoint over Birkat al Mauz. It's about 3 hours drive from Muscat.
I also had a quick stopover at the date palms plantation. Omani irrigation system of Aflaj is listed in the UNESCO list of World Heritage.
Next, I visited Misfat Al Abriyeen Village. The village is famous for its traditional Omani mud house.
Al Hamra is located 6km away from Misfat Al Abriyeen Village. Its beautiful ruins are left completely untouched and visitors are free to explore the area.
From Al Hamra, my tour guide brought us to Jebel Shams canyon edge where we could enjoy the spectacular view of Wadi Ghul (nicknamed as Grand Canyon of Arabia) below.
Staying the night at Sama Heights Resort. There is no wifi in this resort but I really enjoyed the serene surroundings and cool weather in the mountains.
Day 3 - Bahla Fort - Nizwa Fort and souq - Wahiba Sands - overnight at Sama Al Wasil Desert Camp
Bahla Fort is Oman's only UNESCO listed fort since 1987. Bahla Fort is just 30-minute drive away from Nizwa and less than 2 hour drive from Muscat. It is possible to do a day trip from Muscat.
Normal opening hours is Saturday to Thursday (9am - 4pm) and Friday (8am - 11am).
During Ramadan, opening hours is Saturday to Thursday (9am - 2pm) and Friday (8am - 11am).
Nizwa Fort is popular among tourist and it is famous for its enormous round tower (the biggest defensive tower of fort in Oman).
Be sure to climb up to the round tower to see the panoramic view of the surroundings.
Nizwa Fort is open from Saturday to Thursday (9am - 4pm) and Friday (8am - 11am).
For non Omanis, admission fee is OMR 5 for adult and OMR 3 for child (age 6-12).
The nearby Nizwa Souq is the other main Omani market apart from Muttrah Souq in Muscat.
After Nizwa, we headed to Wahiba Sands where we would spend a night in the desert.
Best time to visit the desert is during winter (October to March). If you're visiting the desert in summer, be prepared to bear the heat as high as 50 degrees in the hottest month.
Climbing up the sand dunes and enjoy the sunset or sunrise view is the best things to do at Wahiba Sands.
You can also try camel rides and dune bashing.
Sama Al Wasil Desert Camp is more like a resort than a real desert camp which I experienced in Sahara Desert, Morroco. And yes, the room has air-conditioning and a private bathroom.
Day 4 - Wahiba Sands - Wadi Bani Khaled - photo stop at Wadi Shab - Bimmah Sinkhole - Muscat (Muttrah Souq and Corniche) - overnight at Naseem Hotel
Wadi Bani Khaled is located north of Wahiba Sands. Most people also combine it with Wadi Shab and Bimmah Sinkhole in a day tour. Admission is free. Duration is about 1 hour.
It is recommended to dress appropriately as this is a place frequented by locals and their families. Good walking shoes is recommended if you want to hike to the upper pools as the rocks can be slippery.
Wadi Shab is famous for its picturesque gorge between the cliffs and is about 1.5 hours drive from Muscat.
The entrance is actually a free parking lot underneath a highway bridge. The only bathroom is besides the parking lot. Be sure to go before you start taking the boat across the river (OMR 1) and start the 1-hour hike to the swimming area.
My last stop before heading back to Muscat is Bimmah Sinkhole.
Bimmah Sinkhole is about 20-minute drive away from Wadi Shab. It is inside the Hawiyat Najm Park. The park is open from 8am to 8pm. Admission is free. There is also a free parking lot outside the park. Free toilets are located near the entrance gate.
Visitors can descend a flight of concrete stairs to reach the pool of sinkhole. You can enjoy the treatment of 'fish doctors' when you dip in the pool. There is no life guard around so you basically swim or dive at your own risk.
After arriving in Muscat, I spent the evening visiting the Muttrah Souq and strolling along the Corniche.
Had dinner at Bait Al Luban restaurant which offers authentic Omani cuisine.
Day 5 - Muscat city tour - Muscat International Airport
I spent my last day in Oman exploring the main attractions in Muscat including Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Royal Opera House Muscat, Al Riyam Park, Al Alam Palace and nearby forts in Old Muscat.
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is open to non-Muslim every day except for Friday, from 8.30am to 11am. It is also possible to visit the grand mosque outside the visitor hours provided you are not planning to enter the prayer halls.
The rate to hire a taxi for city tour is about OMR 45. It is not cheap but considering the taxi picked me up from the hotel and took me directly to the airport after the city tour finished, it is still acceptable.
What to eat in Oman:
1) Shuwa - slow cooked lamb or meat marinated with Omani spice (left dish in picture above).
2) Omani Bread cooked over a sizzling pan and served with cheese, mayonese or honey. The one I tried was served with honey at the food station inside Nizwa Fort.
3) Dates or dates drinks. The dates milkshake that I tried is simply delicious.
4) Other common Middle Eastern food such as shawarma is worth trying too.
What to buy in Oman:
1) Pottery. Recommended to buy it at the craft market of Nizwa Souq. There is plenty of shapes, sizes and design to choose from.
2) Khanjar - the Omani dagger. Buy a wooden or plastic one, as you can't bring the real deal through custom.
3) Frankincense or its burner pot.
4) Omani clothes.
5) Omani silver ware and other crafts.
I hope this travel recommendation will help you in planning a trip to Oman. Happy travels.
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