Oman, or officially the Sultanate of Oman, is one of the most beautiful countries in the world with natural wonders, architectural attractions, great food, and wonderful people. Most of the land is occupied by the desert, but on both sides, it is surrounded by the sea so you can enjoy the combination of sea and sand.
Here you can enjoy a night in the desert and have another unforgettable experience. May your trip to this beautiful country remain in your long memory.
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The Sultanate Is Left Without The Great Sultan
Before we get into this “Arabic adventure”, here are some basic information about this country. A lot of people have asked us: where is Oman at all? This country is situated in the Arabian Peninsula and is one of the few sultanates existing today. Unfortunately, a longtime ruler Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said passed away after a long illness on January 10th, 2024.
Oman’s History
Looking at the history of this place, the Portuguese influence was first, then the Turks came and then the British as well. The real development of the country began in 1970 when Qaboos bin Said al Said threw his father off the throne. During his father’s reign, the country was isolated and backward. The people were illiterate, the roads were bad, there were only three schools and one hospital in the whole country. Everything is different today. Education is free. Students are paid for their studies, accommodation, and food, and scholarships are awarded for study abroad. After the age of 30, citizens from the state get a piece of land on which they can build a house. Health care is free, wages are not taxed. But the laws are very strict. Just to go through the red at the traffic lights, you can end up in jail for the night.
When To Visit Oman?
The best time to visit Oman is winter, from October to February – temperatures are then 25-30 degrees Celsius during the day and fall to 20 degrees at night. It is not recommended to travel in the summer as temperatures rise above 40 degrees. The only area worth visiting at this time is Salalah because of the so-called Khareef – monsoon season which goes from June to August. Due to heavy rains during that period, everything is green in the Salalah area. There are many natural pools, waterfalls in full splendor, which is not the case in winter.
How to Behave in Oman?
Oman is a Muslim country. Although conservative, we must say that it is tolerant enough. Some of the rules you should follow are these:
● Women do not have to cover their hair, but they should cover their shoulders and knees
● On public beaches, women are not recommended to wear bikinis, and men should not be wearing short and tight bathing shorts
● Avoid showing affection in public
● Ask permission if you would like to take a photo or enter into private property
● Do not pollute
● Respect the peace and quiet
Security
When mentioning the trip to Oman, most people first ask for security. This place is one of the safest in the world. The crime rate is minimal or we can even say – it does not exist. You can easily leave your car or house unlocked, no one will steal anything from you. Anyone who would even try to dare and do this – would be isolated by the whole community. The fines are very high, and the imprisonment would be certain for such a crime. People in Oman are extremely kind, not even salespeople are bored with sales.
Visa
Entering this country requires a visa that you can get online very easily. Just go to oman-evisa.com and apply very easily to get the visa you need. According to how long your visit will take, you can apply for:
● 26A Travel Visa – Single Entry if you are in a visit for up to 10 days
● 26B Travel Visa – Single Entry if you are in a visit for up to 30 days
Once you apply for a visa, it will arrive at your email address within 24 hours. Once you get your visa, you must use it within 30 days.
The Beauty Of Oman
The cultural heritage of this fabulous country is one of the richest in this region, not just for its rich history and great civilizations they have built but because of the tradition and rules that they still hold on, even today. They pride themselves on their dresses and costumes, jewelry and clothing accessories, especially for weddings and festivals. Although Oman may seem like an ordinary, simple country to you because of the lack of large buildings, skyscrapers and houses, it is the diversity of nature that sets this country apart from everything else. Beautiful mountains that stretch across the country, palm trees, deserts through which you can go on a camel or in a jeep, over 2000 kilometers of coastline with beautiful beaches to rest on while watching dolphins and whales in the distance, etc. There are many reasons why this country is so wonderful in its simplicity.
Muscat
The capital and largest city in Oman, Muscat is made up of 6 parts, with a population of about 1 million. It used to be three small towns:
1. Muscat a city surrounded by walls, and the place where royal palaces were housed.
2. Mutrah a fishing village and the famous Mutrah Souq.
3. Ruwi a trading part of the city.
The cheapest accommodation is in Mutrah, and for shopping, tourists mainly head to Ruwi. There are several beautiful beaches in the suburbs, some of which are very long and several tens of kilometers long.
Accommodation And Restaurants
The accommodation in Muscat is not cheap, but some hotels can be found at reasonable prices. As for the restaurants, there are luxury restaurants in Muscat where prices are not too low, but the best experience is to eat at local cafes, where a single meal usually costs around € 1.