Tips for Planning Your Trip to Oman

Our best tips for exploring Oman from Sinbad, the legendary sailor.

The Sultanate of Oman is located at the far northeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. It stretches south to the Arabian Sea and the border with Yemen. The country is incredibly diverse: mountains, oases, wadis, deserts, and beaches can all be reached from Muscat, the capital of Oman, along ancient trade routes.

In contrast to the neighboring UAE with Abu Dhabi and Dubai, traditional values and great kindness still prevail here. Travelers are always welcome, and often help is offered without even asking. The hospitality of Oman is immense.

To make your trip an unforgettable experience and to avoid cultural pitfalls, we have written down all the things you should know before your trip to Oman.

Here we have listed 16 things you should know before your visit to Oman.

Enjoy reading our Oman tips!

For an Oman road trip, you should plan for at least 10 to 14 days. It sounds like a lot of time, but Oman offers so many great highlights and places of interest that it's really not easy to find an ideal route. For the northern regions and a round trip starting from Muscat, you should plan for at least 10 days. If you want to go further to Salalah, you should plan an additional 5 days.

However, note that you need to apply for an Oman visa (approx. 50 Euro) for stays of 15 days or more. You can explore the country without a visa for up to 14 days. To save time, you can fly from Muscat to Salalah (1h 40 min) instead of making the 1000 km journey by car.

Here you can find my travel report on the Oman road trip with route and many tips

The highlights in Oman are numerous. I was truly amazed when I returned to Germany after my trip. My absolute highlights in Oman were the Grand Mosque in Muscat, canyoning in the Snake Canyon, camping in a rooftop tent (especially the night in the desert was unbeatable), Misfat al Abriyyin, and the off-road drive in Wadi Al-Nakhar.

Driving on sand in Wahiba Sands was fantastic, Birkat al Mouz, Nizwa, and Sur were enchanting, and Wadi Tiwi and Wadi Bani Khalid offered a mix of adventure and relaxation. The Daymaniyat Islands and snorkeling with turtles were experiences I've never had in my many travels. More than 50 turtles swam around me. Incredibly beautiful.

The south with Salalah and Mirbat is a little paradise with stunning beaches, hidden wadis, and many camels in the middle of nowhere. I already know today that I will have to return to Oman soon.

The Sultanate of Oman is best reached by plane. Direct flights are available from Frankfurt and Munich with Oman Air to Muscat. The flight time is seven hours. We have had excellent experiences with Oman Air numerous times. Both on the flight to Oman and with a layover in Muscat, heading to Asia (Kuala Lumpur).

You can reach Muscat International Airport in a 6.5-hour flight from Munich and 7 hours from Frankfurt. If you want to continue south like we did and explore Salalah? Then you can fly from Muscat to Salalah in 1.38 hours, or make the 1000 km journey by car.

I always search for flights on Skyscanner and usually book directly on the airline's website. Read my tips here on how I search and book flights.

Oman is generally considered a safe travel destination. The crime rate is very low, and the risk of violent crime is minimal. Of course, theft can occur in markets or tourist spots from time to time. Due to the war in Yemen, Oman has slipped from fourth place in the worldwide safety ranking of travel destinations.

Despite the general safety, the situation in the border area with Yemen is tense due to the armed conflict in Yemen, and you must pass several checkpoints. Although the Foreign Office advises against visiting the border area, we visited it and felt safe.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, you should heed current health and safety guidelines. If you do not have an e-visa, you may need a document in English from your insurance, confirming that COVID-19 is covered. This will be required at check-in at the airport.

We experienced Oman as a very hospitable and safe travel destination. Whether you travel alone or in a group.

Few countries have developed as rapidly in recent years as the Sultanate of Oman on the Arabian Peninsula. What you won't find in Dubai or Abu Dhabi is abundant here: tradition, an essential foundation of economic stability, prosperity, and peace. Here, tradition and modernity are not contradictions, but reality.

The country will also capture your heart in no time. I'm pretty sure. I was amazed by the traditional souqs and next door hip cafés with espresso machines that I wouldn't have expected here. Omanis don't want mass tourism; they prefer to remain a more expensive destination with fewer tourists. I would say it's the Switzerland of the Arabian Peninsula.

As a German citizen, all you need for entry is a passport that's valid for at least 6 months. You only need a visa starting from 15 days, which you can only obtain online in advance. This is how you get your e-visa for Oman in 24 hours. The visa costs 20 OMR and allows a stay of up to 30 days.

The official currency is the Omani Rial (OR, OMR, RO). You should withdraw any cash you need at the airport in Oman from an ATM. Exchange rates at local exchange offices and German banks are much worse.

I use my travel credit cards to avoid fees. Make sure that the American Express credit card is only accepted in hotels, rarely at gas stations or in local cafés or restaurants.

Currently, the best free credit cards for travel are the DKB Bank Debit Card, GenialCard (Hanseatic Bank), and the TF Bank Mastercard Gold. With a setup of at least 2 of these cards, you can usually withdraw cash for free from ATMs abroad and pay on-site without incurring foreign transaction fees when using foreign currencies! -> Here you can find all tips with my experiences for the best travel credit cards in comparison.

Without a rental car, you're out of luck. If you want to see a lot of the country, you need to rent a vehicle. The public transport system is not very well developed yet.

We booked a 10-day round trip from Muscat with a 4x4 car and rooftop tent through Follow the Tracks. Whether you need a 4x4 vehicle depends on which regions you want to visit. Afterwards, we flew to Salalah. Since we stayed in hotels there, we didn't need a vehicle with a rooftop tent.

Make sure to check if you're allowed to drive your rental car from Muscat to Salalah. During our research before the trip, many rental companies indicated that driving from the north to Salalah was not permitted. But: It's possible.

However, you should be prepared for checkpoints everywhere, where your documents (passport and the vehicle's and your renter's documents) will be checked. I don't know why this is the case. So make sure to check all conditions before signing a contract.

This license (I've redacted the details) is in every car. At checkpoints, the Omanis wanted to see this alongside our passports. Since we didn't have our passports when heading towards the Yemen border, a copy in Dropbox sufficed as an exception. However, I'm not sure if that always works. In the end, they even wanted to give us a Pepsi.

For individual road trips, I always look and book with Sunny Cars, billiger-mietwagen, or Check24. Sunny Cars is usually the cheapest (as it is in Oman).

LOOKING FOR A RENTAL CAR? To search for a rental car, we recommend the platform check24 or Billiger Mietwagen. I also compare prices with Sunny Cars. -> Find tips here on booking rental cars. -> Don't have a credit card? Then read here how to rent a car without a credit card.

Driving to Wahiba Sands

Driving to Jabal Al Akhdar (no further travel allowed without a 4x4)

Comfortable: Fazayah Beach gravel road (Salalah), but not a must if you've driven on gravel before.

For the desert, a 4x4 is essential, just like the drive into the mountains of Jabal Al Akhdar. At the foot of the steep road, there is a checkpoint. Without four-wheel drive, you cannot continue. If you have a 4x4, you can also drive alternative routes away from the paved main roads (and those are really fun).

In the south (Dhofar region with Salalah and Mirbat), you don't necessarily need a 4x4 vehicle. We still opted for one. In the terms of all rental car providers at the Salalah airport, it states: Off-road driving prohibited. However, we drove some paths like the one to the stunning Fazayah Beach gravel road. We didn't feel we necessarily needed a 4x4 for that (we are off-road experienced). It's certainly more comfortable.

Here is the route to Fazayah Beach.

Or also here while driving into a wadi in the south. Even though you have to drive on and through sand here, it's easy to master if you've driven on sand before. Locals typically drive to the beaches by car.

We booked this rental car through Sunny Cars after comparing prices and conditions on several platforms.

LOOKING FOR A RENTAL CAR? For searching for a rental car, we recommend the platform check24 or Billiger Mietwagen. I also compare prices with Sunny Cars. -> Find tips here on booking rental cars. -> Don't have a credit card? Then read here how to rent a car without a credit card.

The major gas stations in Oman are mostly very modern and new, and they typically have restrooms (with showers) and a trendy café. Even in the border town to Yemen.

Fueling in Oman is very cheap for us (about 56 cents per liter, as of 2024). We only paid 46 euros for a full tank (81 liters) for our Mitsubishi Jeep. Fueling is a small expense on your Oman road trip.

At the gas station, you do not fuel your car yourself but rather let the attendant handle it. You just need to specify what type of gasoline your car requires and whether you want a full tank ("Full").

If you're traveling into the desert, you should fill up, as you consume more fuel when driving on sand. Depending on the tank size, you should check where the nearest gas stations are. In the mountains, the roads can be steep. With our vehicle, which was quite heavy with a rooftop tent, the consumption rose quickly, and the fuel gauge dropped fast.

Tip: If you're traveling with a car and rooftop tent (booked through Follow the Tracks), you will receive a tablet with a route that marks the gas stations.

Oman is ideal for travel year-round due to its consistently summery temperatures. For us Europeans, the months from October to March are ideal, as the temperatures are very pleasant during that time.

In summer, it can get unbearably hot. 40 to 50 degrees Celsius is not uncommon. Outdoor activities like hiking or cycling become practically impossible. Even in the wadis, there is often too little water for canyoning at this time.

In Salalah, however, summer is the high season: When the monsoon sweeps through this region with heavy rainfall, the barren desert landscape blooms. Huge waterfalls appear, and everything turns green. Then nearly the entire Arabian Peninsula travels to this region. For us, rain is nothing unusual, so you should avoid this season. However, September is ideal when everything is still green, and fantastical landscapes have emerged.

For a beach holiday, the months from October to March are also ideal. In Salalah and Mirbat, there are stunning sandy beaches at hotels where you can also swim in a bikini. Snorkeling and diving conditions are also perfect here. It's not uncommon to encounter dolphins and turtles.

There are certain cultural and religious customs in Oman that you should observe as a tourist. Please respect the rules and the culture.

When it comes to clothing, you should ensure that your knees and shoulders are covered. This applies to both women and men. We saw many people who ignored these rules. If you, as a woman, want to visit a mosque like the Grand Sultan Qaboos Mosque, you should wear long-sleeved tops (linen blouses are ideal) and carry a headscarf that fully covers your hair and neckline. Long linen trousers are also suitable, which are comfortable to wear even in summer.

This image serves as a guide before visiting a mosque:

Also, while swimming in the sinkhole, there are rules to observe. In the park, you should not wear short pants.

Omanis are known for their warmth and openness, but they are also very respectful of their own culture. They also expect you to behave appropriately as a guest in the country and to respect the local lifestyle. Therefore, I advise you to practice restraint in public and to avoid obvious displays of affection (holding hands, man and woman, kissing, hugging, etc.).

Unfortunately, homosexual acts are banned in Oman and carry severe penalties. This does not mean that there are no LGBTQ+ individuals in Oman. We encountered many; they just cannot express their identity publicly. Interestingly, as in many Islamic countries, male friendships are important, and holding hands among men (in a friendly context) is quite normal.

Bringing a drone into the country is not permitted. Upon arrival at the airport, luggage is searched, and there are random checks. Permits for drones are complicated, and I would not recommend attempting it. Flying a drone without permission can lead to severe penalties (up to imprisonment). It wouldn't be worth it for me.

We had locals who handled the permits. I did not fly myself, but received all the footage from friends and locals who took care of permits.

Before photographing people, you should always ask for permission. Especially women may not wish to be photographed. Respect this and do not take photos from a distance with a zoom lens.

We always asked. As we were often with locals, we were surprised that they often said, "Just take the photo, you don't need to ask." However, we are different, as we also don't want to be photographed without permission.

In Oman, as in many other countries, it is not allowed to photograph or film military facilities. This particularly applies to checkpoints in the Dhofar region toward the Yemeni border. Be mindful of the rules during Ramadan.

Oman is a predominantly Islamic country, and religion shapes everyday life. The holy month of Ramadan is an important time for Muslims and can affect public life. Traveling during this time can be a rich experience-or a frustrating one.

In the holy month of Ramadan, for example, no alcohol is served or sold, regardless of whether you are Muslim or not.

During Ramadan, Muslims worldwide fast. It starts at sunrise and ends at sunset. During the day, believers refrain from eating, drinking, and other pleasures.

This means that you should respect their fasting and also refrain from eating and drinking in public. If you do not follow these regulations, you may face penalties.

Especially during Ramadan, you should dress appropriately.

Restaurants and shops have different opening hours during Ramadan. Therefore, plan your activities accordingly.

Hotels cater to international guests and offer food for tourists even during the fasting period.

Alcohol is not part of the country's culture and is therefore not widely available. Only licensed restaurants and hotels serve alcoholic beverages. Therefore, do not drink in public to avoid trouble.

Did you know that Oman is the only Muslim country in the Arabian Peninsula where people are allowed to drink alcohol in traditional attire at a bar? In Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Saudi Arabia, this is not permitted. In Oman, this is possible.

The same goes for smoking. Smoking is completely prohibited in public places. There are specially designated smoking areas, usually in hotels. We did not know this before the trip, and we wondered why so few Omanis smoke.

I hope you enjoyed this article and that it answered your questions. If you have any ideas or questions, we would love to hear your comment here on the travel blog.

If you don't have any questions: We still look forward to your feedback and that you share it with friends!

Do you want to always receive the best travel and insider tips? Then follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, or subscribe to my Newsletter to receive regular updates and exclusive tips.

♥ Do you enjoy my tips? Say thanks with a coffee ☕️ My articles are the result of extensive research, personal experiences, and honest recommendations-entirely without AI. I write them so that you can plan your travels stress-free using real, tested tips. If you like my work and just want to say thank you, I appreciate any small donation to my virtual travel fund. Every contribution helps me continue to create high-quality content for you independently and passionately. Thank you!

Trust is essential: In some of my articles, you will find referral links (affiliate links). If you book or purchase something through one of these links, it costs you nothing extra-but I earn a small commission. This way, you can support me without any effort and help keep this blog alive. Thank you for being part of my community and sharing my passion for authentic travel!