Oman

From MaxTravelz

Oman is a country in the Middle East.

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Understand 4 Get in 4.1 Air 4.2 Sea 4.3 Rail 4.4 Road 5 Get around 5.1 Air 5.2 Bus 5.3 Taxi 5.4 Car 6 Talk 7 Learn 8 Buy 8.1 Currency 8.2 Shopping 9 Eat 10 Drink 11 Sleep 12 Work 13 Stay safe 14 Stay healthy 15 Respect 16 Contact

Regions

Cities

The main city of Oman is the capital Muscat. However there are several smaller cities.

• Muscat
• Falaj al Qabail
• Ibra
• Nizwa
• Salalah
• Sohar

Understand

Until the ascension of Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 1970, Oman was a very underdeveloped nation. In the 35 years since that time, education, public works and tourism have taken off throughout the country, although outside of Muscat there are many regions which still remain true to their Bedouin roots.
Omanis are quite proud of their country's rapid progress, and locals will often point out to tourists that the road they are driving on is only 10 years old and that the journey used to take much longer.

Get in

Oman issues a visa on arrival to citizens of the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand (this includes major land border crossings). The price is 6 Omani rial for a one month visit visa (unless you are on an expatriate GCC visa, in which case it is 4 Omani rial). The visa can be extended another month by submitting your passport to the Royal Omani Police in Muscat, however there is one line, and the wait can be as long as 2 hours. Your line mates will not be bothered by the idea of maintaining constant physical contact with you while you sweat during your wait, nor by the idea of slowly attempting to take a place in front of you in the line since there are no line markings. If you are on a budget and need to extend your visa, I highly recommend taking a trip to the UAE. Buses are RO 10-12 return. Even a taxi would be an option.

Air

Virtually all international flights arrive at Seeb International Airport (MCT) in Muscat. There are also a small number of regional international flights to Salalah (SLL). Purchasing a visa on arrival in Salalah can be quite difficult, as the airport is very small and immigration officials tend not to have change for larger notes.

Sea

Rail

There are no railways in Oman.

Road

There are some border crossings from the United Arab Emirates into Oman. Roads are excellent and the border crossing is quite easy. Don't forget to bring along some cash as you have to pay for the visa to enter Oman. If you are taking a car from the UAE into Oman you will need to produce evidence at the border that the car is insured in Oman. Note that there is a 20 Dh departure tax when leaving the UAE by car, and a 2 OR tax when leaving Oman by road.

Additionally, make sure that your passport is stamped with the relevant entry and exit stamps. This should go without saying, but some border officials will forget part of the procedure and cause administrative hassles later.

Crossing from Oman to Yemen is significantly more challenging, and those of an adventurous bent should familiarise themselves very carefully with the regulations regarding that border. In previous years, there has been a law that no solo female travellers can exit Oman to Yemen. Additionally, bear in mind that the easternmost parts of Yemen are exceptionally remote.

While a border (undemarcated) exists between Oman and Saudi Arabia, this is a very unadvisable crossing, as it involves going through most (if not all) of the Empty Quarter.

Get around

Air

Oman Air is the national carrier and flies regularly among the three airports in the country (Muscat/Seeb, Salalah and Sur). Distances are short (Salalah-Muscat is only 90 minutes), and service is quite good. Legroom even in Economy class is ample.

Bus

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.

Taxi

Taxis are expensive. There are no meters and a rate should be agreed on prior to the ride.

There are also taxi buses/cars (Baisa buses), the principle is you share the bus or car with others and only pay several hundred Bhaisa per trip. Please try to sit in the middle of the bus as the drivers are renown for there special "driving skills".

Car

Driving around Oman in your own (rented) car is quite easy. Main roads are well made but often poorly designed. If you intend to drive in wadis (unsealed valley roads in river beds) A 4WD is highly recommended, though experienced drivers will usually manage with a normal car quite well (although rental companies may not be impressed with the state of the car after such an expedition and you are likely to void the insurance by taking it off-road). But you can never be sure how the road will be and if it starts raining the wadis will turn into rivers quickly.

Be aware: In heavy rain even main roads get floaded, though usually the floadways only. Every ten years or so there are heavy rainfalls in Oman which cause many roads to be impassable. Wadis will be filled with water and driving will be difficult and only possible with proper 4x4 with high clearance.

Talk

Arabic is the most common language, however most Omanis will speak good to excellent English, particularly in major tourist areas. In the southern Dhofar region, Swahili is sometimes spoken, and the historical presence of Indian traders has meant that Hindi is understood in urban areas. An English-speaking traveller should have no difficulties seeing most of the country unless he or she really travels "off the beaten track".
Be aware, however, that in some situations an enthusiastic willingness to use English does not always equate to communicating accurately. Even in five-star hotels, there will probably be moments where what is being said does not match reality.

Learn

Buy

Currency

The currency in Muscat is the Omani rial (OMR). One rial is made of one thousand Baisa. There are US$2.598 to the rial (20 Jan 2006).

There is an ATM at the airport and plenty of them in Muscat and every main city, although not all of them take foreign cards. At the ATMs which do work, you can use major credit card as well as Maestro cards.

You can change dollars at the counters inside the airport.

Shopping

The Omani national symbol is the silver-sheathed dagger known as the khanjar. These vary widely in quality and cost, but almost every shop will stock several different models. Most of the modern ones are at least made by Indian or Pakistani craftsmen under Omani direction, if not actually made in India or Pakistan.

Another reminder of the country's tribal past is the walking stick known as arsaa. This is a cane with a concealed sword in it, which can prove quite a talking point at home. Unfortunately, in many countries it will prove a talking point with customs officials rather than friends and family.

Omani silver is also a popular souvenir, often made into rosewater shakers and small "Nizwa boxes" (named for the town from which they first came). Silver "message holders", often referred to in souks as "old time fax machines" are often for sale as well. Many silver products will be stamped with "Oman" on them, which is a guarantee of authenticity. Others will not, and will be the subject of many interesting stories explaining why the government does not in fact require stamping for authenticity.

The distinctive hats worn by Omani men are also commonly sold, particularly in the Matrah Souk in Muscat.

Particularly in the Dhofar region, frankincense is a popular purchase as the region has historically been a centre for production of this item. Myrrh can also be purchased quite cheaply in Oman.
As one might expect, Oman also sells many perfumes made from a great number of traditional ingredients. Indeed, the most expensive perfume in the world (Amouage) is made in Oman from frankincense and other ingredients. It retails at somewhere around the OR50 mark.

Eat

The food is mainly Arabic, Lebanese and Indian. Many Omanis make a distinction between "Arabic" food and "Omani" food, with the former being the description of the standard dishes found throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
Omani food itself tends to be slightly spicier and served in quite large portions - whole fish are not uncommon at lunch in some local restaurants. As befits a country with a long coastline, seafood is quite a common dish, particularly shark, which is surprisingly tasty.

Omani sweets are well-known throughout the region, with the most popular being halwa. This is a hot, semi-solid substance which behaves a little like honey and is eaten with a spoon. The taste is similar to Turkish Delight.

Drink

Bottled drinking (mineral) water is easily available at most stores. Tap water is generally safe, however travellers unused to higher mineral content should stick to the bottled variety.

Alcohol is available only in select restaurants and large hotels and is usually very expensive. Non Muslim Travellers are allowed 2 litres of liquor as duty free baggage allowance. Travellers can pickup liquor at the duty free shop at the arrival lounge.

Sleep

Oman has the full spectrum of accommodation - from ultra-luxurious hotels to extremely rustic huts in the desert constructed from date palm leaves. If you're planning to visit and are looking for places to stay, check out the visitors pages at the locally based website Yalla Oman.

In recent years, Oman has been attempting to turn itself into something of a five-star destination for well-heeled travellers. 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.

Work

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.

Majority of positions are for expats from the sub-continent. Positions for Europeans tend to be restricted to upper management levels or specialised occupations, so don't expect to pick up a position as you pass through unless you are prepared to work for very little!

Stay safe

Oman is a safe country and crimes rarely happen.
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, the only driving risk is falling asleep at the wheel due to the long stretches of featureless desert.

Stay healthy

Oman is warm year-round and summers can be extremely hot. Always carry drinking water with you and be wary of de-hydration in high temperatures. If you're not used to the heat it can sneak up on you and cause serious health problems.

Several people have tried to cross stretches of the Omani desert on their own in a rented 4WD. Some of these people have died or got rescued just in time.

Travelling through a desert requires proper preparation. It looks easy from a modern air-conditioned 4WD, but if that fails you are suddenly back to basics.

Never go off-road alone. A minimum of two to three cars (of the same make) is the rule. Leave your itinerary with a friend with clear instructions if you do not return in time. Take at least: - recovery tools: spades, rope (and attachments), sand mats or ladders - two spare tires and all required equipment - a good air pump (high capacity) - sufficient water (at least 25 litres more than you think you will need for drinking) - sufficient petrol: there are no petrol stations in middle of nowhere

If you have -or can get- do take a satellite phone (mobiles work only in limited areas) Check your car before embarking on such a trip.

Respect

The usual rules of respect when travelling in a Muslim country should be followed in Oman, even when locals appear to be a little less "uptight" than their neighbours. Do not discuss or question the Sultan's sexuality; while this is a subject of rumors in the West, it is not an acceptable topic in Oman.

Contact

The country code for Oman is 968.

Dialing out from Oman you will need to dial 00 + International Code + Number

Dialing into Oman callers use +968 followed by an 8 digit number...

These Numbers are generally starting with a 9******* if it is mobile number then 2****** for land lines though other numbers will eventually start to get used..

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