An Out-of-This-World Oman Itinerary

I had a long time to plan my Oman itinerary. As I divulged in the first blog post I wrote about my Oman trip, I’d aborted two planned visits in 2014 and 2017, so by the time I finally arrived in the Sultanate a couple weeks ago, I knew exactly where I was going.

On the other hand, planning a trip to Oman isn’t necessarily easy. I’ve written this guide about things to do in Oman to be as simple and clear as possible, so that you can land in Muscat as clear about your own trip as I am in the present day, even if you begin as clueless as I felt all those years ago.

When to Visit Oman

Ask a local, and they’ll tell you the best time to visit Oman is winter. Disregarding the fact, for a moment, that “winter” is a relative term here, it’s easy to see why this is the case. During a long warm season that lasts from as early as March to as late as October, high temperatures in Oman regularly exceed 40ºC, and can even approach 50ºC. One exception to this rule is if you want to see the famous Khareef monsoon in Salalah, which takes place primarily in July and August of every year.

Where to Stay in Oman

For most travelers, I’d venture to say that Oman hotels are disappointing. Attainable properties, such as Mutrah Hotel in Muscat and Zaki Hotel Apartment in Sur, are simple to the point of almost being basic; prices for luxury accommodations such as The Chedi Muscat are so expensive they’re hardly worth it. Exceptions to this general rule might include Nizwa Heritage Inn and any number of desert camps in the Empty Quarter (I personally chose Sama Al-Wasil), but unless you are a luxury traveler on a relatively unlimited budget, don’t expect much from hotels in Oman, no matter how many days in Oman you spend.

How to Get Around Oman

Regardless of what shape your Oman itinerary takes, and how many days to visit Oman you decide, you’re going to need wheels. As is the case with most places in the GCC region, public transportation is non-existent; while private drivers and tours are available, they are just as cost-prohibitive as hotels like The Chedi. Rental cars are expensive, too—don’t be fooled!—especially because many limit the number of kilometers you drive. The final price of my Oman rental car actually increased 30% because I exceeded the skimpy 900 km (for one week!) allowance.

As far as navigation in Oman, you should keep one somewhat obnoxious fact in mind: Google Maps does not work properly in Oman. As a result, if your rental car company does not provide a standalone GPS unit, I recommend downloading and familiarizing yourself with the Waze application prior to arriving in Oman.

Money, Costs and Communication

If you’re asking yourself “is Oman expensive?” (I’ve dropped some hints above, in case you didn’t notice), the answer is “yes.” At minimum, you should expect to spend 150 USD per person, per day, assuming double occupancy—and probably much more. This converts to a per-person cost of about 60 Omani rials (OMR), the country’s supernaturally valuable currency.

Oman has relatively good cell coverage, though SIM cards and plans are expectedly quite expensive. I bought an Omantel pack upon arrival at Muscat Airport and paid 15 OMR for a 15 GB package. This sounds like a lot, but over the course of nearly a week in Oman (much of it driving and using data for navigation the whole time), it evaporated quickly.

Places to Visit in Oman

Muscat

I’ve separately outlined why I don’t necessarily believe that the list of things to do in Muscat is as limited as many have said, but I’ll summarize it here for your convenience. It’s true, to be fair, that most of these are concentrated in the port area of Mutrah—namely, Mutrah Fort, Mutrah Corniche and Mutrah Souq. The sole exception, at least within the city limits, is Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque near the airport.

As far as how many days in Muscat you speed, keep in mind that many of the best Muscat attractions are outside the city. These include (but are not limited to) the picturesque Bimmah Sinkhole swimming spot and Wadi Shab, which is a place where you can enjoy an exhilarating hike and a relaxing dip among some of the most quintessentially “Omani” scenery in the entire Sultanate.

Sur

As is the case in Muscat, many things to do in Sur, Oman are actually outside the city limits. The most famous of these is Ras al-Jinz, where you’ll find a sea turtle reserve. Turtles being fickle, as they were when I went? Not to worry. Ras al-Hadd beach, just a few minutes away by car, is another picturesque place to spend some time, even if there’s no endangered wildlife at your feet.

I’ll continue my Oman itinerary and most others do with theirs: By driving eastward along the country’s northern coast toward to the port city of Sur. Specifically, this entails heading to the stunning Al-Ayjah Old Town, and to the viewpoint of Al-Ayjah Watchtower, where you can look down on the city and at the traditional Dhow boats being built in its harbor.