Oman

Oman is the quiet alternative to the Gulf's city-states: mountain wadis, a 3,000 m range, empty desert and a long coastline with turtle beaches. Self-drive is straightforward on excellent roads, with a 4x4 needed for the mountain tracks. Dress and behaviour expectations are more conservative than in Dubai.

Cities

Muscat

Muscat stretches along the coast between mountains and sea, low-rise by law and built in white and sand tones. The Grand Mosque, the Royal Opera House and Mutrah souq are the set pieces, with coastal snorkelling at the Daymaniyat islands offshore. It is the starting point for most road trips.

Nizwa

Nizwa was the capital of interior Oman and keeps a large round-towered fort, a Friday livestock market and date plantations fed by falaj channels. It is the gateway to Jebel Akhdar and Jebel Shams, both an hour away. The Friday goat auction is the most vivid morning in the country.

Sur

Sur is a dhow-building port on the east coast, with a working boatyard, a lighthouse quarter across the lagoon and the Ras al Jinz turtle reserve nearby. Green turtles nest on the beach year-round, with peak numbers in summer. Wadi Shab, one of the country's best swimming canyons, is on the road from Muscat.

When to go

See all seasons

• Hot season: Over 45°C in the interior; only the Jebel Akhdar highlands stay tolerable.
• Khareef in Salalah: Monsoon mist turns the southern Dhofar hills green, drawing Gulf visitors.
• Cool season: Warm days, cool nights, the entire country comfortable.

Entry & visas

Entry rules for this country aren't published here yet.

Always confirm entry rules with the official source before you book.