Languages

Arabic is the official language in Oman however English is widely spoken and written.

Climate

Oman has 360 days of sun per year with varying temperatures in the different regions. The average temperature between October and March is expected to be 20º - 30º Celsius and about 31º - 45º Celsius in the summer.

In Salalah, you will find a more subtropical climate between October and May with average temperatures of 30º Celsius. The climate during June to September is affected by the South East monsoons, resulting in a lush green terrain and temperatures reaching an average of 23º Celsius.

Best Time to Visit

The best time of the year to visit Oman is between October and April, when the weather is pleasantly warm in the day and cool in the evening. The average temperature during this period is 25 - 35° Celsius during the day and 17 - 19° Celsius at night.

Single Lady Travellers 

Oman is one of the few Arab countries where women can travel with almost no interference as long as a certain code of conduct is respected (see i.e. Dress Code). In single taxis sit always in the back row, in collection taxis sit next to the driver. Bear in mind that Arabic women would never travel without a male escort. If asked why you are alone a suitable answer could be that you are visiting family in the country or that you are on an important business trip. Wearing a wedding ring and carrying family photos helps, even if you don’t have a family.

Public Transport

Taxis are easily recognisable by the taxi sign on the roof. If the car has no meter, you will need to negotiate the price before you enter. Identify your destination by prominent places and nearby landmarks as street names are hardly used in Oman. In the capital Muscat, taxi drivers have a reasonable understanding of English; in the interior this is mostly not the case. There are minivans that pick up and drop off passengers at multiple locations along the main roads; these vans are a cheaper alternative. Another option is Mwasalat, a public service that offers intercity transportation via red buses that follow a set route; and red-white metered taxis that can be ordered using an app.

Renting a Car

Tourists can drive rental cars using their International driving licenses. Contact us for car rental enquiries or to rent from our fleet of cars.

Food

You can find a wide variety of cuisines in Oman. In the capital area, any kind of cuisine is readily available at different price points. In the interior, mostly Arabic and Indian food is served; it is cheap and tasty. Couples, families and women should sit in the family section.

Currency

The local currency is called Omani Rial (OMR) and there are 1000 Baizas (Bz) to 1 OMR. Omani Rials can be bought upon arrival at Muscat International Airport. ATMs can be found throughout in most of the cities. Credit cards are readily accepted. Foreign traveller cheques may be changed at bigger International hotels only; this can be time consuming. It is therefore advisable to arrive with cash, credit cards and traveller cheques in US Dollars. For daily exchange rates click here 

Pegged exchange rate is:

1 OMR = USD 2.58
1 USD = OMR 0.387

Opening Hours

The official weekend is Friday and Saturday, with Friday being the day for the prayer. Public holidays are calculated as per the moon calendar. The opening times of big supermarkets like Lulu Hypermarket are daily from 8:00 to 23:00 h. Muttrah Souk opens from 9:00 to 13:00 h and from 16:30 to 20:30 h, on Friday only until 11:00 h and then again in the afternoon.

Fishmarkets are worth visiting early in the morning. Forts open from 9:00 to 16:00 h and on Friday from 8:00 to 11:00 h. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque opens from 8:00 to 11:00 h, being closed on Friday and on public holidays. It’s the only mosque in Oman, which can be visited by non-Muslims. Banks open from Sunday to Thursday between 8.00 – 14.00 h. Government Offices opening times are 7.00 – 14.30 h from Sunday – Thursday.

Passport and ID

In case of loss of passport or other official certificates please contact your embassy. We advise carrying a copy of your passport when leaving the hotel and to store the original document in a safe place.

Accidents

In case of an accident you must call the police. Without a police report insurers will not pay for the damage. Below are some important emergency numbers you need to know.