Smart Self-Managed Tours

Country guide

Oman

A photograph of Oman
Photograph · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Oman is 315,331 km2 holding roughly 5.46 million people, which makes it the third-largest country on the Arabian Peninsula and one of the least crowded. Muscat, the capital and largest city, is strung out along the Gulf of Oman between mountains and water instead of spreading from a centre, so seeing it means driving one long coastal road end to end. The country's northern tip is not attached to the rest: Musandam is an exclave enclosed by the United Arab Emirates, with its own coast on the Strait of Hormuz. Between the capital and the far south lies Arabian Sea coastline and desert.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Arabic; English is widely used in visitor services
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+968
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Omani rial (OMR)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
9999
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type G · 240 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Planning a visit

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: no seasonality data recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Apple tree
    03 1 hour

    Apple tree

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  2. Art Gallery
    05 1 hour

    Art Gallery

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  3. FOS
    07 1 hour

    FOS

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  4. Kalamandalam Kalamandalam
    09 1 hour

    Kalamandalam

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  5. Paisley
    12 1 hour

    Paisley

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  6. shemal tarablos trading
    13 1 hour

    shemal tarablos trading

    شمال طربلس للتجارة

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  7. Theater hall
    14 1 hour

    Theater hall

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  8. villa 16
    15 1 hour

    villa 16

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  9. W
    16 1 hour

    W

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  10. Way 8211
    17 1 hour

    Way 8211

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  11. Way 9204
    18 1 hour

    Way 9204

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Muscat
  12. Abi Darda Mosque
    41 30 min

    Abi Darda Mosque

    مسجد أبي الدرداء

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  13. Al Abha Mosque
    46 30 min

    Al Abha Mosque

    مسجد الأبهى

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  14. al Ameen Mosque
    47 30 min

    al Ameen Mosque

    جامع الأمين

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  15. Al Araimi Mosque
    49 30 min

    Al Araimi Mosque

    جامع العريمي

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  16. Al Awabi Mosque
    50 30 min

    Al Awabi Mosque

    جامع العوابي

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  17. Al Azaiba Mosque
    51 30 min

    Al Azaiba Mosque

    مسجد العذيبة

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  18. al Barakah Mosque
    54 30 min

    al Barakah Mosque

    مسجد البركة

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  19. Al Barakat Mosque
    55 30 min

    Al Barakat Mosque

    جامع البركات

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  20. Al Estiqama Mosque
    56 30 min

    Al Estiqama Mosque

    مسجد الاستقامة

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  21. AlGulanda bin Masoud mosque
    57 30 min

    AlGulanda bin Masoud mosque

    جامع الإمام الجلندى بن مسعود

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  22. Al Hakim Mosque
    58 30 min

    Al Hakim Mosque

    جامع الحكيم

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  23. Al Haqq Mosque
    59 30 min

    Al Haqq Mosque

    مسجد الحق

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  24. Al Huda Mosque
    60 30 min

    Al Huda Mosque

    مسجد الهدى

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  25. al Ihsan Mosque
    63 30 min

    al Ihsan Mosque

    مسجد الاحسان

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  26. Al Ikhwa Mosque
    64 30 min

    Al Ikhwa Mosque

    مسجد الأخوة

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  27. Al Irfan Mosque
    66 30 min

    Al Irfan Mosque

    جامع العرفان

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  28. Al Islam Mosque
    67 30 min

    Al Islam Mosque

    جامع الإسلام

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  29. al Istiqamah Mosque
    68 30 min

    al Istiqamah Mosque

    مسجد الأستقامة

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  30. Al Jaleel Mosque
    69 30 min

    Al Jaleel Mosque

    مسجد الجليل

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  31. AlKawthar Mosque
    71 30 min

    AlKawthar Mosque

    مسجد الكوثر

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  32. Al Khor Mosque
    72 30 min

    Al Khor Mosque

    مسجد الخور

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  33. Al Khoudh Mosque
    73 30 min

    Al Khoudh Mosque

    جامع الخوض

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  34. Al Kuwaiti Mosque
    76 30 min

    Al Kuwaiti Mosque

    جامع الكويتي

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  35. al Mab Mosque
    77 30 min

    al Mab Mosque

    مسجد المآب

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  36. Al Majid Mosque
    78 30 min

    Al Majid Mosque

    مسجد الماجد

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  37. Al Majid Mosque
    79 30 min

    Al Majid Mosque

    مسجد الماجد

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  38. Al Moeen Mosque
    81 30 min

    Al Moeen Mosque

    جامع المعين

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  39. Al Muhaimen Mosque
    83 30 min

    Al Muhaimen Mosque

    مسجد المحيمن

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  40. al Mu'izz Mosque
    84 30 min

    al Mu'izz Mosque

    جامع المعز

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  41. al Mustafa Mosque
    85 30 min

    al Mustafa Mosque

    جامع المصطفى

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  42. al Noor Mosque
    86 30 min

    al Noor Mosque

    مسجد النور

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  43. Al Rahma Mosque
    88 30 min

    Al Rahma Mosque

    مسجد الرحمة

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  44. Al Rahman Mosque
    89 30 min

    Al Rahman Mosque

    مسجد الرحمن

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  45. al Ridha Mosque
    91 30 min

    al Ridha Mosque

    مسجد الرضى

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  46. Al Ridwan
    92 30 min

    Al Ridwan

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  47. Al Samad Mosque
    95 30 min

    Al Samad Mosque

    مسجد الصمد

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  48. Al Sarooj Mosque
    96 30 min

    Al Sarooj Mosque

    مسجد الصاروج

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  49. Al Tawbah Mosque
    99 30 min

    Al Tawbah Mosque

    جامع التوبة

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat
  50. Al Tawheed Mosque
    100 30 min

    Al Tawheed Mosque

    جامع التوحيد

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Muscat

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Oman be?

Allow seven to ten days for Muscat, Nizwa, the Hajar Mountains and one desert or coastal leg. Salalah is a separate southern journey rather than a quick add-on, so include it only when the schedule can absorb a domestic flight and another base.

What entry documents are needed for Oman?

Oman’s Royal Oman Police eVisa portal is the authoritative place to check eligibility, stay length and document requirements. Apply through that service when required and match the application to the passport and purpose of travel; a Gulf itinerary does not create a common visa across neighbouring states.

What is the best way to travel around Oman?

A car or licensed driver is useful beyond Muscat because forts, wadis, mountain villages and desert camps are dispersed. Intercity buses serve principal towns, but access roads vary; confirm whether four-wheel drive is required and never enter a wadi when official flood warnings are active.

When is a practical time to visit Oman?

October through March is the practical window for Muscat, the interior and desert camping. Salalah’s khareef is a different seasonal proposition, and mountain temperatures can be much lower than the coast, so an Oman-wide itinerary needs region-specific weather checks.

What money and payment basics apply in Oman?

The Omani rial is the official currency and is subdivided into one thousand baisa, which matters when reading prices. Carry cash for smaller inland stops while using banks or authorised exchange services; verify the currency and decimal placement before approving a payment.

What practical safety details should I save for Oman?

For police, fire or ambulance assistance, save 9999; Oman uses Type G sockets at 240 V. National tap-water guidance is Not recorded here, so confirm locally at each hotel or camp, where supply arrangements may differ from Muscat.