Coastal city of Sur
Here are 10 reasons why you should visit Oman.
1. Great Coffee
Locals enjoy their coffee served strong and often flavoured with cardamom. Turkish coffee is a popular option too. Be sure to order a small Arabic sweet with your coffee, the sweets here are sensational.
– Our portable espresso machine – our favourite travel accessory
2. Delicious Dates:
Date palms are everywhere!
Date palms are literally everywhere! Oman has endless date plantations with more than 250 different varieties. Dates are usually served with coffee and it’s traditional to greet a guest with both. Dates are also prepared as a spread (datella) to be enjoyed with bread.
3. No High-Rises
There are no high-rises in Oman. The country has a no-skyscraper policy – a good move in my opinion. This is great to see in the towns and villages as it helps the country to retain its traditional charms and unique architecture.
3. Muscat is a clean, well-organised city:
Muscat is one of the cleanest capitals in the world. This extends to the rest of the country and it seems the people take great pride in keeping it clean and tidy for themselves and visitors alike.
With the no-skyscraper policy and long trading history, Muscat is still a busy port city.
4. Incredible adventures
Set off for an adventure in the desert at Wahiba Sands: Book a dune-bashing tour, go camel trekking or book a night in a desert camp (we stayed at Sama Al Wasil Desert Camp). Here you can enjoy starry skies and traditional Omani food.
5. Nature
Oman is a haven for eco-tourists. The people look after nature and the animals living in it too.
Untouched coastlines are abundant with marine life in coral reefs, whales and dolphins. Visit the Jebel Samhan Nature Reserve in Dhofar to see wild Arabian leopards.
6. Turtle Hatching
Coordinate a trip here between July and October to see Oman’s amazing turtle hatching season. Stop by for an evening watching green turtles nesting at Al Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve.
Each year, 20,000 sea turtles lumber up onto beaches to bury up to 60,000 eggs.
7. Mountains
Oman’s dramatic mountain scenery features pomegranate fields, rose gardens, scenic villages and mesmerising landforms such as the Bimmah sinkhole. It is a must-see, even on a short stay.
8. The Simplicity
Oman is very different from other Arabic countries such as UAE and Qatar, they keep things simple. There is no over the top skyscrapers, flashing lights and glitz and glamour here. This was my favourite thing about this very special country.
9. The Food
We love good food and Oman certainly delivers. Highlights include fantastic dips and spreads, great bread, slow-cooked meats and flavoursome vegetables.
– 7 Tips – How to find the best food when you travel
10. The Wadi’s
Oman is a hot country. Conveniently, there are many wadi’s (rockpools) and lots of pristine coastlines to cool you down in the heat. We found some beautiful wadi’s on our 7-day road trip in Oman.
Some of them were only a brief walk to reach, others were found after a hike through some gorgeous scenery.
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We use and recommend World Nomads Travel Insurance.
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Are people eating rice with there hands?
Yes, it is common to eat a meal using just your hands in Oman. If you prefer to use cutlery, this is always an option too.
Hi Rach, I loved Oman too! It is clean, safe and has lots to offer for the adventure traveler. It is easy to do a loop from Musqat that encompasses hiking in the mountains at Jebel el Shams (can get bitterly cold at night), swimming in the deep wadis (water can be cold and is quite deep with steep sides, so be sure that you have the strength to do this), cave diving and camping in the desert at Wahiba sands. You can also walk along the falaj or ancient water channels. The mansaf or Berber lamb stew is delicious, the authentic way to eat it is sitting on the floor eating with the fingers and sharing the platter as a group. They also have lots of fresh fruit juices and everywhere you go, even the most simple Berber tent, you will be offered fresh coffee and dates in true Middle Eastern hospitality. Would have loved to try the Empty Quarter, but ran out of time.