What makes tourists choose Oman? First, unlike other countries of the Persian Gulf, there is a very picturesque nature: mountains, waterfalls, savannahs, tropics, fjords . Secondly, in Oman, the Arab identity has been miraculously preserved: in fact, it is the only Middle Eastern country that has not " "To the modern civilization and at the same time kept a high standard of living . Third, there is a rich" excursion ", the benefit of the history of this land can easily compete in the duration and richness of events with many world" mastodons ". But the youth in Oman there may be orders but boring: there is very little entertainment, and no night clubs at all .

And Oman is the place where Job was buried, the rules of the Queen of Sheba and where he went to his legendary voyage Sindbad . The ruler of the country is Sultan - a lot of attention is paid to the environment: in all corners of the country there are national parks, coastal areas are protected . Oman's reserves contain rare animals: the Oryx antelope, the giant sea turtle, the almost extinct Arabian tahr (wild goat), the wolf and the leopard, striped hyena and ash falcon . Sa a popular type of recreation in Oman - scuba diving (the country takes the second place after Egypt for fishing and diving) . Also all conditions for motor sport and karting .

Muscat Capital are created.

Smaller spas and just interesting in the tourist plan of the city: Nizwa, Salalah, Sohar, Sur, Dukm.

For a complete list of interesting cities to visit, search on the city page and the resorts of Oman

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How to get to Oman

There are no direct flights from Moscow to Oman. You can fly Moscow-Dubai (travel time about 5 hours) with the airline Emirates, and from there fly to Muscat (another 50 minutes in the air). Another option is to use the Qatar Airways service on the Moscow-Doha route (the flight time is 5 hours 20 minutes), and then fly Doha-Muscat (plus 3 hours). You can also get to Oman by the wings of Etihad (via Abu Dhabi) and Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul).

Visa to Oman

Visa to the Sultanate of Oman can be obtained at the airport upon arrival will give the representative of the receiving party in the transit zone) or by applying independently to the embassy

Customs

The import of drugs, psychotropic drugs, weapons is prohibited. Printed and video materials can be withdrawn for examination for pornography and "undermining the foundations of society". Products and plants can be withdrawn for inspection. Animals must quarantine. When buying "antiquities" you need to keep a check for presentation on possible issues, when purchasing national daggers when exporting from the country - they need to be packed in luggage.

Phone numbers

Embassy of Oman in Moscow: Staromonetny per., 9, p. 6-7; tel .: (499) 230-15-87, 230-12-55

Russian Embassy in Muscat: Shattii al-Qurum, Sarooj Street, Way 3032, Sarfait Residential Complex; tel .: (24) 602-894; website

General telephone for urgent cases (police, ambulance, etc.): 9999.

Transportation of Oman

There are no railways in Oman, but the interurban bus service is well developed: for 10-12 RO it is possible to drive through the whole country. Very convenient is the system of service taxis and minibuses, the journey is quite cheap (3 RO per 100 km on intercity routes, ~ 1 RO - within the city). In Oman, taxis (cars of orange and white color) are driven only by local residents, pedestrian traffic attracts them with whistles, counters are not used, and payment is made "by agreement". On average, one kilometer is asked for a quarter to half RO.

Rent a Car

To rent a car requires a credit card and international driving licenses (Russian rights of the new model are also valid). The minimum age of the driver is 21 years, the driving experience is at least one year. The movement in Oman is right-handed.

Penalty for not fastened seat belts, speeding and use of a mobile phone while driving. Drivers under the influence of drunkenness are seriously penalized.

Safety of tourists in Oman

Oman is an absolutely safe country. Arabs in this country get a visa more difficult than Russian to America. There is no Islamic opposition here. Attitude to tourists from Russia is very friendly.

Tap water, as a rule, is artesian or desalinated marine and is completely safe. But due to the complete absence of mineral salts in this water, it is recommended to drink water, which is sold everywhere in bottles, for drinking.

You can drink and buy spirits in specially designated places (licensed hotels and restaurants). In public places, women should not wear lightweight and very open clothing, shoulders and knees should be covered. Men in public should be in trousers and a shirt (it is possible with a short sleeve). Sunbathing topless is prohibited. It is not necessary to photograph the local residents without their permission.

Bahia City

Palace of the Sultan

Riyan Park in Muscat

Oman's climate

In Oman, a subtropical dry climate with a pronounced influence of monsoons. Summer is hot and humid on the coast and hot and dry in the interior. Winter is moderately warm. The best time to visit Oman - from September to April, from May to August - is very hot and humid. Rains are very rare, in Muscat 320-350 days of sunshine a year. Average temperature in the capital: September + 36 ° C, November + 30 ° C, January + 25 ° C, June + 41 ° C, July + 39 ° C, August + 37 ° C.

The average air temperature in Muscat is: September +36 ° C, October +35 ° C, November +30 ° C, December +27 ° C, January +25 ° C, February +27 ° C, March +30 ° C, April + 33 ° C, May +39 ° C, June +41 ° C, July +39 ° C, August +37 ° C.

The average temperature in Salal is: September +29 ° C, October +31 ° C, November +33 ° C, December +29 ° C, January +29 ° C, February +28 ° C, March +30 ° C, April + 32 ° C, May +33 ° C, June +33 ° C, July +29 ° C, August +29 ° C.

Actual information: weather forecast for the main resorts of Oman for the coming days.

Oman hotels

The star rating of Oman hotels corresponds to the global classification .The service is impeccable, corresponds to the level of hotels in the UAE .Most hotels are located in Muscat .Mostly among Russian tourists, hotels are in demand 4-5 * because of proximity to the sea .Some hotels have their own beaches, some municipal - the hotel can stand on the shore, but the last 10 m of territory will belong to the state .Local residents on the beaches are quite a lot, especially in the evening hours and weekends (Thursday-Friday) .Own beaches have hotels Al Bustan Palace 5 *, Chedi 5 *, Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa 5 *, Crowne Plaza Muscat 4 *, which are fenced and protected, and through which no one will pass .All beaches are sandy .

The voltage in the network is 220 V, the sockets can be three-pin, the adapter can be bought in shops or rented for free at the hotel.

Money

Payment for goods and services is in local currency. In private shops, you can sometimes agree on payment in dollars or EUR, but at the same time the price will inevitably be rounded towards the owner of the shop. Exchange points can be found everywhere. Exchange offices are everywhere, and you can change money in them without fear. ATMs are common, but not all accept foreign "credit cards". You can pay with a card in large hotels, restaurants and shopping centers.

Tipping is not required, but they are expected from foreign tourists (including drivers, guides, hotel staff). Expensive restaurants add to the account 15-17% for service automatically, but in case of good service it is recommended to leave 5-10% of the invoice to the staff. In the taxi tip is not accepted, because the cost of the trip is agreed in advance. In hotels, the local tax is added to the service charge of 15%.

Shopping and shopping

Shopping in Oman is very "discreet", do not rely on the neighborhood of the Emirates - "mecca" of trade .In traditional markets, you can buy jewelry from silver and gold, sandalwood products, various oils, incense, traditional Omani knives ("khanzhary"), traditional Omani headdress "kummu", ground coffee with cardamom and much more, ranging from packaging incense for a half to an antique knife for several thousand dollars .Bargaining is possible if the value exceeds 1 rial, it is even considered a national tradition .

The oldest markets of the country is the bazaar in Matrah (it is located in the center of the city of Muscat, next to the Corniche promenade). In the market town of Nizwa (two hours drive by car from Muscat) you can buy real antiques, silver jewelry, find interesting copies of daggers of the XIX century (perhaps even visited "in business"). The continuation of the market is covered by meat, fish, fruit and date stamps.

Cuisine and restaurants of Oman

The national cuisine of Oman is characterized by acceptable spicy dishes and "soulful" portions. It is worth trying fish and seafood dishes with local spices, especially shark meat. From the sweet popular use of halva and dates. The traditional drink of Oman is coffee, very hard brewed, with the addition of cardamom, ground stones or drops of rose water. Finish the meal usually with a toothpick or cumin seeds to refresh the mouth.

Good restaurants are mainly located in hotels, in the city you can find mainly a snack bar for a quick "snack".

To take food with the left hand in Oman is not accepted. If the guest feels that they can not eat more, and the hosts continue to treat him, he simply shakes a cup in his hands. Rice is taken with a pinch, some pasty-like dishes can be taken with a piece of bread.

Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Oman

Oman is known for its fortified forts - there are more than 500 in the country. Two of them, Fort Jalali and Fort Mirani, are in Muscat. Fort Bakhla at the foot of the Akhdar Mountains is on UNESCO's list due to the considerable length of the fortress walls - more than 11 km. The mountainous areas of Oman are dotted with dried up riverbeds of rivers, along which roads are often laid. In the sand of Wahib you can see the highest dunes on the planet.

In Oman, a lot of national parks, where rare animals live - the Oryx, the Arabian tahir, which was recently threatened with extinction, the Arabian wolf and leopard, the striped hyena and the ash falcon. On the island of Mazira, giant sea turtles multiply.

From religious monuments it is worth paying attention to the mosque of Sheikh Kabus. Here, the world's largest carpet weighing 21 tons is exhibited.

Nizwa is interesting for the 17th century fortress, and in the village of Nahal there is a Pink Mosque, only women pray in it. Photos of Oman (77)