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Budget & costs

Estimates in USD for planning only - your style and season change everything. Use the live exchange rate above for local-currency budgeting.

Getting around

A rental car is the way to do Oman - ideally a 4x4 to reach wadis, dunes and mountain roads (some sights, like Jebel Shams and the deep sands, require one and a bit of confidence). Roads are excellent and well-signed, fuel is cheap, and the distances, while large, are part of the joy; wild camping along the way is a celebrated Omani tradition. Driving is on the right and generally orderly. There's a decent intercity bus network (Mwasalat) linking Muscat to Nizwa, Sur, Salalah and more for non-drivers, plus domestic flights to far-off Salalah and Musandam. In Muscat, taxis (negotiate or use the OTaxi/Marhaba apps) cover the city - there's no metro. For wadis and dunes specifically, guided tours fill the gap if you'd rather not self-drive.

Money & connectivity

Oman uses the rial (OMR), a high-value currency (1 OMR ≈ $2.60) - small numbers, real money. Cards are accepted in Muscat hotels, malls and restaurants; carry cash for souqs, small towns, fuel in remote areas and Bedouin camps (ATMs in towns). Tipping ~10% is appreciated. SIMs/eSIMs (Omantel, Ooredoo) are easy with passport registration; coverage is good on main routes, fading in deep desert and mountains - download offline maps for road trips. Wi-Fi is common in hotels. An e-visa is required for many nationalities (apply online before arrival, though some get visa-free short stays - check current rules). Alcohol is available in licensed hotels/restaurants only, and pricey.

Health & safety

Oman is one of the safest countries in the world - crime against visitors is extremely rare, and the culture of hospitality makes travelers feel genuinely looked after, including women travelers who often cite it as their most comfortable Gulf country. The real risks are environmental and adventure-related: extreme summer heat (hydrate relentlessly, avoid midday exertion), flash floods in wadis during rains (never camp in a wadi bed or cross flooded fords - people die doing this), strong sun, and the need for proper 4x4 skills, water and fuel on remote desert/mountain drives (tell someone your route). Wadi swimming is safe with care; respect currents. Tap water is generally safe in cities; most drink bottled. Healthcare is good. Emergency number: 9999. Drive defensively - high-speed highway accidents are the main statistical danger.

General guidance, not medical or security advice. Check your own government's latest travel advisory and a travel-health clinic before you book.

Culture & etiquette

Omanis are conservative, devout and exceptionally courteous - and their hospitality (dates, kahwa coffee scented with cardamom, an easy invitation) is a deep point of national pride; accept it with your right hand. Dress more modestly than in flashy Dubai: cover shoulders and knees in public, and at the Grand Mosque women must cover hair, arms and legs (bring a scarf; robes sometimes available). Greet with "As-salamu alaykum"; men shake hands (let an Omani woman extend hers first, or place your hand on your heart). Public affection is inappropriate; during Ramadan don't eat, drink or smoke in public by day. Photographing people - especially women - requires asking. Useful phrases: "As-salamu alaykum" (greeting), "Shukran" (thank you), "Min fadlak" (please), "Bikam?" (how much?), "Zain" (good/OK). Respect for the late Sultan Qaboos runs deep - speak of the country and its leaders kindly.

Visa & entry requirements for Oman

Every nationality is different - pick your passport for a personalized answer, or open our Visa page for assisted help applying.

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