Tourism in Oman

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Corniche of Matrah

In Tourism in Oman there is an outline of the travel options in Oman . More detailed information on geography can be found under Geography of Oman .

reachability

Oman is served by several international airlines from Europe, neighboring Arab countries and the Indian subcontinent. Many connections require stopovers or transfers, mostly in Dubai . The central airport is located in Sib near the capital Muscat . There are only a few flights from Salalah Airport to neighboring countries.

Oman is difficult to reach by land. Only the border with the United Arab Emirates is open for visa and traffic.

When entering Oman, a visa is required, which EU citizens have had to apply for electronically before entering the country since 2018. The price for a tourist visa depends on the length of stay. A multiple entry visa is required to visit the Musandam exclave by land from the rest of Oman.

Getting around in the country

Well developed road network

In 2005 there are two domestic flight connections: several times a day from Muscat to Dhofar ( Salala airport ) and several times a week to the exclave Musandam ( Chasab airport ) which is not connected by land .

Long-distance public transport is handled by buses . Regular buses run between the larger cities, usually only one to three times a day, and the trend is decreasing, as many Omanis have private vehicles. On shorter secondary routes, but also on bus routes, there are shared taxis that leave when they are full. Local public transport with buses and shared taxis only exists in the capital region . Otherwise you have to rely on one of the numerous taxis , which are very cheap due to the low petrol prices and therefore often take trips to more remote places. There are no railways in Oman.

Since the bus network is organized in a star shape, the places are rarely connected with each other and many sights are not in the vicinity of the city centers, most tourists from abroad use the services of tour operators or rent a car or off-road vehicle. All cities can be reached with normal cars on well-developed asphalt roads, even in small towns and districts the slopes have now been paved. Most of the roads lead through plains or through wide valleys, so you can get through the country very quickly. Despite the many mountains, there are few real mountain routes. The road from Birkat-Al-Mawz to the Jabal al-Akhdar is paved, but so steep that it can only be driven on by four-wheel drive vehicles, which is controlled by the Omani police.

accommodation

Desert camps offer the option of staying overnight in the Wahiba Sands

Oman is now well equipped with hotels. Most of them are at least lower middle class, so Oman is not a cheap travel destination, double rooms are available from 40 euros. There are hotels (sometimes called guest houses or motels)

Desert camps are located on the northern edge of the Ramlat al-Wahiba desert . A simple camp lies between Rustaq and Awabi . There is a kite camp on the west coast of Masira Island. There are youth hostels in Salalah and in al-Ashchara , south of Ras al-Hadd . A new one is being built in the mountains near al-Hamra . Camping is basically possible anywhere; in the mountains, temperatures in winter can reach or even fall below freezing point.

Culinary

Traditional platter with lamb and chicken for several people

Restaurants, takeaways and coffee houses are mostly run by Indians or Pakistanis. They are cheap and generally offer good food. In larger towns, especially in the capital region, there are also specialized restaurants. Large hotels usually offer half board. Alternatively, you can get pre-cooked meals all day long in so-called hypermarkets . In restaurants, Arabic food is rarely meatless, so vegetarians have better chances in Indian restaurants. Beyond the larger cities, there is almost always an offer, but rather simple and without a larger selection.

As in most Muslim countries, alcohol consumption is prohibited in Oman. There is an exception in hotels and tourist camps. Different types of beer, wine and, in expensive areas, spirits are often served at the bars there.

You can eat authentically Omani while sitting on the floor on a carpet. There are pillows to lean against and the shoes stay in front of the door.

Attractions

Dhow with tourists in front of a fjord village in Musandam

Travelers to Oman enjoy deserts , wadis in spectacular mountain landscapes, oases , old forts and forts, ruins of old clay settlements, markets and beaches.

Landscapes

Cont

Bahla Fortress, UNESCO World Heritage

Markets

In the souq of Matrah
  • The capital souq of Matrah has the largest selection, is very lively and atmospheric.
  • The souq of Nizwa was largely rebuilt and is structured according to goods. The animal market takes place on Fridays.
  • In Ibra there is a women's market on Wednesdays, where mainly women offer their products.

Interesting cities and districts

  • In al-Minzafa , about five kilometers from the center of Ibra, there are many rich mud houses, but their ceilings have all collapsed. Since the doors are open, you can get an impression of the forms of living that were not so long ago.
  • The old center of Mana is surrounded by a city wall; the mud houses are falling apart, but still give a good impression of former life.
  • The atmosphere of Matrah , especially on the Corniche with the old merchants' houses and in the souq, will be preserved in the future. The living area of ​​the Shiite Lawatis from Balochistan is not accessible.
  • The port city of Sur is the only one in Oman that has a really urban lively look in its old structure.

plants

Wildlife

beaches

Evening hustle and bustle on Qurum Beach, Muscat Capital Area

Oman is not exactly a water park. Although there are many secluded beaches and hotel beaches where you can swim, there is almost no bathing infrastructure, as the beaches are usually not used for bathing by the local population. Beaches as meeting places, for jogging or playing football, are also becoming increasingly popular with locals.

  • The large beach of Yiti is located in a beautiful mountain landscape near the capital.
  • In Dhofar, in front of the Khor Rori lagoon , there is a beautiful beach framed by rocks.

activities

hike

Marked hiking trail on Jebel Shams

Hikes of various lengths are particularly possible in the mountain regions. You will often orientate yourself on slopes that meander through wadis and lead to small oases. There is even a signposted path to Jabal Shams , and there is also a two-day hike from the pools near Mukal in Wadi Bani Chalid to Wadi Tiwi on the coast.

Off-road

Out and about in the desert

Deserts and remote mountain regions are ideal for trips with appropriate vehicles. In this way, crossings of the Hajjar can be undertaken that are otherwise not possible. Former off-road routes are increasingly being paved. An internationally known highlight for off-roaders is the drive in the Wahiba Sands.

Diving

The region around Musandam , the Daymaniat Islands , which can be reached from Ras as-Sawadi or Muscat , and the region southeast of Muscat are popular with divers and snorkelers . Most of the diving centers can be found near Muscat. The island of Al Fahal and the fjord-like coast in the southeast are suitable for diving here. In addition, the Al Munassir was sunk here in 2003 as an artificial reef and dive site. There have been regular liveaboard tours to the Ḥallāniyyāt Islands and around Musandam for several years .

Kiteboarding

Oman offers very good conditions for kite surfers . The island of Masira in the south of Oman in particular is considered a wind-safe spot; in summer, wind speeds of over 20 knots are constantly achieved due to the monsoons.

archeology

Those interested in archeology can find evidence of ancient cultures in Oman.

  • The old incense port of Samhuram , part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site on incense.
  • Beehive graves are 4000 years old at Bat and al-Ain .
  • Ubar is believed to have found a former legendary rich place near Shisr .

caves

  • The large karst cave Al Hoota Cave has been open to the public since 2006, but it is closed at irregular intervals.
  • There are collapsed karst caves in Dhofar in Jabal Samhan .
  • The Hawiyyat Nadschm sinkhole is located on the north-eastern coast of the Gulf of Oman , at the foot of the Hajar Mountains, halfway between Muscat and Sur. It is connected to the sea about 500 meters away via a cave system, which can be dived. The Hawiyat Najm Park encloses the area.

literature

  • Neeta Baporikar: Emerging Trends in Tourism Industry in Oman . In: Patricia Ordóñez de Pablos, Robert Tennyson, Jingyuan Zhao (Eds.): Global Hospitality and Tourism Management Technologies . Business Science Reference, Hershey 2012, ISBN 978-1-61350-041-5 , pp. 116-135 , doi : 10.4018 / 978-1-61350-041-5.ch008 .
  • Birgit Mershen: Development of Community-based Tourism in Oman: Challenges and Opportunities . In: Rami Farouk Hence (Ed.): Tourism in the Middle East: Continuity, Change, and Transformation (=  Tourism and cultural change . Volume 9 ). Multilingual Matters, Clevedon 2007, ISBN 1-84541-051-3 , pp. 188-214 .
  • Sonja Nebel: Tourism and Urbanization in Oman: Sustainable and Socially Inclusive? In: Steffen Wippel, Katrin Bromber, Christian Steiner, Birgit Krawietz (Eds.): Under Construction: Logics of Urbanism in the Gulf Region . Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey 2014, ISBN 978-1-4724-1289-8 , pp. 55-70 .
  • Marcus L. Stephenson, Ala Al-Hamarneh (Ed.): International Tourism Development and the Gulf Cooperation Council States: Challenges and Opportunities . Routledge, New York 2017, ISBN 978-1-138-02327-7 .
  • Steffen Wippel: Port and Tourism Development in Oman: Between Economic Diversification and Global Branding . In: Steffen Wippel, Katrin Bromber, Christian Steiner, Birgit Krawietz (Eds.): Under Construction: Logics of Urbanism in the Gulf Region . Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey 2014, ISBN 978-1-4724-1289-8 , pp. 101-118 .

Web links

Wikivoyage: Oman  - Travel Guide
Commons : Tourism in Oman  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Oman: Travel and Safety Instructions. In: Foreign Office. September 30, 2019, accessed October 13, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Online Visa Services. In: Royal Oman Police. Retrieved October 13, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Surfer Today: "Riding the desert winds of the Masirah Island" , accessed on January 5, 2014 (English)