The Sultanate of Oman is in the Middle East, on the southeastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates in the northwest, Saudi Arabia in the west, and Yemen in the southwest. Oman has two exclaves separated from it by the United Arab Emirates, the Musandam Peninsula and Madha.
Until Sultan Qaboos bin Said exiled the previous Sultan in 1970, Oman was an under-developed nation, and almost completely closed to visitors. Since that time, education, public works and tourism have taken off throughout the country.
Omanis are friendly people and are very helpful to tourists. In turn, tourists should respect the ways and traditions of the Omani people.
Omanis are proud of both their country's rapid progress and their heritage as one of the great sea-faring nations. Excellent schools and hospitals, good governance, and on-going infrastructure improvement are all important characteristics of this once introverted and closed nation.
Cities :
Muscat - the historic capital and largest city
Bahla - oasis town which is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Buraimi - border crossing town adjacent to Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates
Ibra - gateway to the Wahiba Sands
Matrah - adjoining the capital city and just as historic
Nizwa - contains one of the best-known forts in Oman
Salalah - the south, which is almost tropical at the time of the Kareef (southeastern monsoon)
Sohar - one of the the legendary homes of Sindbad
Sur - where dhows are still made by hand
Arabic is the national language, but most Omanis will speak good to excellent English, particularly in major tourist areas and cities. In the southern Zufar (Dhofar) region, an indigenous Semitic language called Jibbali is spoken, while the related Mehri language and other rarer languages are also found elsewhere in the country. Balochi is spoken by the long-established Baloch minority, especially in the capital, Muscat.
Oman is famous for its historic forts which are the country's most striking cultural landmarks. There are over 500 forts and towers which were the traditional defence and lookout points to deter potential invaders. Some of the best examples are conveniently located in the capital, Muscat. Jalali and Mirani forts stand at the entrance to Muscat Bay and date from the early 16th century.
Bahla Fort at the base of the Djebel Akhdar highlands is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has 7 miles of walls. It was built in the 13th and 14th centuries when Bahla was a thriving oasis town.
Oman's rugged mountains offer some stunning scenery and probably the best opportunities for driving in dry wadis anywhere in the world. Many of the wadis have made roads (often unsurfaced but decent enough) while others require serious off-roading. You can easily get well off the beaten path into remote areas.
Huge desert dunes roll for as far as the eye can see at Wahiba Sands.
Oman's beaches are major breeding locations for various species of sea turtle. Masirah Island is the perhaps best bet where four species breed, including the largest number of leatherbacks anywhere in the world.
The food is mainly Arabic, East African, Lebanese, Turkish, and Indian. Many Omanis make a distinction between "Arabic" food and "Omani" food, with the former being the description of the standard dishes found throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
The legal drinking and purchasing age of alcoholic beverages is 21.
Bottled drinking (mineral) water is easily available at most stores. Tap water is generally safe; however, most Omanis drink bottled water and to be safe, you should too.
Oman has the full spectrum of accommodation - from ultra-luxurious hotels to extremely rustic huts in the desert constructed from date palm leaves.
Oman is a relatively safe country and serious crime is rare. The Royal Oman Police is notably efficient and honest.
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