Attractions
Jebel Akhdar
Picturesque terraced villages are scattered across the slopes of the »Green Mountain«.
Qurum
The National Museum has a collection of silver, jewellery, weapons and ancient stone objects. From here you can cruise the coast in dhows. There are fascinating rock carvings to see
in Wadi Sahtan.
- Top-engineering-schools: Provides detailed population data for major cities of Oman. Also covers geography information including rivers, mountains, lakes, and national borders.
Nizwa
The holy city of the Ibadhi Imam and former capital, Nizwa is best known today for its gold and silver work.
Jabrin
The 17th-century palace is known for its painted wooden ceilings and views across the desert to the mountains.
Matrah-Muscat
The archaeological site of the burial mounds at Souks Bausharios is particularly impressive.
Baha
This ancient city has exceptional ceramics and an interesting souk (market). Excursions to the village of Al Hamra are available.
Al Hazm
On the northern slopes of Djebel Akhdar are Al Hazm Fort (1708) and Rustag Oasis.
Salalah
Salalah is the capital of the southern region of Dhofar. The city is surrounded by coconut and banana plantations and offers beautiful sandy beaches. The lush green vegetation, a result of the monsoon rains, gives the city an almost tropical ambience. Here is the tomb of the Queen of Sheba. There is an interesting souk
in Sohar. The fort is particularly interesting with its six towers. Near Shisr, in the Rub al-Khali desert, the ruins of the approximately 7000-year-old city of Ubar have recently been discovered, which was once an important center of caravan trade (especially incense).
Shopping
Overview
Silver and gold jewellery, khanjars (Omani daggers), hand-woven textiles, carpets and baskets. Shop opening hours: Sat-Thurs 08.00-13.00 and 16.00-20.00. Souks are open 08:00-11:00 and 16:00-24:00 (until 01:00 during Ramadan). Many shops are closed on Fridays, with shops opening an hour later during Ramadan.
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The VAT on goods and services is 5%.
Nightlife
Introduction
There are nightclubs in Muscat hotels. There are several cinemas in Muscat and the Muscat metropolitan area. Arabic, Indian, American and rarely English films are shown.
Culinary
Overview
A few restaurants have opened in recent years; however, many visitors continue to prefer the hotel restaurants. Coffee houses are very popular, table service is common. Drinks: Alcoholic drinks are served in most hotel bars. In order to be able to buy alcohol by the bottle, you need an alcohol license. Alcohol cannot be purchased during Ramadan.
Accommodation
Hotels
There are more and more modern and luxurious hotels, especially in Muscat. While Muscat has the highest hotel density, many other cities offer only a small selection of hotels. Smaller hotels are cheaper but facilities are limited. Even in rural areas there are only a few hotels. Advance booking is strongly recommended. A service charge is usually added to hotel bills. The height differs from hotel to hotel.
Culture
Religion
Islam is the state religion; Ibadi Muslims and Sunni minorities; 15% Hindus.
Social Rules of Conduct
They shake hands to greet each other. A small company gift or a gift from the home country is gladly accepted. Women should avoid clothing that is too casual. One should not wear shorts in public. Smoking in public is considered impolite and is forbidden during Ramadan. Tipping: A 15% service charge is usually included in restaurant and hotel bills. If you are satisfied with the service, it is customary to give an additional tip.
Climate
Best travel time
In June and July it is particularly hot, up to extreme heat (up to 57 °C) inland. The amount of precipitation varies regionally, in Salalah light monsoon rains occur between June and September. The best travel time is from October to March.
Country data
Phone prefix
+968
Area (sq km)
309500
Population
5,106,626 (Source: homosociety)
Population density (per square km)
11
Population statistics year
2020
Main emergency number
999
