Oman

1. Safety and security is dependent on the developments in the Middle East. You may have to check these details from the embassy.

2. Driving at night can be dangerous, as there is a risk of hitting camels on the road.

3. There are severe penalties for drug offences including, in some cases, the death penalty.

4. Check visa requirements well in advance with the Oman Embassy. Overstaying without the proper authority can lead to severe fines.

5. Take adequate comprehensive insurance. Make sure you are fully covered for medical treatment and hospitalization, which can be very expensive. And also travel insurance, ensure that you are fully covered for unexpected losses or expenses (eg cancelled flights, lost luggage, lost passport stolen cash or credit cards). Keep passports money, tickets and valuables in a safe place.

6. Bring enough funds for your stay and return journey.

7. Check the latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice.

8. Respect local laws and customs. Dress in a modest way. Don't behave in a manner that might insult Muslim sensitivities, customs and beliefs. Don't make rude gestures or swear - you could be taken to court and face a severe fine. Public displays of affection between members of the opposite sex are frowned upon.

9. Drinking is not allowed in public but there are bars (in the major hotels and restaurants) which serve alcohol. Muslim sensitivities towards alcohol should be observed - it is an offence to be drunk in public.

10. While driving, observe speed limits. Don't drink and drive - offenders can incur detention, severe fines, prison sentences and possible deportation. If you have a motor accident, remain with your vehicle. It is an offence to leave the scene of the accident before the police have arrived.

11. No Drugs. Penalties for drug trafficking, smuggling and possession are severe and include the death penalty.

12. Don't take photographs of or near military or government installations. Ask permission before photographing individuals. Don't photograph individuals if they are unwilling. Carry identification at all times, you might be asked to produce it any time. Carry photographic identification, e.g. your passport, if possible.

13. For your travel, buses serve most main provincial towns daily. Renting a car in the sultanate is easy but not cheap. You're more likely to take advantage of Oman's extraordinarily comprehensive system of service taxis and microbuses. Drivers will depart when they have a few passengers, expecting to pick up and drop off other passengers along the way; it's a very cheap way to get around providing you're in no particular hurry. You can also take a taxi or microbus 'engaged' (i.e., privately) by paying for all of the seats in it.

14. Only Muscat has a local bus system. Muscat Airport is 40km (25 miles) west of the city. There are car rental agencies at the airport and taxis and buses are available.

15. If you are wondering about the costs…costs in Oman fall mainly into the budget and top-end categories; there's next to nothing in the middle. Those wishing to travel comfortably can expect to shell out more. If you want to spend moderately you will have a hard time.

16. Banks and moneychangers will change cash and travelers' cheques. ATMs are widespread, though few of them appear to be tied into international systems.

17. Tipping is not expected in cheaper eating places while more expensive restaurants tend to add a 10-15% service charge to all bills - which goes to the house and not the staff. There's a 15% hotel tax.

18. On bargaining-Shopkeepers tend to offer a small discount on the marked price and then refuse to budge. If you try to bargain for the cost of a taxi, you will inevitably pay two or three times what you ought to.

19. For the food lover in you- There is little in the way of traditional Omani cuisine; Indian-style curry is pretty much the national dish. The typical menu is little more than whatever curry the cook decided to make that day, but it is usually pretty good, especially in the myriad small restaurants of Muscat and Salalah. Alcohol is only available in larger hotels and expensive restaurants.

20. The temperate months of mid-October to mid-March are the best time to visit. Avoid the June to September monsoon season in the south.

 

Long known as the hermit of the Middle East, the Sultanate of Oman is slowly emerging from its shell, revealing a land of friendly people, dramatic landscapes and lots of forts. Arabic is the official language of Oman, though English is widely spoken in business circles. In the northern coastal areas you can find traders and sailors and a large number of expatriates from the Indian subcontinent who also speak Farsi and Urdu.

Despite the modern appearance of much of Oman, the country remains intensely traditional. In the countryside hamlets and coastal villages, day-to-day life has changed little in centuries. Men wear bright blue, loose fitting, floor-length shirt-dresses called dishdashas, often with a curved khanjar knife dangling from the waist. The attire for women is far more colourful than the simple black cloaks common in much of the rest of the Gulf region. Bright printed dresses are wrapped with even more colourful shawls and veils. Oman has devoted a great deal of effort to preserving its traditional art, dance and music, though you're more likely to see traditional dancing staged in a museum than spontaneously breaking out in a village street. Oman is particularly known for its curved, silver-sheathed khanjar knives and silver jewelry

Contacts-Oman

 

TIME ZONE

GMT + 4

TELEPHONE SERVICES

Country Code: 968
IDD: International Direct Dialling is available
Outgoing Code: 00

EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS

All services - 999

LOCAL TOURIST INFORMATION

Directorate General of Tourism ; PO Box 550; 113 Muscat; Oman Tel: 774 253 Fax: 794 238.

PASSPORT INFORMATION

Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

VISA INFORMATION

Tourist and Business visas are required by all except: Nationals of Bahrain; Kuwait; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; and United Arab Emirates.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

Fresh foods; pornography; all animals need an import licence.

AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX

OMR3 for all departures payable in local currency. Transit passengers and those under 12 years of age are exempt.

HEALTH MATTERS
Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria : Take advice from your medical advisors.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travelers arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Cholera; Rabies.

FOOD AND DRINK

Water is considered drinkable; normal precautions should be observed with food.

CURRENCY

Omani Rial (OR) = 100 baiza. All major credit cards are accepted although a commission charge may be made for their use. All major cards are accepted; although a commission may be added to charges when using a card. Travelers cheques in US dollars or pound Sterling are easily exchanged.
ATM availability: 50 locations.

MONEY WIRING SERVICES

MoneyGram: Unavailable. Western Union: 714 609

CREDIT CARD EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Amex: +44 1273 696933
Diners Club: (968) 706 007
Oman VISA: NA

TRAVELERS CHEQUES EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Oman Thomas Cook: +44 1733 318950 Oman

BANKING HOURS

0800 - 1200 Sat - Wed and 0800 - 1130 Thurs.

COST OF LIVING

It is impossible to travel on a tight budget. There are few middle range hotels and restaurants.

LANGUAGES

Arabic and English.

WEATHER

June - July are very hot. Rainfall varies according to the region.

RELIGIONS

Ibadi Muslim with Sunni and Shia Muslim minorities.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

2000: Jan 09/10. Mar 18 Apr 07; Jun 16. Oct 27Nov 18-19; 30. Dec 31.
2001: Mar 08 -26; Jun 06. Oct 17; Nov 18-19; Dec 21

RADIO FREQUENCIES

BBC: 15.57 12.10 11.76 9.410 VOA: 15.21 11.83 9.700 7.205.

WOMEN IN SOCIETY

Although Oman displays a more tolerant attitude than it's neighbouring states, women dress modestly; in accordance with religious traditions.

TRANSPORT

BUS:Services exist in Muscat and North Oman.
TAXI: Prices are high and should be agreed in advance.