A little more
Oman.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Oman: what to know before you go

Oman is the Arabian Peninsula at its most traditional and scenic: forts and old mud-brick villages, rugged mountains, deep wadis, desert dunes and a long coastline on the Arabian Sea. It is calm, welcoming and well suited to road trips, and appeals to travellers who want landscapes and heritage rather than skyscrapers.

Where to go

• Muscat. A low-rise capital strung along the coast between rocky hills.
• Nizwa. The historic heart of the interior, with a seventeenth-century fort and its huge round tower, and a busy souq known for silver, pottery and dates.
• Jebel Shams and Wadi Ghul. Oman's highest mountain overlooks a deep canyon often called the Grand Canyon of Arabia.
• Wadi Shab and Wadi Bani Khalid. Green ravines with turquoise pools you can swim in.

Best time to visit

October to April is the season to visit, with warm days and mild nights; December to February is the most comfortable and the busiest. Summer, from May to September, is extremely hot and humid on the coast and in the interior, though the mountains are cooler.

Staying online in Oman

Coverage is strong in Muscat, Salalah, Sohar and the other towns, and 4G runs along the main highways, with 5G in urban areas. Signal disappears in deep wadis, high mountain areas and the open desert, so download maps offline before going off-road. Wi-Fi is reliable in hotels and many cafés and malls. Some internet calling services have been restricted in Oman in the past, so check that the apps you rely on work. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.