Oman Travel Blogs

Hot! Damn Hot!
Jul 12, 2006 (17 photos)

... to be a little too commercial and a bit unfinished as it's basically a huge construction zone. Being so close to the Sultanate of Oman we decided to take the opportunity to see a little more of the Middle East and caught a bus across the border. The ...

Bath Water
Jul 14, 2006 (10 photos)

... but a little bit more exciting at the border as a fellow passenger was refused entry to the UAE and had to be returned to the Oman border to find his own way back. With the temperature hovering at a humid 40+ degrees Celsius we didn't envy his wait in the ...

Oh Man...Oman is really nice!
Sep 26, 2006 (5 photos)

... streets and sidewalks look clean enough to eat off of. We spent yesterday driving though the stunning desert mountains of northwestern Oman before finally arriving in Muscat. We are again using frequent guest points to stay at a Sheraton Hotel. This one ...

Oh-man
Apr 6, 2008 (7 photos)

... would give an aspirin a headache. Oman would put you to sleep. - Man's best friend India has cows. Oman has camels. - Accommodation India has €5 guesthouses with questionable plumbing & electric's and very questionable cleanliness (and if you ...

Musandam Peninsula - Arabia's Fjordland
Nov 24, 2008 (13 photos)

... border soon, and escaped the car for the rather unwieldy double exit and entry procedures of leaving UAE and entering Oman. The Germans desperately grabbed their next nicotine hit before it was back into the car to enjoy some dramatic scenery as ...

Everyone has to start somewhere.
Jan 18, 2009 (3 photos)

My previous post may have sounded a little fractious, but all it takes to ease the tension is to get out and about. In the afternoons when all the government offices are closed and there are no queues to join there are parks, mountains, beaches and the ...

Bargaining with Cabbies
May 12, 2007

... the 17th century to fend off the Portuguese. The whole place was very clean and it had obviously been recently restored. Oman has made a push to restore and enhance cultural landmarks throughout the country for the past few decades. We checked out ...

Boating for pleasure?
Jun 26, 2009 (4 photos)

I love boats. Always have. I joined the Navy when I was 18 and even that didn’t put me off. My first foray into ‘boating’ was when my Dad picked up a couple of old, leaky canoes and we spent a good while in the garage, stinking of resin ...

Muscat
Dec 9, 2006 (6 photos)

... city creates an authentic feeling of a classical Arabian world. From the port of Mina Qaboos, the Little Owl drove through Oman's exclusive residential district of Shati Al Qurum, and made a photo-stop at golden domed Zawawi Mosque. Her next stop, the ...

Oh man, I'm a Muscateer!
Nov 18, 2005

I'm in the transit lounge in Muscat airport waiting for my connection to Lahore. Today is the 35th celebration of Oman's National Day, and there are drummers and dancers whirling through the aisles of the duty free and generally making a racket. Only ...

Oman - Safari
Sep 12, 2006 (5 photos)

... area n you need passes to enter. There were lot of people from around the Europe and some Arabic. The ranger explained us that Oman is a famous place for green turtles. Every year during this season you can find lot of them here. They grow up to 4 ft long ...

Muscat, Oman
Mar 30, 2007 (17 photos)

... (no cocktails since the country was celebrating the birth of Muhammed) and lots and lots of canapes. These scenic vistas of Oman's history; from Portuguese architecture at the Corniche, to the modern wonders of the Al Alam Palace. The sunset, although ...

Oman - problems at the border
May 3, 2008

... VAE. I would have had to pay 240 dirham (about USD 80.-) for a 10 day car insurance althoug I would only have passet through Oman for about 50km. This was too expepnsive and I turned on the border... was for a few minutes 10m in the country of Oman :-) and ...

No public loos in Musact
Oct 30, 2009 (4 photos)

Despite intensive investigations I failed to locate a public loo in Muscat today; well, I did see the entrance to one near the souq, but it didn’t look like the sort of place I would want to hang out in, despite my desire to continue scientific ...

Still surreal...
Feb 3, 2009

... are ok as there are never many people here. I wonder, however, relating this to what I've read in the Resident's Guide to Oman, that you can wear a bikini or swimming costume but be aware that you will be stared at.   First purchase for the house - a ...

Muscat, Oman
Mar 29, 2009 (4 photos)

... he had studied at university but jobs were difficult to come by so was working as a  taxi driver. Tourism is growing in Oman and with his English, and enthusiasm should do OK. This was a relatively pricey tour but both Geoff and I had enjoyed the day ...

Ibri, Oasis Pictures
May 18, 2008 (9 photos)

Here's a couple of thouand words on Ibri, Oman in pictoral form.

My Delegate's Report is DONE!!!
Feb 2, 2009

I did my delegate's report yesterday. Whew! So glad I managed it ok. Today we have a half day of meetings, then we're going to the Royal Cavalry here for a parade, and then another dinner. There was a dinner last night as well, but I was just bone ...

First full day
Feb 2, 2009

... and is also in Reception. They enjoy camping and 4x4ing so there is a social circle already. They are South African and have been in Oman for three and a half years; we had a good chat about the state of South Africa and where it is heading. I told her I ...

Muscat Love
Dec 12, 2007 (4 photos)

... Forces Day. Soldiers in uniform kept appearing, from the elite troops drilling with their rifles, to the brightly coloured military bands. (Oman uses pipe bands for military purpose, as well. For some reason.) Then, I swung back to Mutrah. No problem, ...

I MADE It!!!!!
Jan 31, 2009 (9 photos)

... from Bolivia here with his young daughter, (he entertained me with tales of his trip (Bolivia, Brazil, London[missed flight], Dubai, Oman) I think he's got me beat on the milage factor. A man from Bahrain who happens to be staying here at Haffa House was ...

Biggest adventure so far!
May 17, 2009 (11 photos)

... the quote above, other comments which may have set alarm bells ringing were: "....perhaps the most spectacular mountain road in Oman", "Tragically, there have been casualties in this area" and the classic "....a stone memorial marks the spot where one ...

1350 miles later across Arabian Sea to Oman
Mar 18, 2007

So, so much to write. Just arrived in Salalah (southern coast of Oman which boarders Yemen, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates) after a 1350 mile, 14 day, ocean crossing. Amazing experience. I will upload my journal notes and pics soon. Amazing to ...

Friends and coffee mornings, amongst other things.
Feb 24, 2009

I've made a few friends that I'm sure (well, hoping!) will become quite firm. One Mum took me to the nursery as her son goes there. She invited me for a coffee in the shopping mall but I couldn't make it as we were getting my resident's card... But even ...

Salalah Travel report - 11-20/July, 2009
Jul 21, 2009

... see in Salalah, which we liked, were Wadi Darbat, Ain Gargiz, Mountains having Nabi Ayub tomb, Ain Razat, Mughsail (blow holes) Oman roads overall are very good and driving is quite peaceful unlike UAE. So it is a pleasurable experience to drive on Oman ...

Summer is here.
Jun 23, 2009

Summer has officially arrived............and it’s a strange affair. Throughout May the temperature was slowly creeping up, but as it was only a degree or so at a time it kind of went unnoticed. Right up to the point that you left the house, walked ...

Drive to the top
Dec 13, 2007 (7 photos)

... still most definitely off-road. The target was no less than the peak of Jebel Shams, the highest point in Oman. Around 3,000 metres up a series of unpaved roads up incredibly steep inclines, and through switchbacks. Railings strictly optional. But ...

Dinner and Music *Oh, the Food*
Feb 1, 2009 (42 photos)

ZOMG SO much FOOD. It was INSANE. The Symphony Orchestra was nice too. I'll keep this short as the pictures will tell you more. Fernando and Cassie sat at our table and I spent quite a long time talking with a woman from BENTLEY, AB. I had to ...

Waiting...
Feb 6, 2009 (10 photos)

Feb 6th 2009, So, Here I sit in Muscat Airport, waiting for my flight. We were all told last night, that we needed to be ready at 7:30 am to be taken to the Airport. Mad frenzy of packing later, I fell into bed at 1 am with a 5:30 wake up scheduled ...

How do Omani men pee?
Oct 29, 2009

That is the question that has been bothering me since I arrived in Muscat about 24 hours ago. About 50% of men on the street here wear the traditional “dishdasha”, a sort of robe looking like a long sleeved, collarless shirt, but continuing ...