 
Under the leadership and wise guidance of His Majesty Sultan
Qaboos Bin Said, the magnificence of the Omani culture has
been embellished over the past quarter of a century to include
modern towns, highways, shopping malls and many other achievements.
His Majesty's policy on women's rights has been outstanding.
Women are most welcome in this crime-free and safe host country. |
| The
country offers : |
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Excellent
and hassle-free shopping facilities. |
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Oman
has the cleanest cities and environment, and littering
is strictly prohibited. |
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Friendly,
polite people and great hospitality. |
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Omanis
are tolerant and open - drinks of any kind are available
in hotels and licensed restaurants. |
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Driving
is permitted for the holders of an international driving licence. |
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Please
ask permission before attempting to photograph people and their
property. |
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| Dress
code : |
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 For most of the year light, loose-fitting
clothes, preferably cotton, are best suited for the Omani climate.
To respect Omani traditions, it is preferable not to revealing
clothing of any kind in residential areas. From December to
March a light wrap may be required during the evenings. |
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| Language
: |
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Arabic,
English and Swahili are widely spoken. |
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| Time
: |
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Greenwich
Mean Time plus four hours (GMT+4). |
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| Currency
: |
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The
unit of currency is the Rial Omani (R.O.)
consisting of 1,000 baizas. |
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- One
R.O. = about US$ 2.58
- One
R.O. = about DM 3.80
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| Population
: |
| |
Just
over 2 Million. |
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| Credit
cards : |
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American
Express, Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club, etc. are accepted in
major shopping areas, hotels and restaurants. |
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| Electricity
: |
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220
volts – 240 volts. |
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| Health
& Medical facilities : |
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Hospitals,
pharmacies and health clinics are available throughout Oman.
Modern hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment can deal with
any emergency. Doctors are just a phone call away. |
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| Visas
: |
| |
 A visa is required for travel to
Oman. Travelers may purchase a visa valid for one month at the
airport for 6 Omani Rials (approximately $16.00 US). This visa
may be renewed one time. To reduce time in the airport, visitors
can obtain visas from the Omani Embassy in the country of origin.
To do this, take a copy of travel orders or a letter from the
agency stating that travel is official, to the Omani Embassy. |
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| Airlines
: |
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The
Sultanate of Oman is conveniently connected by a number of international
airlines, which fly to the capital, Muscat. |
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|
 Geography
:
Oman strategically occupies the south eastern edge of the Arabian
Peninsula, covering 300,000 square km of varied terrain
with a coastline of 1,700 km. It overlooks the three
seas of the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
To the west, Oman borders Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates,
to the south the Republic of Yemen, and to the north the Straits
of Hormuz. |
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The
geographical contrast between wadis and stark mountains, desert
sands and coastal beaches is most evident and contribites
to Oman's striking beauty. Long stretches of beach
and the wadis that cut deep into the mountains, as well as
picturesque towns and villages, are emphasised by the solitude
of vast desert areas and spectacular shifting sand dunes.
The varied topography of Oman divides the country naturally
into 8 distinct regions, each with its own identity:
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 The vast harsh desert to
the west is named Al Rub Al Khali, or the Empty Quarter;
the highest mountain peak in Dakhiliya
province is referred to as Jebel Shams, the Mountain
of the Sun; Ras al Hadd, meaning the edge, denotes
the farthest point of the east coast; the province Ras Musandam
is the northernmost tip of Oman, separated from the rest of
the country by the United Arab Emirates.
The northern part of the country is dominated by the majestic
Hajar mountain range that borders the Gulf of Oman coast,
extending some 700 km from Musandam almost to Ras al Hadd in
the east. The central part of this range is Jebel Al Akhdar,
or the "green mountain", where the highest peak rises
to over 3,000 metres.
To the south of the mountains are endless gravel plains and
sand dunes, covering over half of Oman’s land surface. Situated
in this area is the Wahibah
Sands an area with high dunes, extensive woodlands and unspoiled
coastline.
The Dhofar region lies
in the extreme south of Oman. The capital of Dhofar, Salalah,
is spread out along the coast and offers all modern facilities.
It is climatically different from the rest of Oman due to the
effects of the monsoon rains from June to September.
The Muscat region and
capital area of Muscat is the most densely populated region
in Oman. Muscat, literally "anchorage", has been a safe haven
for ships for centuries. |
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| Climate
: |
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Oman’s
climate varies from region to region. During the winter
it is cool and pleasant, but summer at the coast is hot
and humid. Summer is cool and misty in the south because
of the monsoons. The interior remains hot and dry, except
for the mountains where the temperature can drop drastically
at night. In the winter, temperatures range between 14
to 26 degrees Celcius. |
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| Forbidden
items : |
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The
Sultanate prohibits pornographic literature and firearms from
entering Oman. Local law limits each traveler to one bottle
of alcohol. Items subject to confiscation at the airport include
but are not limited to compact discs and video and audio cassettes. |
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| Crime
: |
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Street
crimes and crimes of physical violence are very rare in Muscat.
Do not leave valuables in plain sight when exiting your hotel
room. Most hotel rooms are equipped with small safes for personal
property. If one is not available, or you have larger items
to store, use a safety deposit box at the hotel front desk.
Additionally, keep your money separate from your passport, credit
cards, and other important documents. Do not leave valuables
in plain sight in your vehicle. |
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| Local
Sensitivities : |
| |
 Visitors are advised that
the holy month of Ramadan will last from approximately
October 4 - November 2, 2005. During Ramadan, Muslims do not
eat, drink or smoke during daylight hours, and respecting these
restrictions is not simply a matter of courtesy: Omani law prohibits
everyone from eating, drinking and smoking in public during
Ramadan. The hotels will have food service available to non-Muslims
during the day. The sale of alcohol and drinking alcohol in
public at any time are strictly prohibited during Ramadan. At
all times, modest dress is the rule in Oman. Men and women should
avoid wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts in public places,
although wearing conservative bathing suits is acceptable at
hotel beaches. Photography of military and government installations
is forbidden and one should ask permission before photographing
Omani nationals. |
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Desert
Discovery Tours :
Providing "that special touch" is our motto - you
are assured of constant, reliable service. |
Oman