8 Fast Facts About Oman - A to C

Alcohol: Alcohol is served in licensed hotels, clubs, bars and international restaurants.

Awards: In May 2010 Khasab Fort, located in Musandam, was awarded a prestigious award for excellence at the Museums & Heritage Awards ceremony. In 2011, the country was awarded Business Destinations’ Best Destinations for Cultural Tourism in the Middle East 2011 Travel Awards. Muscat was coined Arab Tourism capital for 2012 by the Tourism Ministers of the Arab League Nations and named one of 2012’s top ten cities to visit by Lonely Planet. Condé Nast Traveller voted Oman one of 2013’s top holiday destinations to watch. The Guardian names Muscat DiveCentre as one of the top 100 holiday beach 2014. ABTA Magazine names Oman as one of the top 12 destinations to watch in 2014. In September 2014 Oman’s UK office won the Travel Bulletin Star Award as Star Middle East Tourist Board.

 

Business hours: Oman’s weekend begins on Friday afternoon and continues through Saturday, in line with the majority of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Government offices are closed the whole of Friday and Saturday. The Omani work week runs Sunday to Thursday. Banks, embassies and consulates are open from 8am to noon, Sunday to Thursday. Most shops and malls open from 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 9pm. During Ramadan, shops close later at night.

Climate: The coolest time to visit Oman is between October and April, with daytime temperatures between 25°C and 35°C and night time temperatures around 17°C to 19°C. The weather is hotter and more humid in summertime, which stretches from April to September. For year-round mild weather, head to the Southern Dhofar region, which also enjoy a refreshing monsoon season between June and September. Air-conditioning is the norm in vehicles and most buildings, including hotels, conference centres, exhibition halls and shopping malls.

Clothing: Lightweight summer clothing in cotton or blends is ideal most of the year. Sweaters or a light jacket may be needed for the cooler evenings. The dress code in Oman is comparatively relaxed, but legs and shoulders should be covered outside the hotels, where revealing and inappropriate clothing may be considered offensive

Currency: The rial (RO) is the Omani currency and is divided into 100 baisas. The rate of conversion is £1 = RO 0.65 or $1 = RO 0.39 as of August 2014. Banks and exchange bureaus are found throughout Muscat.

Credit cards: All major credit cards are accepted in major hotels, stores and larger shops. However, cash is primarily used in traditional souks, and bargaining power is increased with the ready availability of hard currency. ATM machines are available in some hotels, Muscat Airport, cities and larger towns throughout the country.

Customs: No customs duty is levied on personal effects brought into Oman. It is forbidden to import drugs and pornographic material. Duty free shops are available at Muscat International Airport on arrival and on departure. The shops sell a variety of products including alcohol and cigarettes.

Discover more about Oman: www.omantourism.gov.om