Updated 2016
Oman is like you’re introverted friend who, once they’ve arrived, reveals a bunch of party tricks you never knew they could do. Oman arrived at the party in 1970 when sultan Qaboos bin Said ascended to the throne and began to modernize the country. Now the country boasts resorts and hotels and activities that satisfy tourists from every walk of life and travel philosophy.
Long a secluded sultanate isolated from the outside world, Oman is now a booming piece of Arabian Peninsula real estate. Welcoming touristws and utilizing its coast line, Oman has become a destination with all the allure of most Middle Eastern countries at half the cost.
Start with Oman Travel Facts.
What to do
Oman has golf courses, shopping and luxury spas. It also has mountains, deserts, and reefs to dive. The ultra-modern developments in Oman have not completely displaced the bedouin culture or the nomads that travel from place to place throughout the desert. Oman offers a unique convergence of old world elegance with new technology and between the two sate both cultural and adventurous desires.
Getting there
Most travelers find themselves arriving in Oman via Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. However, many international airlines serve Oman and send flights to Seeb International Airport in Muscat. Crossing the border into Oman from UAE is easy and some travelers find that working out their visa in UAE is easier than trying to get one when they arrive in Oman.
Read: Stargazing: Oman.
Where to stay
The beauty of traveling in a country that has just developed its accommodations is that you can find everything from nomadic dwellings to five star hotels, and everything except for the ancient dwellings is brand spanking new. There are also a few hostels in Muscat catering to backpackers.