Oman lays at the Arabian peninsula with ocean access to the Gulf of Oman in the North and the Arabian Sea in the southeast. The population is 5,203,674 and an area of 309,500 km2. That makes a population density of 17 per km2. Oman is rather less populated. It’s neighboring country, Yemen, has a population density of 77 km2.
Additionally, it is important to say that 42% of the population is foreigners. Mostly Bangladeshis, Indians, Pakistanis.
You will often find Oman referred to as the Sultanate of Oman. This means that the country is ruled by a Sultan, which in Arabic means a king/ruler. Oman is a monarchy. Muscat is the largest city and capital of Oman. Oman’s economic sector is the oil industry, which makes the country very well off. For instance, freshly married Omanis get a piece of land from the government.
Omans history and historical sites
Oman is rich in history and proud of its culture. The Portuguese ruled some parts of Oman in the 15 and 1600s. You can still see remains of this time. Impressing castles decorate the hills of Old Muscat. There you can visit the Al Mirani Fort, the Al Jalali Fort and the Mutrah Fort. In Nizwa you can find Jabreen Castle, the largest fort of Oman. The Bahla Fort which is the oldest and UNESCO Site. The Nizwa Fort and Castle are the most visited and very well preserved.
In traditional clothing, the dresses for the women are very colorful – a great contrast to the black everyday dress. Which became a socially applied form of dressing.
In Al Hamra, you can find numerous mud-brick buildings and the Bait Al Safah museum. There you learn more about the history of Omani households. The town Al Hamra is also a UNESCO site. Visiting Oman right after Ramadan during Eid is indeed an experience. In Nizwa Fort, there were celebrations and music. The city became very crowded and a hotspot for Omanis to enjoy this festive season.
Gender – subjective experiences
In Oman, the genders are very separated. You can see that while simply walking through the cities or towns. Women are typically found in the mall (oh hello cliché), in Muscat. Which doesn’t mean that you can see women driving cars and doing errands, you can. However, it is very gender separated. In public spaces, you can often see men or women groups or families. In the mosque are also gender separated prayer rooms.
And I think your experience as a traveler is very different depending on your gender. For example, if you travel as a man, you are very likely to be approached by an Omani. You shake hands and have a conversation. If a woman is standing next to you, the Omani man won’t shake her hand.
If you are a female traveler in Oman, Omanis will still approach you with respect and kindness, but they won’t shake your hand. And it is rare for Omani women to approach you (female traveler). Omani women are a bit conservative – or let’s say the culture/religion make them appear conservative. Gender roles play a big role in Oman. The regular interactions you have as a traveler are with the locals or often with the men.
However, if you are invited into an Omani home as a woman, you can enjoy the privilege of seeing the women’s area of the house. Male travelers must stay in the common area of the house and have a different experience of the culture.
Outdoor activities in Oman
The main activity you can do in Oman is camping. It is also very popular among the locals. You can camp anywhere. Unfortunately, Omanis aren’t very environmentally friendly. At popular camping spots you will find garbage everywhere. Although there are garbage bins. So there are people who clean up behind the campers.
Oman offers a variety of sport activities. Especially water activities at the ocean. Such as snorkeling or diving. Kite surfing season is from April to September at Masira Island, which is on the east coast.
The mountainous landscape of Oman also invites for hiking tours. But be aware that it can be very hot during the summer months. I was there in April and it was already unbearably hot. Except in the Jabal Akhdar, the green mountains, there it was much cooler with around 20-25 degrees Celsius.
City Life and Muscat
In Oman, you can’t find the excitement of endless activities and amenities like in the UAE. However, in Muscat, you do find very modern districts that stand in strong contrast to the overall cityscape. That’s what’s so irritating about Oman: You have these small towns with simple houses and then you have these super modern, very clean areas where money is flowing.
In Muscat, you can find multiple malls. They are very impressive. Be aware that Muscat has no city center (such as the cities in Europe), it is pretty widespread. And so are the attractions. Nevertheless, the main tourist attractions are in Mutrah and Old Muscat. Which are two pretty small towns, compared to the massive city in the west of those places.
Who is visiting Oman
The travelers that are visiting Oman are mostly couples, or let’s say pairs. Solo travelers are rare. Mostly people of the age above 30. Many travelers from neighboring countries enjoy going to Oman. The common way to travel around in Oman is by rental car. The gas is cheap and the rental price of cars isn’t such a surcharge. The most famous tourist attractions the tourist head to are Nizwa, Jebel Shams, Jebel Akhdar and Mutrah. I haven’t seen many families traveling in Oman. If it were adults with their parents.
Why isn’t it a place for a young budget constrained backpacker?
Oman has very limited options if you want to travel alternatively. It is not an ideal place to backpack. Since there are no cheap accommodation options, unless you are traveling with your camping equipment. There is hardly any place to meet other backpackers. Since hostels aren’t not allowed. Public transportation is another pain point of Oman. It is not very well established.
I wouldn’t recommend Oman to young backpackers who want to meet other travelers. Especially if you have budget constraints, there are other countries in the Middle East that you can travel cheaper (unfortunately, not as safely).
You are wondering what the perfect way to travel in Oman is?
Oman is a great country to do road trips and camping. You can camp anywhere and if you have the right car, you can wake up in the most beautiful areas of the country. The great canyon at Jebel Shams or the magnificent sunrise at the beach As Sifah.
Apparently, Oman is not promoting itself as a travel destination. So you can’t find overcrowded places and you can easily enjoy the great nature of the country by yourself. It is also common to meet locals on your camping adventure. They are always super friendly and nice. Be prepared to be offered tea or coffee.
A small example of my experience camping on the beach as a solo female traveler. At the beautiful beach of As Sifah I set up my “camp”, I planned to sleep in my sleeping bag on the beach. I asked the guys with caravans who were also camping there if it was safe here. “It is Oman. It is safe,” they assured me.
Although it was not allowed to drive on the beach, there were some locals driving around. I looked for a place at the edge of the beach, near the rocks. Soon, a guy from the camper group parked his car next to me. In the morning, he told me that those guys who drive around come very close to me. So he parked his car next to me, so they wouldn’t run me over.
So what I’ve learned is that the only danger in Oman is Omanis not following the rules.
If you are an adventure traveler and you love to hitchhike to get to know the country. Let me tell you that it is not that easy to travel the country by hitchhiking, doable but difficult.
The author of the blog
Lisi is an adventurous, mostly solo traveler from Austria. She likes to travel slowly, discover underrated countries/regions, and of course, learn about cultures. She has been traveling the world and creating travel content since 2016. With a degree in tourism management and a passion for travel and cultures, she wants to tell stories that inspire her readers and help them travel more consciously.