Complete Oman guide

Oman occupies the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, between the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. From our offices in Muscat, we see travelers arriving surprised by the diversity of a territory that many imagine as uniformly desert. Within a few hours' drive, you move from the creeks of the Batinah coast to the orange dunes of Wahiba Sands, then to the 3,000 meters of Jebel Akhdar where pomegranate trees and Damask roses grow.

Four regions structure most of our itineraries. Muscat and its coast, with the Mutrah souk and the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. The historic interior around Nizwa and Bahla, its UNESCO-listed forts and Friday morning goat markets. The Sharqiya desert, where you sleep in a Bedouin tent after a day in a 4x4. Finally, Dhofar in the south, transformed each summer by the khareef monsoon into a verdant plateau, and the historic capital of frankincense.

Two distinctive features mark the Omani experience: a concrete sense of hospitality (cardamom coffee offered whenever you stop) and remarkably preserved adobe architectural heritage. For a first trip, plan 10 to 12 days to combine Muscat, the interior, and the desert. Add 4 to 5 days to head down to Salalah or explore Musandam in the north.