Road Trip Through Northern Oman: A Fascinating Place to Visit

Oman is one of the most interesting countries I have ever visited. Between the rugged and rural landscape, the unique history, and the elusive culture, there is much to do, see, and explore. It’s a country where old and new collide like the craggy mountain range falls directly into the sea. Neither is winning and neither is taking the lead, but both coexist perfectly. This dichotomy and sometimes even stark differences within the confines of one unified country; a country which was seized back from the Portuguese, is what makes Oman an incredibly fascinating place to visit.

Population of Oman

Officially, the population of Oman is 4.5 million, which is about the same as the state of Louisiana. However, the country is about 3 times the size of Louisiana, so the population is quite spread out. About 25% of the residents live in and around the Capital city of Muscat. Another 25% occupy the northern port and industrial area in Al Batinah North.

The rest of the population is spread between a few small cities of around 100,000. These include Salalah in the south, Nizwa the former capital, and Ibri close to the foothills of Jebel Shams. However, much of the population is scattered in very rural settings in small desert or mountain towns or isolated homes on the coast line. When driving through these areas, you can go for nearly an hour before sighting a gas station or even a house. However, the landscape will be dotted with living creatures like goats, camels, and donkeys.

Demographics of Oman

Although the population of Oman is 4.5 million people, only about 2 million people are Omani. There are nearly 2.5 million migrant workers that call Oman home. The majority from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, but also from Arabian countries, Sudan, and Asia. These migrant workers are overwhelmingly male with only about 500,000 migrant female workers from the Philippines, Indonesia, or Sri Lanka.

Gender Equality

Therefore, the population is overwhelmingly male and you may go a day without seeing any women at all. However, this goes beyond just the population demographics and dives into the strict Islamic culture which restricts genders from mixing. Even when out at a restaurant, many women are restricted to the so called “family room” to not be among unrelated men. While this is optional and not law, it is no secret that the Gulf countries have struggled with gender equity and Oman is no exception.

The society is ruled by an absolute monarchy and while women are able to take part in the political landscape, there are barriers due to patriarchal structures which govern social structures that favor men. Particularly in divorce, marriage to foreigners, and child custody. With regard to education, until the 1970s only boys were schooled and women were typically illiterate. And while women now matriculate and excel in universities at a higher rate then men, there is still a wide gap to be filled.

Because of these disparities, I was left to wonder why Oman ranks so highly in places to visit while Saudi Arabia has a tarnished image. Saudi definitely has amazing tourist attractions, but I think some of this has to do with just how varied the geography is and how much there is to see in Oman. Another reason is that Oman is the 5th safest country in the world, so female travelers (and males alike) will feel at ease. And then lastly, the population is significantly smaller than Saudi Arabia and the locals are either pleasant or just ignore you. Being in Oman, I did not feel any pressure to do anything different than usual but I did sense that something was up. However, I felt very safe there and I will go back again.

A Short History of Oman

Oman has a rich history that stretches back over 100,000 years. From the bronze age relics of the mysterious beehive tombs, to the more recent pre-Islam trade of frankincense, Oman has been a trade hub for India, Persia, and Africa. These strategic trade routes and hidden ports did not go unnoticed by the Portuguese who seized control of coastal ports in 1507 for 150 years until the tribes of Oman pushed them out and regained control. The relics of the Portuguese forts are abundant to this day, many undergoing renovation projects currently.

However, it was not all sunshine and rainbows from here on out. Civil wars raged and resolved and lead to isolation, economic distress, and high illiteracy until Sultan Qaboos seized the throne from his father in 1970 until 2020. In this time, he lead national infrastructure plans, built Oman’s oil money. These projects included, schools, hospitals, hundreds of miles of highways, telecommunications networking, ports, airports, plumbing, clean water, and electrification. In addition, the private sector boomed with banks, hotels, insurance companies, and the first university opening in 1986 under the Sultans name, Sultan Qaboos University.

Omani Culture

Oman is a tribal society with citizens that are predominantly Muslim. Modesty is the norm and visitors should take care to cover their knees and upper arms. The Omani people are very welcoming and polite, and I have heard that it is not uncommon to be invited to dinner at an Omani household. We did not get this sort of invitation and I found that while the locals where friendly, they mostly kept to themselves. Most of our interactions where regarding wrong turns that took us into places that we perhaps were not wanted.

This is one of the duplicitous natures of Oman in my opinion. With the country being declared one of the best places to visit for obvious reasons, it seems like the locals may not be 100% thrilled with this. There are signs for some of the attractions, but usually you are on your own. Sometimes, they just trail off leaving you to guess when google maps is not accurate (which is often). So while welcoming, they may keep their distance which makes me believe that their way of life, traditions, and culture is of utmost importance to them. Their values and culture are held sacred and they do not want this damaged by a disrespectful tourist. Because of this, I believe it is extremely important to be respectful so you don’t ruin it for other tourists in the future.

Omani Cuisine

The cuisine in Oman draws influences from other parts of the Arabian Peninsula as well as India, Pakistan, Africa, and of course, Portugal. Commonly, meals will be rice based with mutton (lamb or goat) or chicken. Spices like saffron, ginger and nutmeg are common as well as cumin, coriander, and chilis.

Majboos is very similar to a biryani and Mushuai (whole roasted fish with oils and spices) is an example of their rich seafood, roasted with lemon and rice. Shawarma and mishkak (meat, sometimes camel, marinated on wooden sticks) are also popular. However, restaurant culture is somewhat new in Oman with most people preferring to cook at home. In last 20 years or so, more restaurants have popped up, but it’s still a good idea to bring snacks on road trips that might take you into rural areas.

And then there is coffee and the Omani’s like it STRONG. The Kahwa coffee is bitter and often chased by their delicious dates. I really do not know why the dates are so good in Oman. I am not the biggest fan of dates, but the Oman dates are so good that there is an entire souk dedicated to them in Nizwa.

Tips for travelling in Oman

• Have cash – many rural places will not take cards.
• Have snacks and a descent amount of gas. You might drive an hour between seeing gas stations and maybe 2 before sighting a restaurant.
• Dress modestly. Unless you are at private resort, bikinis are a no-no. While its hot, both men and women should cover their knees and upper arms, even when swimming.
• Take Google maps with a grain of salt. It is not the most accurate when you get out into the rural areas.
• Consider a tour guide who can take you to the 4×4 activities which are plentiful!

Our Summer Itinerary

We did a 5 day, 4 night road trip from Sharjah UAE through Muscat, down the coast to Sur, into the Wahiba sands, and ending in Nizwa. We drove about 3 hours each day once we got into Oman. The drive to Muscat from Sharjah took about 4 hours and home from Nizwa took about 5 hours.

Itinerary at a glance

Day 1: To Muscat, stopping at Hatta Rock pools. Stay at Ritz Carlton Al Bustan Palace.

Day 2: Drive to Bimmah Sink Hole and Continue down the Coast to Ras Al Hadd. Stay at the Orchid Guest House.

Day 3: Drive to Wadi Bani Khalid and continue on to Desert Nights Resort.

Day 4: Head to Bahla fort and check out the Falaj irrigation before heading to Nizwa for the night. Stay at the Antique Inn.

Day 5: Time to drive home. Be sure to stop and admire the Wadi Al Ayn Beehive Tombs on the way.

Driving In:

From Sharjah to the Hatta Border crossing is about a 2 hour drive. This is the first place to beware of Google maps; make sure where you plan to cross is an actual border crossing! There are 5 different crossings that are opened 24 hours per day for driving through. The Hatta border crossing is the most popular and the Mezyad border crossing is convenient if coming from Abu Dhabi.

Exiting the UAE is simple, they stamp your passport and you pay $35 Dirhams per person as an exit fee. To enter Oman, you will need a visa with an American passport, but it is not necessary with a UAE resident card. You will also need to show proof of insurance on the vehicle and that it is covered in Oman.

With our passports stamped, we were on to the next step, which was a check of our car. They do a brief search of the car and send you on your way. Pro tip – you can bring 2 bottles of wine over the border which you should if you want wine! This whole process took less than 20 minutes and there were no lines.

Muscat

Our intention was to stop at the Hatta Rock Pools, but the road was completely washed out. Instead, we headed directly to our destination, the Ritz Carlton in Muscat. If you can swing it, stay here. It was right on the beach with plenty of dining options, activities, and even a bar. It’s also in an opulent palace which doesn’t hurt.

We did not have time to do much in Muscat, but here are some things I plan on checking out in my next visit:

• Muttrah Souk
• Muscat Old Quarter
• The “Twin Forts” – Fort Al Jalali and Fort Al Mirani

Bimmah Sinkhole

The next day, we ventured for a swim at the Bimmah sinkhole, which is an interesting swimming hole near the coast with high limestone cliffs. It is small and when we went in late May and there was barely anyone there but it was HOT.

We then continued down the coast to Ras Al Hadd. The coastline is incredible and rivals the Mediterranean with crystal clear water and inlets perfect for swimming. The interesting thing is that it’s super rural with just a few homes here and there. The beaches were nearly completely empty.

Ras Al Hadd

We stayed at a little guest house in Ras Al Hadd that was sparse but fine for one night. Ras Al Hadd has a post apocalyptical vibe. Our guest house was directly off of an old abandoned World War II runway which was used by the Royal Air Force, and currently used as a road by residents and tourists alike. It’s a small town with a beautiful beach dotted with shacks, fishing boats, and the abandoned car here an there. Occasionally, the sands of the beach are pink, thanks to the shells, but on our visit the pink was patchy.

The beach closes at night for the turtles, but we did see some bob their heads up in the water. Upon on our walk the next morning, we saw some tracks of turtles that had come ashore the night before to nest. I plan on coming back during the season in which the armies of baby turtles descend into the ocean, which is September – December.

To the Wahiba Sands

On our way from Ras Al Hadd to the Wahiba Sands, we visited Wadi Bani Khalid which is definitely worth the stop. You can swim through the Wadi and even hike 1 kilometer to a cave. Again, there was barely anyone around. Just a few tourists and locals, maybe about a dozen people total.

In the Wahiba Sands we stayed at Desert Nights Resort in an tented suite. This is a must see/stay type of place. We met them at the “meeting point” (AKA a gas station) and we were driven swiftly, 11km into the desert. The resort is very nicely appointed and we had our tented sweet with AC and a nice bathroom. Don’t miss the exhilarating ride up the dunes for sunset, equipped with wine. Desert Nights Resort includes dinner and breakfast, and you can purchase alcohol. The meals were nothing to write home about but good buffet style meal.

On the way to Nizwa

We decided to over shoot our destination by 20 kilometers to check out the Bahla Fort. It is said to be the birthplace of black magic and apparently there is a lot of paranormal activity here. I can vouch for the fact that this fort is extremely creepy. It’s dark and cool in the middle of hundred degree, sun shining day in a walled city. You can get lost in the Arabic architecture maze and see the stunning medieval views of the city from the towers.

We also stopped at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Falaj Daris. The Aflaj (plural for falaj) system can be seen running all over Oman and is an irrigation system to bring fresh water into towns. It dates from 500 AD and some parts of it are up to 5000 years old. It is an incredible system that is still being used to this day and is worth a stop to see a well preserved section.

We then continued on to Nizwa which is another medieval town with tiny winding roads, a fort, and souk. The city is stunning and you can see the old mud brick buildings, many of which are still in use today. The Antique Inn is centrally located with a nice pool view of a mud brick building in ruins. It’s not the nicest hotel in the world, but the pool made it great on steaming hot day.

Heading home

One the way back to the UAE, we stopped at the Wadi Al Ayn Beehive Tombs. Little is known about these tombs, but they date back to the bronze age. It is believed they were used for burials, however, remains have never been found. These tombs are all over Oman and are well preserved. Many require 4×4 to get to, but these you can drive somewhat close to. There were signs until you could see them and then you had to guess where to park. I believe there is a trail, but it looked like someone’s yard, so we didn’t make our way up close and personal. It was still worth the quick stop!

Exiting Oman

I am not 100% sure why, but we had to go into the immigration building. There is a language barrier, but I believe the officer at the booth said he didn’t have the stamp for our passports? So we entered this huge, empty building with only one employee who graciously stamped our passports and checked our car insurance. Entering the UAE was fairly simple. After going through immigration, we drove our car through a giant x-ray machine and we were on our way. Again, there were no lines and it took only 20 minutes.

In conclusion and next time

Oman is a fascinating place to visit. With the varied geography, checkered history, and interesting culture, it is a place to visit that will expand your horizons. They may have their issues, but every country does. Because Oman is one of the safest countries, it is certainly worth spending some time seeing the sights and learning more about the culture. I plan to go back to Oman at least twice more. One time will be a flight to Salalah. But, I would also like to take another road trip during the turtle season when it is cooler to take advantage of some of the great hiking and nature that was not ideal during our trip in May. More to come on that, but here is what I would like to do next time:

My plan for a fall itinerary

Day 1: Head back to Muscat and check out more the old town and some of the forts. I plan on staying closer to the city because my next stop will be the coast.

Day 2 & 3: My goal is to find a nice, waterfront villa to stay at in between Muscat and Sur. This would be an ideal jumping off point for Wadi Ash Shab. This is one of the more famous Wadis in Oman. It requires a quick boat ride across the river and then a 45 minute hike through some old Aflaj canals before arriving at the Wadi, complete with a cave to swim through.

The next day, I would like to spend the day at one of the breathtaking beaches along the coast. I cannot stress how beautiful these long stretches of uninhabited beaches were.

Day 4: Ras Al Jinz Turtle reserve, which is the only place you can legally take a tour at night to see the green sea turtles nest and lay their eggs. The beach in this reserve is also supposed to be spectacular and I would love to see the baby sea turtles make their pilgrimage to the see!

Day 5: Visit Jebel Al Akhdar in the mountains of Oman and stay at Anantara, one of the highest resorts in the world. This mountain range is known for the rose water and terraced agriculture, and even honey bees. There is a historic village carved into the mountain side and amazing views of canyons and wadis.

I mean, I could go right now, but my next stop is Portugal so stay tuned. And if you like this travel content, be sure to check out my Vietnam itinerary! Also, if you plan on checking out more of the Middle East, do not miss my Dubai Itinerary.