If you are hesitating or thinking about going to Oman, but you are not sure. Let me stop you from overthinking and wondering if you should add Oman as your next destination. I am going to say book your trip to OMAN, quick, fast, and in a hurry! Allow yourself seven or more days in this beautiful country. I wish I could stay for at least a month or so. Oman has a long history that shows the civilization of life 3,000 BC. In 1970, when Sultan Qaboos replaced his father, the country embarked on the beginning of an advanced economy as he led them through a rapid development with oil revenue. He invested in health, welfare, education and more modern infrastructure. Sultan Qaboos became a popular figure during his 50th year reign and favored as the Father of the Nation. As Sultan Qaboos bin Said, ruled Oman from 1970 to 2020. The head of state of the Sultanate of Oman is now His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, he continues to push to diversify the economy further and focus on building for the future. While my husband and I were in Dubai at the World Expo 2020, we stumbled across Oman. We learned about their project "Vision 2040" that aim to unlock the technology, economic and human potential of the Sultanate that will create a more sustainable and prosperous future for all Omanis. Along with the new ways that Oman intends to grow their economy and what areas they are focusing on. The exhibit was so interactive and fascinating that we decided to add "Oman" to our bucket list. I would say that Oman is the best kept secret in this world so far. As soon as, we got to Oman we were greeted with the utmost hospitality. The Muscat Airport was for a start different from all other airports that I have landed in so far. It seemed as if the Airport was brand new. They have the cleanest airport and the structure was one of the best. You could literally see your own reflexing on the floor (you know that it is super clean when this happens)! There were clear instructions in Arabic and English throughout the airport. From getting off of the plane to grabbing our luggage to the car rental area was smooth. There was no long waiting or mixing up with luggage that you find in other airports. This is always a plus when you can move throughout the airport without hiccups! We spent 6 days in Oman traveling throughout from Muscat to Nizwa back to Muscat spending time at forts, sinkholes, Wadi Resorts, deserts, and more.
We rented our 2WD car with Thrifty online through rentalcars.com for 295 CHF (298 euros, $318, and 263 pounds) for a week. This calculated out to $42 a day. To be honest, a 4WD car is not needed unless you plan on going up to the mountains or desert. With the 2WD car you can do steep gravel roads.
Filling up the car was cheap. It was 0.240 OMR per liter so $0.63 (0.59 euros, 0.58 swiss franc, and 0.52 pound sterling). If you are from the States or Europe, you have to pump your own gas, Well in Oman, you stay in your car and there is someone who will come and pump your gas. You never have to go into the station or pump gas yourself. This was something we were not use to, but it made things smooth. We were in and out to the next adventure quickly. This was a grateful experience.
For the first few days, we decided to stay at Royal Tulip Muscat in Muscat. It is about 25-30 minutes from the airport. Easy access and near walking distance from Oman Mall. Royal Tulip Muscat is a more luxury type of hotel. They offer FREE private parking, an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, fitness center, sauna, and a jacuzzi. You have an option to include breakfast each day or for certain days. The breakfast is a buffet option that includes an omelet bar, fruit (watermelon, melon, pineapple, cantaloupe, and more), different types of breads, and more. Along with water infused with fruit/vegetables and juices. Royal Tulip gave us easy access to walk around the area and explore.
Day 1: Mosque, Museum, and Royal Opera House
The first day, we headed to visit Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. The history behind the beautiful mosque that is known as the largest mosque in Oman is indescribable. The mosque took 6 years and 7 months to build using 300K tonnes of Indian sandstone which covers 40,000 square meters. It was opened in 2001. This is one of the only religious buildings in Oman that allows for people who are not Muslim to visit and the entry fee is FREE. Interesting that the chandelier was known as the world's largest which is 14 meters (46 feet) and was manufactured by an Italian company. Another interesting fact is that the mosque holds the second largest hand-loomed Iranian carpet that took approximately four years to weave by 600 women. Going to the mosque, women should cover their heads with a head scarf and articles of clothing should cover down to your ankles and down to your wrist. As for men, you should cover your legs and arms should at least be covered with a t-shirt. I believe that if you do not have the proper clothing, you can rent or buy proper clothing before going into the mosque. You may also hire an audio guide for history/information about the mosque for 2.5 OMR (around $6.50, 6.07 CHF, and 6.16 euros).
We were welcomed in by the locals there to join as they told us about the Islamic faith and answered all questions that we had regarding the mosque, Oman and the Islamic faith. We were also given dates, tea, water and porridge that contained almond, spices and more. It was great! Again the hospitality that is provided in Oman is unmatched! After the mosque, we headed to the Muscat Natural History Museum. We learned about the history of Oman through the animals, rocks and water. Information provided at the museum dated back more than 260 million years ago and prehistoric animals that dated back 15 and 35 million years ago.The best part was the Whale Hall and I believe it is worth a visit. You can find a skeleton of a male sperm whale that was stranded at Barka (65 km) in 1986.
The last two places we visited were the Royal Opera House and Royal Opera House of Musical Arts. To enter the Royal Opera House you have to pay 3.15 OMR ($8.19, 7.66 CHF, and 7.76 euros). We were provided a tour guide at The Royal Opera House. We learned that the opera house can be interchanged to 1,100 seats or less depending on the performance as the balcony is rotatable. During our visit, there was an Italian performance that they were getting ready for and we were able to hear a little of the rehearsal performance. The guide mentioned that each performance is international and comes with subtitles in both English and Arabic. Additionally, we were told that the chandelier was from Austria, floors were Italian, ceiling was locally built, wood was from France, and the longest pipe organ in the world was from Bonn, Germany. The pipe organ is actually placed underneath the audience seating and stage. After the Royal Opera House, you can go to the Royal Opera House of Musical Art for half the price. You just have to show them your ticket from the Royal Opera House. You will pay 1.58 OMR ($4.11, 3.84 CHF, and 3.89 euros) and I would say that the experience is worth going to. The Musical Art is very interactive and you learn a lot about music (pitch, tone, wave length, and more).
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