Muscat Oman - Day 1: Orientation, First Impressions, Hotels,

This is the first in a series of posts about the Sultanate of Oman. I have visited Oman many times over the past few years, and seen it move from tourism obscurity to hip destination. When I first visited Oman, I would have scoffed at the idea of holidaying there. But, now it has got to the point where I confidently recommended Oman as a family holiday destination to a fellow Irish person stranded in Atlanta last year.

First Impressions

For most people who are not geography experts, the first impression of Oman comes from a map. When you find it, shaped like a rotated California and sitting there beside Saudi Arabia and across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, you think "oh that's where it is". But, you may also think "is it safe there?" [The good news is that it is indeed safe, read on...].

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Before I traveled to Oman, I knew Muscat primarily from seeing it on departures boards at Heathrow, where the name itself conjured up an image of an impossibly exotic destination. The truth is not far off.

When you land at Muscat's Seeb airport, you leave the plane on a walkway and walk to a bus. Most flights arrive in the evening, when it is dark. If you arrive in the summer, during that short walk from the plane to the bus you may think "If it's this hot after dark, how hot must it get during the day?". And you would be right. It gets very hot in the summer. But, other seasons are more comfortable, and in fact the southern part of Oman gets much rain in the winter months and, during that monsoon season, can look more like England's Somerset than the Middle East.

Most visitors first must buy an visa (approx $20) using foreign currency or a credit card. You then queue up customs/immigration, get your passport stamped, and collect your bags.

When I first visited Oman, there was no system of set prices for taxi trips from the airport to hotels. I knew one German friend who was ripped off, but as he pointed out, he did not notice because the cost of the trip was what he would have paid in Europe. The real cost should have been much less. Now, there is a system of fixed costs for hotels, so you can't be ripped off.

As you drive south from the airport to Muscat, you pass a very impressive mosque, your first introduction to the often beautiful Omani mosque architecture.



Where to stay

Then you arrive at your hotel. I can only speak for hotels I've stayed at, so here are my recommendations:

The Sheraton Muscat is in Ruwi which is primarily a business area. It has a famous all-you-can-eat seafood feast every Wednesday, a small gift shop (postcards, Omani perfume) and a small bar (bars in Oman really only exist in hotels). I watched key games of the 2006 World Cup at this hotel, sitting in big armchairs along with many locals, watching the games on a big screen which the staff setup in a large conference room. Good times.



When you enter the Sheraton Muscat, you are immediately struck by the smell of frankincense, which is the ubiquitous smell in Oman. It is burnt in the hotel lobby.

The Radisson SAS is located in Al Khuwair .Al Khuwair has some shops, including a good perfume shop, within walking distance of the hotel. However, if you walk then you have to negotiate a road which has no visible means of crossing.



This hotel has a great pool which I've shown below [the Sheraton also has a pool, but I prefered the one at the Radisson]. The photo is a microcosm of Oman, with the pool, then the mosque, then the low-slung white buildings, then the dusty bare hills.



Both the Sheraton and the Radisson SAS are in city locations. In many countries, this means hustle and bustle. But, most of Muscat is very quiet. The following photo captures a typical scene, with the sand, many sedate white buildings, not many people walking, and a preponderance of roundabouts. For most people, this is boring. So, a good option is to stay south of Muscat at the beaches.



South of Muscat, at the beaches, there is the Al-Bustan Palace Hotel. This is probably too expensive for a family holiday, but is very nice.



The Shangri-La Aj Jissah resort is great for the beach (and swimming pools too, see below). It is also, in my option, a great option for families with children. The dive school is close by, and you can view turtles on nearby beaches, and drive inland for desert safaris (or "dune bashing").




The first thing to do when you get to your hotel

Order a cool refreshing mint lemon drink. These always seem to taste better in Oman than anywhere else.



What (not) to wear

If you're wondering what to wear in Oman, read this blog post on "What to wear in muscat, Oman. for all'ya'all tourists".


More posts on Oman:

• Muscat, Oman - Day 2: Mutrah Souk
• Muscat, Oman - Day 3: A walk along Mutrah Corniche
• Muscat, Oman - Day 4: The Sultan's Palace
• Muscat, Oman - Day 5: Beach and Mountains
• A cat at Mutrah Souk, Muscat, Oman