Private guides and guided tours in Oman

Oman

CAPITAL CITY OF Oman: Muscat
LANGUAGE OF Oman: Arabic
CURRENCY OF Oman: Omani Rial (RO)
COMMENTS ABOUT Oman:

The Sultanate of Oman is in the Middle East, on the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula.
Cities : Muscat (capital), Falaj al Qabail, Ibra, Nizwa, Salalah, Sohar
Electricity : 240V/50Hz (USA & UK plugs)
Calling Code : +968
Time Zone : UTC+4
Oman is the second largest country in the Arabian Peninsula with the United Arab Emirates dividing a small section on the northernmost tip. The country's entire east coast is fringed by the Arabian Sea and its land neighbours include Yemen to the South, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates on its western border.
Seeb International Airport is located 40 km from Muscat City Centre and also serves domestic flights. There are frequent direct flights from a number of European, Asian and African cities. There are excellent connections from all over the world with Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Emirates, British Airways, Lufthansa, Kuwait Airways, Swiss and Thai.
Oman is very much accessible by road from the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is 450 kms away from the Oman capital, Muscat and it takes approximately 4.5 hours to get there by road. There are buses (private and Government owned) buses, which ply between Dubai and Muscat every day.
Citizens of over 60 countries may obtain visit Visas valid for one-month stay on arrival.
Oman has a modern network of roads and motorways. One may exercise the self-drive option and can avail the car of their choice including four-wheel drives. Taxis are plenty but the fare needs to be agreed beforehand, as the fares are not metered.
No customs duty is levied on personal effects brought into Oman. It is forbidden to import drugs or pornographic material (magazines, tapes, CDs etc) Non-Muslims may import upto two bottles of alcohol.
Lightweight summer clothing in cotton is ideal for most of the year. Sweaters, Light jackets or shawls may be needed for the cooler evenings. The dress code in Oman is relatively relaxed when compared to most Arab countries however, extremely revealing and inappropriate clothing may be considered offensive.
All major credit cards are accepted in main hotels, stores, and most shops but in traditional souqs, cash is the most preferred means for transaction.
Automated Teller Machines can be found in most major supermarkets, hotels and other locations through out the country.
Oman has an extensive GSM network. Visitors can avoid roaming charges by purchasing a prepaid Hayyak SIM card at the Muscat airport or at Omantel counters.
Most shops and Malls are opened from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm and during Ramadan, the shops close later in the night. Embassies and Consulates are open from 8.00 am to 12.00 noon, Saturday to Thursday. In general, banking hours are Saturday to Wednesday from 8.00 am to 12.00 noon and on Thursdays from 8.00 am to 11.30 am.
While tap water is safe for drinking, a variety of locally bottled mineral water is widely available at all super markets and restaurants. Most hotels have medical help available and there are private and government medical facilities available.
Most Hotels and Public places provide facilities and make special arrangements for physically challenged visitors.
Tourist photography is allowed but it is considered offensive to photograph Muslim women or near Military installations. It is always courteous to ask permission before taking pictures.
The electrical system is based on the 220/240 AC volts with 3 pin British type plugs. US made appliances may need an adapter.
Ramadan is the holy month of fasting when Muslims abstain from eating, drinking and smoking during daylight hours. As a sign of respect, visitors are also required to refrain from these activities in public between sunrise and sunset. In 2004, the holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin around 14 October. At the end of 30 days or on sighting of the moon, Eid Al Fitr is celebrated.
Alcohol is served in Hotels, Select restaurants and bars. However, drinking in public is not permitted.

CLIMATE OF Oman: Summer is between May and September. The best time to visit Oman is between October and April when temperature ranges between 25 and 35 C during the day and between 17 and 19 C at night. Most buildings and Vehicles used in Oman are Air-Conditioned.
RELIGION OF Oman: Islam is the official religion while other faiths are also respected.
POPULATION OF Oman: 2363600>>