Last fall, I met an Omani man at my guest house in Delhi, India. When he learned I was a travel writer, he began to gush about Oman. “You must go! It is so beautiful. Muscat is gorgeous and people are so friendly.” I was sold. I added Oman to a list of Middle Eastern countries to visit this spring.
I arrived in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on a balmy March evening on the heels of visiting Dubai in the UAE. I’d thoroughly enjoyed my time in Dubai and, if reports I’d read on the Internet were any indication, I’d be even more wowed by Oman.
My first inkling that Oman might not be all that I hoped came a few minutes later. The driver of the taxi who met me at the airport started asking what I wanted to do in Muscat. I replied that I’d begin by taking the hop-on, hop-off Big Bus in order familiarize myself with the sprawling city. “Oh no! You don’t want to do that. It’s really expensive and you have to wait a long time between buses.” His warning was quickly followed with a sales pitch. He could show me everything I needed to see in half a day and it would cost only $65.
I wasn’t interested. As a photographer, I often need to wait for the right light, or for crowds to clear in order to get the best shot. As a writer, I must be able to roam at my own pace, soaking up the atmosphere, talking to locals, and musing over story angles. Being tied to a tour where I’m allowed 15 or 20 minutes at each stop simply doesn’t work. I politely declined, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Trapped in his vehicle, I suffered the hard sell all the way to my hotel.
It was late and I was exhausted by the time we reached my hotel. I wanted nothing more than to fall into bed and sleep for ten hours. But my room fronted on a six-lane highway and the traffic noise was so bad I knew sleeping would be impossible. I asked for and was given a second room…which had a balcony with sliding glass doors that would not lock.
As a solo female traveler, I have a few non-negotiable rules for staying safe. One of them is never to stay in a room where the doors won’t lock. Once again, I asked for my room to be changed. The third try was even worse. The room reeked like a dead animal and there were dark brown spots on the carpet the size of dinner plates. I’m sure the Filipino staff hated me by that time, but I had to demand a fourth room, which was finally acceptable.
My experience did not improve over the next five days. I began in Old Muscat, where the only interesting sites among a sea of whitewashed buildings were the Al Alam Palace and two 16th-century Portuguese forts. None of which were open to the public. With everything closed during the midday heat, streets of the old town were deserted. The only sign of life was four Omani men wearing the traditional Omani Dishdasha, an ankle-length white caftan, and round embroidered caps known as kumma. They strolled slowly down the middle of the street, eventually disappearing into one of the brilliant white palaces. Little did I know this would be the closest I would ever get to Omani culture.
Dejectedly, I turned my back on Old Muscat and headed back down the 4-mile Corniche. It was a beautiful seaside walk, but as in Old Muscat, everything along the way was closed. I arrived at the Mutrah Suq just as the market was opening for the evening and ducked inside to wander its cool narrow alleyways. Like any other market in the world, merchants hawked wares ranging from gold to spice to pashmina shawls. But every single one of the shop owners was an immigrant. I met friendly Pakistanis, Filipinos, Bangladeshis, and even Nepalis. But not a single Omani was to be found.
On day two I fended off multiple pushy taxi drivers, found the Big Bus stop, and sat down to wait. The bus arrived fifteen minutes later, but I wasn’t allowed to board. A cruise ship was in town and the company was busy shuttling passengers back to the ship. When the next bus finally arrived, it did an “abbreviated” route that ignored some of the stops shown on the company’s website.
We were well past the beach by the time I realized the driver had skipped it. My only option would have been to go all the way around and wait for the next bus. By that time it was too late. Even if I took a quick stroll on the beach and grabbed a late lunch, I would miss the last bus back. And a taxi back to the hotel would set me back another 25 bucks.
My Big Bus ticket was for two days, so I set out early the next morning. I was beginning to suspect that there was little to see or do in Muscat, and the Big Bus tour quickly confirmed my worst fears. Strangely, the two most visited sites, the Muscat Opera House and the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, were not even included on the route. Unlike the hop-on, hop-off buses I’ve taken in dozens of other locations around the world, this one was a total rip-off. I did manage to see the mosque when a lovely French Canadian family at the hotel invited me to accompany them in their rental car. Good thing, too, because the taxi driver I’d hired to take me didn’t show up.
For the remainder of my time in Oman, I decided to focus on day trips outside of the capital city. I’d read about jeep tours in the surrounding Sahara-like dunes, off-roading through rugged mountain scenery, and wadis where hidden emerald pools offer opportunities for a cool dip. I tried my favorite go-to booking site, GetYourGuide, and even Viator, without success. Not only are tours in Oman extremely expensive, the minimum number of participants for any tour was two people. As a single person I would have had to pay double, even if other customers joined the same tour. The cheapest option was $250 for a half-day trip to a wadi. I just said no.
I spent my last day wandering around the Mutrah area, eating horrible fast food and trying to meet locals other than taxi drivers. The only Omanis I found were squatting on the sidewalk in front of a sand pit, playing an ancient game known as hawalis. The chess-like game involved moving a series of pebbles among four rows of holes dug in the sand. The men refused to acknowledge me and even my requests to take a photo went unanswered. Lacking denial, I snapped the photo. I stood there a while longer, trying to decipher the rules of the game, but their snub made me increasingly uncomfortable. I later learned the centuries-old game, which is just as incomprehensible as the local culture, is exclusive to Oman.
Others may wax lyrical about Oman, but the only friendly people I met were immigrants. And the countryside may indeed be beautiful, but since all the tours were exceedingly expensive, I never saw it. There is no published information about bus routes and no rapid transit. Even renting a car is problematic. My new French Canadian friends told me horror stories about getting lost in the interior on roadways completely devoid of any directional signs. Oman doesn’t have a clue how to handle tourism. Until it does, I can find lots of other places to spend my money.
Author’s note: Since publishing this article, I have been flooded with comments from travelers who love Muscat. I’m the first to say that different places resonate with different people. I may not want to return, but those of you who are intrigued by Oman as a destination may find both this comprehensive travel guide to Oman and this 10-Day Oman Itinerary helpful.
I really wouldn’t recommend anywhere in GCC to travelers. Then entire region’s a giant oppressive sandbox.
In general, I agree with you Mike, but I quite liked Dubai, and I really loved Lebanon.
Don’t go to Oman on a beer budget. Problem solved. You had a few bad experiences that really don’t have anything to do with the country itself. You couldn’t get out of your comfort zone perhaps enough to enjoy everything Oman has to offer. You were better off paying the $65 to the cab driver but you let your negativity get the best of you. Seems like you’re an avid traveler but doesn’t look like you really planned this one out that well to be honest.
Dubai as a city doesn’t even have any Emirati culture. The only reason why you were appealed by it was because all the tourist destinations were catered and broadcasted in a way that would make tourists like YOU be drawn to it and think that you are really “experiencing” Emirati culture. As for Oman, you should’ve visited other cities rather than only Muscat. Salalah is a great example, and the weather and scenery is gorgeous too.
In my experience, having been there like 6-7 times I find Omanis to be incredibly friendly. Whenever I needed help with anything there was always one around. Also, Oman is a very peaceful place in comparison to Dubai so the people reflect that. It’s all about effort and attitude, the men are extremely respectful and as another poster said, will not talk to Western women quite often out of respect for not only his wife and family, but for you as well. You cannot compare Dubai and Oman, yes it’s in the same part of the world but comparing Dubai to Muscat is like comparing apples to oranges. Also, the prices you list for things are inaccurate. You make it seem like it’s crazy expensive, for lunch you can have a fresh fruit juice and a biryani for $3. As for dinner, you can have an absolute feast for $20 or keep it modest for a third or even quarter of that while still eating good quality food. I had a 30 minute taxi ride and it was like 4 rial, or $10, where I’m from that would be quadruple the price. Tours are not that expensive, you can get amazing tours for like $25-40USD should you talk to the right people. I have found it to be more of a country about connections than anything else and should you make connections and/or honestly try to it is an amazing place to visit. From reading your article it seems as if you just sort of showed up.
Hi Eugene. Thanks for sharing your experience. It certainly reinforces the idea that different places resonate differently with different people. And yes, I did just “show up.” It’s how I travel, by choice, because I don’t want to have any expectations when arriving in a new country. It’s better for my writing, and 99.99999% of the time it works wonderfully. Not in this case, though.
So… you wasted your time and ours as well. Oman is not a country to just show up. There is so much too see it needs a bit of research. I think you SHOULD come back prepared or ask any of the expat residents to show you around and introduce you to sincere Omanis to get e real glimpse of the Omani culture.
Dear Barbara,
I live in muscat as a family for 4 years now. I learned the basic manners here in Oman and not in India (my country of origin).
Open the door for someone and wait till they pass.
Wait for someone who walk and pass.
Wishing everyone when you meet them. There is no discrimination.
Friendly and who treat you well even if you are from other country.
There is no partialty or differences that you are from a different country.
There are lot of wadi’s, trekking, caves, barbeque, night stay at the desert which will Stay with you forever. You can see the real omaini culture when you experience that.
Lot of sports activities. No pollution no water or electricity problems.
A girl can go alone in the mid night and return home safely.
Lot and lot more to experience in oman.
Please do visit again and am sure it will change your perspective.
Hi Arun. Many people have said the same thing to me and I’ve come to the conclusion that I should perhaps give it a try, but pass on Muscat and head out into the outback. Thanks for your kind comment.
Arun
Wow. You learnt basic manners in Oman and not India?? That us quite a statement. Maybe you could not survive in India for such a negative attitude. I used to live in Muscat for 6 years and I am from Madras. Muscat was never safe for women to go alone at night in most places. Heavy censorship. You hardly have heard stories of women going missing. Maybe you should read and converse more instead of blind faith. Good luck.
Wow!
The lady is just offering an opinion. If you don’t have anything good to say then don’t open your mouth and show how ignorant one is, say nothing.
David Anderson, Parksville B.C. Canada.
Yes! you right, that is her opinion base on her experience, I seen somebody with the same opinion.
Yeah it’s an opinion, but from my point of view it’s written in a slanderous tone. There is a way to criticize something and be sensitive towards another culture, but this is not it.
I agree, funny enough she writes that she could not find any local Omani selling in the market, yet in her photo it clearly shows a Omani selling in his shop in the market.. Anyway, the writer is however correct in stating that the hop on bus is expensive and a rip off, that is why most of the tourist I know got connected to locals via forums, or Apps like coachsurfing or airbnb. About the men squatting playing the ancient game, they probably lack the language to communicate with you.
Hi, it’s a shame you didn’t enjoy this wonderful country. I’m American, living in Bahrain with my husband, and we travel to Oman any opportunity we can. It is expensive, yes, however the tours to the wadis and desert are not close by, some are several hours away. Once we toured these places we understood why the cost was high, and we were happy to pay the guides, even tipping them an additional 20-30 OMR. Also, I think you might be a different type of traveler than those who suggested Oman to you. I’ve been to Dubai and found it boring, it’s no different than Las Vegas, and I hate Las Vegas, but most of my friends here in Bahrain love Dubai, and travel there every chance they get, while we flee to Oman 🙂 Living in a GCC country for two years has opened my eyes to a lot going on here. As an expat, I’m a guest to their lifestyle and culture. Shops tend to open and close when it is suitable, same with restaurants, bus timings, dental appointments etc. It is just how life is lived here. It’s a good lesson to see cultures not so hectic while reviewing how I, as an American live – always stressed and in a hurry. I still am always on time! However, I don’t get irritated when these inconveniences pop up anymore (and they often pop up.) I’ve had two years to adapt, and you only had a short vacation to adapt unfortunately. Oman is actually a stable, safe, tolerant, beautiful and very clean country. The Omani people are the nicest people we have ever encountered. It breaks my heart your experience was opposite.
Best wishes to you on all your future journeys.
Hi Kimberly: Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I always find it interesting how I respond to different countries. I had expected not to like Dubai much, as I’m not much on glitz and glamour. But I was so intrigued by how they turned a barren strip of sand to one of the world’s greatest cities that I couldn’t help being impressed. I think that places resonate differently with different people, and for some reason my energy just didn’t jibe with Oman’s. I’ve had it happen before. For instance, I didn’t much like Prague and I detested Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. And if I never go back to Shanghai, it’ll be too soon. But I’ve also liked places that others find distasteful. Guess the old saying is true: to each his own.
But in 50 years Sultan Qaboos turned Oman from a country where slavery was legal and there were 7km of paved road to an amazing beautiful modern country that you weren’t willing to see. this is very dissapointing
women who travel solo still unfortunately or fortunately have to or want to stay away from places where male chauvinist pigs rule.
Hi barbara im sorry that you had a bad experience i’m an Omani living in Muscat and I would love to take you around if ever you came back to visit us im not a tour guide or anything just an ordinary female
Thank you so much Tala. That’s a very kind offer and I’ll keep it in mind. I feel there must have been more to Oman than what I experienced.
HI Tala
Pleas advise onmust see’s in Muskat in Deceber 2018.
We will only be there for the day with the cruise ship
Forgive me Barbara, but I think you have forgotten a very important point when it comes to traveling, and that is that “You are a Guest” in a foreign country. No one, besides the people at the hotel, owe you anything. Perhaps you have grown accustomed to people being surprised or intrigued by your presences, or perhaps you have become a bit snooty after all your travels. Either way, when you travel, as you stated, take it all in and try your best to engage locals, but don’t ever think that you deserve anything, not even a hello. You came to their country, not the other way around.
I’m the one who was greeting people, Marco, thus it was definitely not me being snooty. You are very correct that people don’t “owe” me a hello back or even any kind of kindness. But you’ve made my argument for me – why on earth would I ever want to go back when the people there can’t even say hello?
I apologise on behalf of my Omani brethren whom proved to be either too shy, or perhaps lacked the communication skill.. However had you greeted me or any of the educated locals, we would even insisted that we take you on a free tour and even invite you for a meal, as is the custom.
So sorry I didn’t meet you, Abdulla. I would have loved that.
Wow…what a terrible comment. Can you tell me where you live so that I NEVER visit your land? If you think that way, perhaps the others in your homeland feel the same. I am American and I welcome all with open arms.
Only visted Muscat for a day …. people are so friendly, it’s clean, felt safe
Would go back
Barbara, 94 countries, not bad, not bad at all =) greetings from Warsaw.
Hi Andrze: Thanks so much. Greetings from Chiang Mai, Thailand. I love Warsaw, BTW! One of my favorite cities in Europe, and wildly underrated, IMO.
Try living in Oman….I wish I had done more research about this country before I moved in here last year. Everyone had been so enthusiastic that I thought that I’d won the lottery when I got a job here. It couldn’t possibly be further from the truth and now desperatey trying to get out!
So sorry to hear that Karolina. Hope you find a position elsewhere.
Karolina, if I may ask, why? I just got offered a teaching job there. Should I take it?
Maybe if you had listened to the taxi driver from the airport you may have found he was right and the bus as he tried to explain was a mistake. For $65 who knows how much that would have changed your experience. Although it is not ideal getting an unsuitable room, a hotel that is willing to keep changing the room until you are happy is a good hotel in my opinion. And finally omanis are not animals in a safari park there for your entertainment imagine if you were playing cards with a friend in a cafe and some foreigner just stood over you staring maybe you made them uncomfortable but you translate this as they are not friendly, why because they didnt perform for you????
I don’t expect people to “perform” for me, Thomas. But it would have been nice if even ONE Omani had replied to me when I said “Hell” or “As-salám aláykum.”
I completely understand why she didn’t take the driver up on his offer. A solo traveler needs to think about safety. Giving a stranger control over where they can take you is risky. I guess you need to be a solo female traveler to understand that. If she had taken him up on his offer and something had happened to her I’m sure you would have an opinion on that as well.
Even as a male, I would not have felt comfortable with the taxi driver’s offer. I would have been even more nervous as he tried harder and harder to get me to do it. Everyone should be careful in foreign lands!
Very well said.
Tnx for sharing your experience. I visited muscat last year but i saw it different as you said (may because i travel by own car) also about the game i don’t think so its be exclusive to oman as people in south of Iran play the same thing …
Hi Mojtaba: Thanks for your input. Glad to know others have had a better experience than I did.
Really liked the way you described evrything but there are certain facts you should had researched before visiting Oman. Right now it is still opening up for tourism and they are focusing more on the high end tourists which is why most tours would be costly but standards will be really high as there are many other places which cater to the mid and lower segment already. Most people come to Oman to escape the noisy and crowded cities to relax in nice big hotels. Public transport is known to be poor though it is improving and visiting oman should definitely be done using a rental car. Muscat isn’t really known for its tourist attractions but the places around Muscat are famous for what they offer to tourists. Having lived in 5/6 GCC countries I can definitely say Omanis are some ofthe most friendliest and humble people in the region.
Hi Sarthak: Thanks so much for your polite comment. Every person has a different experience when they travel. Unfortunately, mine in Oman was not good, but that doesn’t mean others will have the same experience.
Oman is a great country.
Of course, Omanis and Expats live in harmony.
Peace is the hallmark of Oman because we have people from different countries. Any country where the local population mingles with the expat community will achieve peace and development.
You love Oman because you can’t get a job in your original country because of overpopulation! When the oil runs dry you will all wither
if you don’t want to do research before visiting a place then you need to take it for what it is. Not everywhere is waiting for you to visit with lots of cheap activities whenever YOU want to do them.
doing a little research may have saved you this obviously very awful trip and left Oman to the people who appreciate it for what it is.
Hi Barbara,
I felt ur opinions and comments about Oman were true.. i had lived in muscat for 17 years (Ruwi) and now settled in New Zealand… Oman still needs a lot of improvement and growth in the tourism sector.. I feel the government still has not done enough or has underestimated the true potential of this sector (especially a country with such scenic beauty) when compared to other middle eastern countries (UAE, Bahrain etc)
Anyways sorry to hear that ur trip wasn’t enjoyable as expected…
Hi Sam: Thanks for sharing your experience. I really wish I’d had a better time in Oman, but the way things are there, as a solo traveler, I found it extremely difficult to arrange to see any of that scenic beauty.
Barbara, thank you for being honest in sharing your experiences. Some people may not be able to accept them, however, honest and real experiences as such are great help for travellers in making decision on where to go next or at least what to expect…. thanks.
You’re very welcome William. Thanks for your comment – it meant a lot to me.
I’m a Omani kid and I don’t like my tourist section of Oman, me and my family go to yachts and hotels like bar al Jissa shangrila resort and sometimes rent limos for Bday parties . My family talks English so I feel weird in public because all Omanis talk Arabic and they look at me ??this is oman what to do
Oh dear Jana, I’m sorry to hear that even a local doesn’t like the tourist areas. That’s very telling.
Barbara, I found numerous posts here, in response to your time in Oman, to be completely insensitive and probably unrelated to other countries they suggested you visit. You were in Oman at the suggestion of someone, based on how their experience had been. It was Oman you were interested in experiencing. Every country has it\’s own culture. A lot are not developed in terms of being sensitive to other cultures and how to take care of their tourism industry. Those are just facts and it was your experience. I trust it.
Thank you so much H. Davis. I am constantly amazed that people feel it is appropriate to write hateful comments. Of course, they do so anonymously, so I guess they feel safe. But I’m finding it harder and harder to hold my tongue with these people. When they say that I should have more thoroughly researched Oman before traveling there, I wonder if they would say the same thing to Graham Greene, one of the great travel writers of all time. Or Patrick Leigh Fermor, who walked across Eastern Europe with little information before setting out. Or even in more recent times, Paul Theroux, who has never much relied on guide books. In my earlier days of travel there was no Internet, and guidebooks were out of date by the time they were published. Yet in those days, travel was still the supreme adventure! You headed off and figured it out along the way. You talked to locals and asked their help. You stayed longer and got to know the lay of the land. My sense of things is that the Internet has taken all that away from us. I, for one, choose to travel in the old manner, so that I can have an adventure and bring those tales to my readers. I frankly pity the people who have to plan every second of a journey. Thank you again for so eloquently responding to my critics.
Perhaps you\’re too thin-skinned to be a travel writer, Barbara. I didn\’t find H Davis remarks (anonymously or not) hateful or inappropriate. In fact, you both made valid points. The bottom line is that travel is a highly personal experience. Your most favorite travel destination is someone else\’s least favorite destination. Lighten up! 🙂
I think you missed her point, Dave. She didn’t say H Davis’ comments were hateful. Go back and re-read it.
I agreed with you he missed the point.
I don’t feel comfortable with a man telling a female solo traveller to ‘lighten up’. Your solo traveling experience of a foreign place does not incur the same dangers we face being women on our and that is something YOU must remember.
No need to pity us at all – planning every second of my journey is how I enjoy it. For a number of reasons such as financial (want to experience everything in the cheapest way possible), time and health conditions (e.g. anxiety). I travel on my own and still feel a sense of adventure and meeting new people, but it helps me feel safe knowing I have a plan.
Your article is so well written and openly honest about your experience and I could \’feel\’ your disappointment in having to write thus. Feel sad at the tone of some of the replies. Wholeheartedly agree with the idea of not doing endless research. We do very little until we get to our destination and then do a bit.
We love the mystery in finding out things for ourselves and try to feel and see like the early travellers might have.
Good luck and thanks.
Thank you so much Therese. I appreciate your support and your comment. I’ve been doing this for more than 11 years now and I do really believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I must admit that I tend to get a little testy when people come out in full attack mode and don’t even have the guts to use a real name.
Barbra Weibel was obviously paid to write a bad review of Oman by one of the Middle Eastern countries that is envious of the great strides and social justice in Oman compared to the other gas station dictatorships.
She loved Dubai and hated Oman. LOL
Dear David: No. Not paid a cent. I truly disliked Oman.
Hi Barbara. I was privileged to live in Oman with my husband and young children for 2 years. Admittedly it was late 80\’s. I worked with Omanis, had Omani friends and travelled extensively throughout the country. I found Oman to be a fascinating place with plenty of culture. It sounds from your experiences that the country has become more tourist friendly in one way but also more commercial. Visiting a foreign country, especially one with such different cultures to your own, and actually living there are very different things.
Next time try Ghana.
Hi Sue: Yes, I think they’ve focused on tourism in Oman, but haven’t really figured out the best way to do it. Left a bad taste in my mouth. And I wholeheartedly agree that living in a place is much different than visiting. Now, as for Ghana…I’m intrigued by that country and DO hope to visit. Maybe next year!
I agree.
I lived in Oman for 3 years. I go back every yr to visit. 20 times in total. Would love to retire there but unfortunately too expensive
Very strange… Been there and loved it. But, maybe you are measuring things according to US. Many people do unfortunately.
I love differences and buses not being on time or noise will not spoil my vacation.
There is no such a thing as too noisy – it is more like not being tired enough.
Anyway, I loved Oman and all countries that I have visited. I strive for change and absorb with all of my senses.
I have the sense from Barbara\’s travels and experience in many countries, that she is not comparing any country to the US. It\’s also imperative that she not waste time and money, since she travels for a living. I didn\’t find your post very realistic of her lifestyle and experience in Oman. She has no reason to print something that isn\’t true or realistic.
I seriously doubt that she was paid to write a bad review on Oman, but I do agree in regards to Dubai, the land of conspicuous consumption on steroids. It\’s definitely not my idea of having a good time.
Sorry to read that you had a bad experience. I wonder if you ever been to Pskistan especially northern part; law enforcement situation is improving there and as a Pakistani American I am kindly requesting if you would consider your next journey through there.
Pakistan is definitely on my wish list ZulfiQar. One of these days…
The writer seems like someone who should stay in Chicago, and get everything she needs at the time she wants in the the easiest of ways. Just stay home, lady.
LOL – I’ve been to 94 countries, so I have a pretty good basis for comparison. You???
Really ??? if you hated Oman , you probably left your soul at home . I visited for business ( not Muscat though) and found Omanis to be very hospitable , nice , helpful and respectful to visitors. It has authenticity , humbleness . The dilemma is that your pictures contradict your writing .
If you took these while hating Oman ,then It is a testament to your skill as photographer . You are a good photographer. Not sure why you did not drive & chose to be dependent .
If what you write are your true feelings , I would suggest Madurodam in Netherlands for your next visit , great opportunity for aerials , light opportunities are great , no ( real) people or cars also tourist facilities in Nederland are very good , it is a nice quiet country .
But very expensive! I live 29 years in Amsterdam.
Honestly, you were not planning your trip as you should have. Muscat has so many to offer and the locals if you go to the right places, are amazing people, open for a chat every time.
Going to the Wadis outside the capital is also really beautiful. ODC beach like so many others is much nicer than what you find in Dubai. Dining at Cargeen is a bucket list must for every Muscat traveller. The pool at Chedi with the insane sunset…
Do your homework next time!