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Take a bus (Oman Transport) from the bus station in Ruwi.Cheap, comfortable and quite safe. The trip is about 2hours and 20 minutes.Unfortunately no bookings can be made, buy ticket from the driver.
It is possible to drive over from the UAE by rental car. However you need to purchase a separate insurance policy. Not all rental agencies do this and prices vary greatly, so it pays to shop around. Other than that, crossing the border is very simple and straight forward, the driving time Dubai-Muscat is about 6-8 hours. Roads are very good on both sides of the border.
Most people that go to Oman end up getting a tour with Marks Tours or Zaharas tours based in Muscat and Salalah. I heard they are good tours but they are about 10 times more expensive than renting a car in Muscat. Most people dont know the difference but if you go to a local dealership you can rent a car for about 10 rials a day (30 $) with unlimited gas and insurance and you can rent a SUV for about 20 rials. Marks Tours etc charge about 70 rials a day per person to see some sights (70 rials and up). So make sure you bring your drivers license preferably an international license and you will save a ton of money!
The intercity buses are operated by ONTC which has daily services to from most of the main towns for under 5RO except for Salalah which cost around 13 RO return from Muscat. Buses are usually on time (en shallah) and it is worth making a few reservations before heading out for long journeys.
Travelling beyond Muscat or Nizwa can be a lonely experience. The interior has a low population and there are no tourist hang outs in the country. Meeting a backpacker is extremely rare and I have only seen half a dozen in the past 3 years. While Omani people are very friendly and hospitable, they are private and like to be left alone. You will be invited in for dinner etc but dont expect to stay with them for days on end. If you hitch a ride to the interior you need to be careful as you may get stuck there for awhile. On the whole, as with any country with remote interior, have a backup plan in the form of a vehicle, friend , food or map and compass.
Arriving in the Seeb airport is quite straight forward until you enter the exit hall. You will be hounded by taxi drivers asking you for an amazingly high price. For a tourist 8 to 10 RO sounds fair within the limits of the city but an experienced person living in the country I know that 10 RO + is insanely high to pay. What to do ? The best possible thing to do (depending on luggage size) is dont get in one of the airport taxis , instead walk the five minutes to the main highway(directly across from the airport) and wait for a yellow and white mini bus aka Baiza Bus. They will take you to any area of Muscat for 1/20 of the cost that the taxi drivers demand at the airport. The taxi hawks at the airport will pull out an official looking paper with a price list (which they made on Microsoft Word) but dont pay attention to them. Just say 'Shukran, La Ureed' which means Thank you but I dont...
Taxis in Oman are expensive for tourists but if you know the game and live here they are not that pricy. Generally speaking, taxis around any city which may be Muscat, Nizwa etc charge between 1 RO to 2 RO from one end of the city to the other. This usually covers an area about 30 to 40 KM. If you are travelling around 150 to 175 KM then the price of a taxi is 6RO no matter what they tell you! Hold your ground and they will understand that you are familiar with the prices. If your taxi driver doesnt speak English then say "Kul Yoam theneen Rials" which means everyday it cost 2 RO and it almost always works.
Many tourists get taxis around the cities and towns but this is a very expensive option. The best way to get around Oman is by bus (city to city) . Every city is covered by bus and it rarely exceeds 5 RO. Just look for the castle looking bus stops because they all have timetables. If you are traveling in cities then Baiza Buses are the best way to go. They are white and yellow mini vans and they rarely charge more than 400 Baiza ($1 US) for lengthy distances. If you know the area of town you are going then you only need to tell the driver the area, he only takes you to general areas but this option is very cheap. For example, if you get a baiza bus from the Waterfront to Seeb in Muscat , it will only cost you 300 to 400 baiza for 40 KM. They are shared mini buses but are very easy to use. When you want the driver to stop hit the roof of the bus or say "Huna Zain" which means here is...
The petrol kiosks in Oman are very modern and conveniently located at many towns. There is usually a convenient stall in the petrol kiosk where you can buy various food and drinks just like other countries. Needlessly to say, petrol is very cheap in Oman and the two major companies are Shell and Oman Oil
One activity you should try in Oman is to take a leisure cruise on the traditional dhow, which is the boat which is used for fishing and transportation. The sunset dhow cruise is a very good option and you may be able to spot dolphins and other sea animals if you are lucky. I did not have enough time to take the dhow cruise but would really love to do so, maybe next time if I am coming back to the Arabia peninsula :)
InterContinental Al Bustan Palace Muscat Muscat
16 Reviews and 186 Opinions If you have a chance to visit this prestigious hôtel , you will not regret it. Outstanding...
Hilton Salalah Salalah
6 Reviews and 99 Opinions The minute I entered this hotel I knew something was special and it did not take me long to discover...
Sur Beach Hotel Sur
4 Reviews and 23 Opinions This hotel is a three star option and in my opinion the best you can choose in Sur. Having stayed...
Reviews and photos of Oman attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Oman sightseeing.
More Regions in Oman
Q: who could inform me about a really good local travel agency or tour operator in oman, in order to book with them a 15 days round...
A: I recommend Nomad Tours in Oman. We stayed at Nomad Guest House in Muscat- it was excellent, and Lorna (the owner) can organize any tour that you might like to...
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