Situated
in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula, the Sultanate of Oman is bordered by
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west, Yemen to the southwest and the United
Arab Emirates (UAE) to the northwest.
Oman's
coastline, which is 1,700 kilometres long, extends to the Gulf of Oman, the
Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Muscat, the capital of Oman, is host to
beautiful beaches and a fascinating culture and heritage that dates back
thousands of years.
Visas
Valid
passports and visas are required upon entry, except for nationals of Gulf
Cooperation Council member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab
Emirates and Saudi Arabia). Visas can be obtained from any Omani Embassy or
Consulate abroad.
Visitors
from most European and North American countries can obtain a visa upon arrival
at Muscat International Airport, at a cost of OMR 20.
View visa information from the Omani Ministry of Informantion
Currency
The
Omani currency is the Rial, divided
into 1000 Baisa.
Here are the most recent exchange rates for some common currencies.
OMR 1.00
equals:
|
Exchange Rates
|
Currency
|
|
2.75
|
Australian Dollar
(AUD)
|
|
1.93
|
Euro
(EUR)
|
|
1.53
|
British Pound
(GBP)
|
|
20.07
|
Hong Kong Dollar
(HKD)
|
|
155.40
|
Indian Rupee
(INR)
|
|
263.71
|
Japanese Yen
(JPY)
|
|
3.03
|
New Zealand Dollar
(NZD)
|
|
15.96
|
Chinese Yuan Renminbi
(RMB)
|
|
3.22
|
Singapore Dollar
(SGD)
|
|
2.59
|
US Dollar
(USD)
|
Taxes
There is a government tax
of 9%, and a service tax of 8%.
Tipping
Tipping is
not expected in Oman. However, a gratuity is a welcome gesture for exceptional
service.
Business Hours
Bank Hours
8am - 12.30pm, Sunday through Thursday
8am - 11.30am, Thursday
ATMs are available 24 hours and will accept most international bank cards.
Office Hours
Most offices are closed on Friday to observe jumu'ah,the Islamic friday prayer.
8am - 2pm, Saturday to Wednesday (Government)
8am - 5pm, Saturday to Wednesday (Business)
Businesses usually close between 1pm and 2.30pm for lunch
Shop Hours
9am - 1pm and 4pm - 8pm / 9pm, Saturday through Thursday
4pm - 8pm / 9pm, Friday
Public Health
No health certificates are
required for visitors to Oman, except for people who have recently been in an
area with an outbreak of yellow fever.
Dress
As
in all Middle Eastern countries, respect for the local customs and
sensibilities is recommended. Short, revealing or tight clothing should not be
worn in public places.
Lightweight
summer clothing is suitable for most of the year, but something slightly warmer
may be needed in the evening for the winter months. In winter and summer, be
sure to take some sort of jacket or sweater when visiting shopping malls,
cinemas or hotels, as the air conditioning can be quite cold.
Weather
Muscat enjoys warm weather from November to March, with cool and occasionally cold nights. From May to October, coastal breezes and low humidity combine to lessen the effects of the desert heat.
Today
Mostly Cloudy
Clouds giving way to some sun
|
High:
|
35°C /
95°F
|
|
Low:
|
31°C /
87°F
|
Tomorrow
Partly Sunny
Very warm with more sun than clouds
|
High:
|
37°C /
98°F
|
|
Low:
|
33°C /
91°F
|
|
Tuesday:
|
|
Partly Sunny
|
High:
38°C /
100°F
|
Low:
32°C /
89°F
|
|
Wednesday:
|
|
Sunny
|
High:
38°C /
100°F
|
Low:
31°C /
87°F
|