Travel tips · Muscat · Oman
Muscat travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Oman is known for its courtesy, calm and hospitality, and visitors are often offered kahwa and dates. Most Omanis follow Ibadi Islam, and society is conservative but tolerant; Omani men often wear the white dishdasha with an embroidered kumma cap or turban, and women the black abaya over colourful clothes.
Key facts
- Language
- Arabic and English
- Currency
- OMR
- Plugs
- Type G (British three-pin) sockets, 240 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is desalinated and generally treated, but most visitors drink…
- Emergency
- 9999 (police, ambulance and fire)
Things to know
- Dress modestly away from beaches and hotel pools: cover shoulders and knees, and avoid tight or see-through clothing.
- Public displays of affection are frowned upon.
- Ask before photographing people, especially women, and do not photograph government buildings or military sites.
- Accept coffee and dates when offered; gently shake the cup when you have had enough.
- Use your right hand for eating, giving and receiving.
- During Ramadan, whose dates move about 11 days earlier each year, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight.
- Book Royal Opera House Muscat ahead: Book performances in advance through the official site, especially in the main winter season; there is a dress code.
- The Grand Mosque, the Corniche, the souq, Al Alam Palace's exterior and the beaches are all free.
Tipping
Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory: about 10% in restaurants if no service charge is added, and small tips for drivers, guides and porters.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| As-salamu alaykum | Peace be upon you (hello) |
| Shukran | Thank you |
| Afwan | You're welcome |
| Na'am / La | Yes / No |
| Kam? | How much? |
| Ma'a as-salama | Goodbye |
What to wear
Loose, lightweight clothing that covers shoulders and knees is ideal; women need a headscarf and full-length sleeves and trousers or skirt for the Grand Mosque.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type G (British three-pin) sockets, 240 V, 50 Hz
- Drinking water
- Tap water is desalinated and generally treated, but most visitors drink bottled or filtered water.
- Emergency number
- 9999 (police, ambulance and fire)
- Phone and internet
- Local SIM cards and eSIMs are easy to buy at the airport; mobile coverage is good in towns but patchy in wadis and the desert.
- Time zone
- Asia/Muscat
Muscat is generally calm for visitors; check your own government's travel advice before travel. The main risks are heat and sun, flash floods in wadis after rain (never enter a wadi when storms are forecast), strong currents at some open beaches, and fast highway driving.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Oman's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Muscat?
Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory: about 10% in restaurants if no service charge is added, and small tips for drivers, guides and porters.
+Can you drink the tap water in Muscat?
Tap water is desalinated and generally treated, but most visitors drink bottled or filtered water.
+What plugs are used in Muscat?
Type G (British three-pin) sockets, 240 V, 50 Hz
+What language is spoken in Muscat?
Arabic and English.