Shutterstock
CAMPING AT JEBEL SHAMS
Shutterstock
CAMPING AT JEBEL SHAMS
Our authors have visited every corner of Oman – from the lively souks of Muscat to the Empty Quarter, via the craggy peaks of the Western Hajar and the rolling dunes of Sharqiya – while researching this book. Here are some of their favourite things to see and do in Oman.
Exhilarating off-roading Beyond its smooth highways, Oman is an off-roading paradise, with dozens of routes such as the hair-raising traverse of Wadi Bani Auf and the dizzying drive to Jaylah.
Lively souks Some of Oman’s traditional markets still attract a steady stream of colourfully attired local Bedu to trade in dates, halwa, aromatics, elaborately embroidered fabrics, and camels. The most absorbing are in Nizwa, Ibra and Sinaw.
Villages in the clouds Many of Oman’s mountain villages are miniature marvels of traditional landscape design. Among the most impressive are the villages of the Saiq Plateau, Musandam, Misfat al Abryeen, Bilad Sayt and Wekan.
Sleeping under the stars You can set up your tent almost anywhere in Oman (on public land, that is). Top wild camping spots include Jebel Shams, Masirah island and the coast south of Duqm.
Wadis, canyons and khors Oman is a geological treasurebox, home to a series of dramatic landscapes, from the gaping abyss of Wadi Nakhr and the sepulchral Al Hoota Cave to the sinkholes of Tawi Attair and Taiq and the khors (fjords) of Musandam.
Best beaches Oman’s two-thousand-kilometre coastline packs an abundance of pristine stretches of sand, from the beaches that border Muscat and Sohar in the north to the vast stretches facing the Arabian Sea, the best of which are at Ras al Hadd, Ras Madrakah and Mughsail.
iStock
RAS AL JINZ BEACH
Our author recommendations don’t end here. We’ve flagged up our favourite places – a perfectly sited hotel, an atmospheric café, a special restaurant – throughout the Guide, highlighted with the 
symbol.
Average temperatures and rainfall
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
MUSCAT |
||||||||||||
Max/min (ºC) |
25/17 |
26/18 |
29/20 |
34/24 |
40/29 |
40/30 |
38/30 |
36/28 |
36/27 |
35/24 |
30/21 |
27/18 |
Max/min (ºF) |
77/62 |
79/64 |
85/69 |
94/76 |
103/84 |
103/86 |
100/85 |
96/83 |
96/80 |
94/76 |
86/69 |
80/64 |
Rainfall (mm) |
10 |
5 |
17 |
11 |
0 |
33 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
SALALAH |
||||||||||||
Max/min (ºC) |
28/19 |
28/20 |
30/22 |
32/24 |
33/27 |
32/27 |
28/25 |
27/24 |
29/24 |
31/23 |
31/22 |
29/20 |
Max/min (ºF) |
82/66 |
83/67 |
86/71 |
89/76 |
91/80 |
89/81 |
83/77 |
81/75 |
85/76 |
88/73 |
88/71 |
84/68 |
Rainfall (mm) |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
8 |
11 |
2 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
KHASAB |
||||||||||||
Max/min (ºC) |
24/17 |
27/19 |
30/22 |
35/26 |
40/31 |
41/32 |
41/34 |
41/33 |
39/31 |
36/27 |
31/23 |
26/18 |
Max/min (ºF) |
76/62 |
80/65 |
87/71 |
95/78 |
104/87 |
105/90 |
106/93 |
105/92 |
102/88 |
97/81 |
87/73 |
79/65 |
Rainfall (mm) |
40 |
13 |
15 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
14 |
SUR |
||||||||||||
Max/min (ºC) |
26/18 |
28/19 |
32/22 |
36/25 |
41/30 |
41/30 |
40/29 |
39/28 |
38/27 |
36/25 |
31/21 |
28/19 |
Max/min (ºF) |
80/64 |
83/66 |
89/71 |
97/78 |
106/85 |
106/86 |
104/84 |
101/82 |
101/80 |
97/77 |
88/70 |
82/66 |
Rainfall (mm) |
5 |
13 |
13 |
15 |
13 |
36 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
10 |
8 |