onerideaway
Oman
"The only, the real, the only trip is to change your look."
Marcel Proust
The Arabian Peninsula never ceases to surprise us positively. Oman is a real favorite for us, whether for the diversity of its landscapes ranging from the mountains to the sea through the wadis. We are also struck by the warm welcome of the locals. Immersing ourselves in their culture allows us to understand and take a greater interest in their religion. According to them, the Omanis consider their country as "the little Switzerland" of the peninsula, they feel free in their choice and neutral in their decision.
JANUARY 2023
VISA - Visa on entry 2 weeks free (non-extendable), 1 month for 20 OMR per person (extension possible up to 3 months)
EXCHANGE - 0.46 OMR = 1 CHF
VEHICLE - Customs clearance book (CPD) required
SIM - 30 GB for 18 OMR at Omantel.
DIESEL - 0.7 CHF per liter
INSURANCE - 64 CHF for 3 months
DOG - Registration on the Bayan website for 10 OMR, import permit 20 OMR, Chip not required, vaccination (rabies between 30 days and 1 year), health certificate <5 days required, Anti-rabies titer test required, additional vaccine against distemper, Parvo, l hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis required (read more below).
THINGS TO KNOW
Traveling to Oman with a Dog
Oman is a simply magnificent country full of gems that you absolutely must discover. However, a few factors make exploring this part of the peninsula somewhat complicated when traveling with a dog.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
In addition to the health requirements mentioned above, to enter Omani territory with a dog, it is necessary to complete the following steps:
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Register on the Bayan site which, in our experience, is far from user-friendly. This process costs 10 OMR and takes between 1 hour and 24 hours depending on the information mentioned on the site. In our case, due to a problem on the registration page, this process took 3 days.
https://www.customs.gov.om/esw/jsf/secure/esw/common/Login_Bayan.xhtml -
Apply for an import permit on the Bayan website (20 OMR).
ISLAM & DOGS
In the Muslim countries we passed through, we quickly noticed that Lucky was often not welcome. According to the explanations received, dogs are considered unclean, dirty, dangerous and sometimes even evil animals. It follows in particular from this vision that when a Muslim has performed his ablutions before prayer, if he comes into contact with a dog, he must start from the beginning.
DANGERS
As a traveler, Oman is a safe country. For dogs, the situation is somewhat different. Indeed, there are several risks that must be taken into consideration.
The Omanis, as Muslims, “naturally” have a complicated relationship with dogs. However, we had the impression that the situation was even more extreme than in other countries we passed through. Indeed, on several occasions we saw locals approach Lucky with a knife or gun in their hand, threatening him. It was only when we intervened that they stopped their actions.
The sea near the Omani coast is filled with fish, each more beautiful than the last. In particular, there are a lot of puffer fish there and many of them wash up on the beaches. However, these fish contain, in significant quantities, tetrodotoxin which is a powerful poison. It is therefore essential to constantly keep an eye on our four-legged companions when walking on the country's magnificent beaches.
Bahla Fort
Bahla Fort is the largest fort in the country. Built of mud bricks on stone foundations, it is the first monument in the country to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thanks to the titanic restoration work that has just been completed, this monument has regained its former beauty and is clearly worth the detour.
Jabal ash Sham
The Jabal Sham is the highest mountain in the country located in the northeast of Oman north of the city of Al Hamra. The north summit (3009 m) is occupied by a military base and is therefore not reachable on foot. As a result, we discover its second summit, the south, which is accessible to hikers.
We start the hike at dusk, not only to take advantage of the beautiful colors of the morning on the canyon, but also because it takes 23 km of walking there and back and 1450 m of elevation gain.
The effort is worth the detour, because once at the top, we have a breathtaking view of all the surrounding mountains.
Village Bilad Sayd
We were warned that with the steepness of the track to the village it might not be possible for our vw crafter 4x4 to get there. Indeed, we have 1200 m of elevation to descend for less than 10 km and yet, with our braking assistance activated, we arrive at the bottom and without damage.
We discover the small village of Bilad Sayd surrounded by palm trees and mountains which is maintained by these inhabitants. The latter cultivate and harvest in these magnificent green fields.
While we were thinking of coming out of the valley from the bottom, we were stopped by a back that was a little too steep and our van could not continue. We manage to take the track in the opposite direction and are once again surprised by the capacity of our house on wheels.
Climbing in Oman
Several climbing spots are spread across the country. First, we discover the routes that are on the Wall of Shadow cliff which overlooks the famous descent described above. We loved this area despite the cool temperatures. Down the valley we also climbed into the Snake Gorge which is right next to Bilad Sayd village.
We also discover climbing in two wadi. The Wadi daiqa where the access road is not the easiest to take with our van, because huge pebbles are strewn on the track before arriving at the foot of the cliffs. Our last climbing spot is in the Khubrah canyon which has us a lot more despite its popularity.
The beaches of Salalah
In Salalah, we discover Aful beach which is located in a small heavenly cove with turquoise water. Our second beach stop is at Fazayah beach, which is the southernmost point of our journey on the Arabian Peninsula.
Fazayah beach is made up of several beaches located downstream from magnificent cliffs that “enclose” this part of the coast. To get there, we take a well-maintained track that descends quite steeply from the top of the cliffs to the edge of the beach.
Little swim
We have heard several times that camels can swim in the sea and roll in the sand. Luckily, we can observe this very special moment.
Wadi Darbat
It is known that in Oman there are countless Wadi and this one is our very first one. We are in awe of this turquoise and translucent water with its waterfalls rising from the cliffs.
swim with dolphins
On Ioverlander, the travelers app, there is a spot noted on the map called Dolphin Cove. It seems that we can see dolphins there. As the expression says so well: "He who tries nothing, has nothing. We therefore take this direction without really believing in the possibility of swimming with dolphins.
And yet, on arriving there, we see near the shore, a group of 20 to 30 dolphins swimming happily. Neither one nor two, we park the van and we run to the water with our masks to join them. Once immersed, we see the dolphins rushing at us and circling around us. This gorgeous broom will last nearly two hours. It was a truly magical moment that we experienced.
Wadi Suneik
This wadi, surrounded by large cliffs, is a real little paradise with its palm trees and turquoise water. We find ourselves a small spot under the coconut trees to which we take advantage to tie our hammock and where to stay for the night.
white sand dunes
Until now, we were more used to seeing orange sand dunes, but these are white. They are also called “Sugar Dune”. We have the chance to immortalize this moment with camels walking one behind the other on the sandy ridges.
The turtle spot
This beach is located in the Ras Al Jinz turtle natural park. The latter, which is not known, was recommended to us by a local. And indeed, the spot is well hidden, the only track, although easily passable, which leads to it is not indicated on any of the applications we have.
The detour is worth it. When we arrive there, the view of the sea is breathtaking. We learn that turtles can come out of the sea as soon as the sun goes down to lay their eggs.
Wadi Tiwi
At the bottom of a valley, in the village of Mibam, after having driven a few kilometers on a very narrow road, we park the van to leave to discover the wadi Tiwi. We are immediately welcomed warmly by a group of young locals who guide to the wadi. The place is heavenly, with its crystal clear water, its pools and its waterfalls.
Roads of the impossible
There is an expression that says that what is important is not the destination, but the path taken. In this case, it is very clearly that.
Our goal, by taking this route, is to go to a spot recommended by friends. To get there, you have to climb a very steep track over nearly 1300 m of elevation. The climb is really very very steep with super tight hairpins. Once or the other, we do not manage to take them at once and are obliged to make a maneuver. In these moments, we think each time that it will be impossible to leave, but our van does not fail to disabuse us.
Sultan Quaboos Mosque
Muscat, which is the capital of the country, is a very nice city. We especially enjoyed discovering the famous Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It's a hell of a nice discovery. The contrast of the ocher and beige stones of the exterior of the mosque and the colorful interior are just spectacular.
mountain biking in oman
Several regions are equipped for Mountain biking in Oman. We do it in Jiffnain and Al Khoud. We are surprised to discover itineraries prepared with small onions. They are, however, more cross-country oriented with very changeable terrain, short fairly intense climbs and short descents (not ideal on big enduros). It is nevertheless a very good exercise for pedaling in technical terrain.
Omani invitations
We meet a lot of Omanis. It is not uncommon for them to invite us, whether to eat, at home or in a restaurant, to show us around a part of their country or even by wanting to offer us accommodation for a night or more according to our desire.
People are always very welcoming and like to please us. When this photo was taken, we were meeting Abdul and Ahmed. They are our age and made us live very nice moments. We have been invited several times to their house to discover their customs and eat their traditional dishes. All these dishes, prepared by the mothers and sisters of our hosts, delighted our taste buds. We often look back on it with envy.
pink lake
Arriving at the pink lake, the landscape is very surprising, especially because of the contract between the blue of the water of the sea and the color of that of the lake. But it is only from the areas that we really discover the beauty of the picture that nature has painted.
City of Niswa
Nizwa is the former capital of the Sultana of Oman replaced today by the city of Muscat. It is a very beautiful small town in the center of the country. Its historic center has a lot of charm, but would need major restoration work.
We make a short stop there at the end of the day, the time to stroll for a few moments in its streets, to have a coffee on one of its ramparts and to buy some provisions at the market for the rest of our trip.
