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.
The head of state is His Majesty Sultan Sayyed Qaboos bin Said. His birthday, 18 November, is celebrated as the country's National Day.
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.
The resort is located about fifteen minutes from Muscat via complimentary guest shuttle, on the bay (barr) of Al Jissah.
Plug TypeLanguageArabic (English is widely spoken)Population3 millionTime ZoneGMT +4 hoursMeasuresMetric SystemVoltage220/240 voltsMobile PhonesGSM 900/1800Valid 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's Seeb International Airport, at a cost of 6 rials.
Visa information from the Royal Oman PoliceThe Omani currency is the rial, divided into 1000 baisa. A very high-value unit of currency, the rial is fixed to the dollar at an exchange rate of OMR 1 = USD 2.6.Here are the most recent exchange rates for some common currencies.OMR 1.00 equals:
2.60
US Dollar (USD)
3.98
Australian Dollar (AUD)
18.70
Chinese Yuan Renminbi (RMB)
2.04
Euro (EUR)
1.69
British Pound (GBP)
20.13
Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
128.77
Indian Rupee (INR)
249.51
Japanese Yen (JPY)
4.74
New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
3.93
Singapore Dollar (SGD)
There is a hotel accommodation tax of 9%, and a service tax of 8%.Tipping is not expected in Oman. However, a gratuity is a welcome gesture for exceptional service.Bank Hours8am to 12.30pm, Saturday to Wednesday
8am to 11.30am, Thursday
ATMS are available 24 hours and will accept most international bank cards.Office HoursMost offices are closed on Friday to observe jumu'ah, the Islamic Friday prayer.
Government: 7.30am to 2:30pm, Saturday to Wednesday
Business: 8am to 5.30pm, Saturday to Wednesday
Businesses usually close between 1pm and 2.30pm for lunchShop Hours9am to 1pm and 4pm to 8 or 9pm, Saturday to Thursday
4pm to 8 or 9pm, FridayNo health certificates are required for visitors to Oman, except for people who have recently been in an area with an outbreak of yellow fever.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.
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.