مسقط

Wedged between the Arabian Sea and the rugged Western Hajar Mountains, the city referred to as Muscat is in fact several smaller towns which have grown together over time. These include old Muscat (also known as the 'walled city'), site of the royal palace; Mutrah (also spelled Matrah or Matruh), once a fishing village and home to the labyrinthine Mutrah Souq; and Ruwi, which is the commercial and diplomatic quarter of the city. The metropolitan area covers 3,500 km2, and this tripartite division can be inconvenient for the visitor especially as much accommodation is a fair distance from sights of interest. Unlike other cities in the Gulf, notably in the UAE and Qatar, Muscat does not have an ultramodern skyline. Following the preferences of the Sultan, modern construction is required to adhere to traditional Arabic architectural styles, resulting in a more low-key urban landscape. Municipal government website (in English)

By plane Taxis from and to the airport should cost between RO 6 (Golden Tulip, near the airport) and RO 12 (Al Bustan Palace Hotel, Al Bustan). Taxis can be booked at the Taxi Counter (+968 24518780,+968 24518781, [email protected]). Make sure you agree the fare with the driver before commencing your journey. Fares should be agreed before commencing the journey and may be pre-paid at the Muscat International Airport Taxi Counter. There are ATM machines inside the terminal just prior to exiting on the left side of the doors. It's also possible and recommended to use the app "OTaxi" to get a pre-determined fare with an official taxi. The use of the app is now (08/2026) de facto advertised even inside the airport. Go to the -1 floor from the arrivals to get into the taxi pickup area and the airport taxi counter. By bus For more information have a look into the article of Oman. By car You can reach Muscat by road from the United Arab Emirates. The journey takes about 5 hr by crossing the border in Hatta/Al Ain, some border crossings are just for Gulf Cooperation Council citizens. You can drive from Al Ghaydah in Yemen. The journey is about 6 hr via the border crossing at Sarfeit to Salalah and then another 10 hr to Muscat. By boat Cruise ships stop regularly at in Mutrah. Shuttle buses transport visitors from the ship to the port entrance, and taxis are also available. A board at the port exit lists fares to the most common destinations; all other destinations must be negotiated first.

By taxi E-hailing The app O Taxi is available for Muscat so you don't need to haggle for a standard taxi. Maxi taxi There are maxi taxis, which are also known throughout the expat community as baisa buses. They are white minibuses with an orange taxi sign on the top. They operate between Seeb in the west and the Corniche area in the east. They only go on the highways. The best place on a highway to wait for them is at the on-ramps of a junction, near a local bus stop and/or where you see a few people waiting for one. Flag down a maxi taxi and tell the driver to which destination at a highway you want to go to. The driver will tell you either to get in the minibus or that he goes to another direction; in this case wait for the next one. A journey within the Muscat area costs about 0.2–0.4 rials (Jan 2026). Standard taxi The (mostly orange and white) taxis are a bit pricier, and they hang around the hotels where they get juicy fares from unwary travellers. They will charge RO 8 for an airport trip if you don't haggle, but you should be able to agree RO 5. They always say they will give you "good price", but it's best to figure out what you want to spend then agree before you get in. The minimum fare is RO 1.500 and most destinations won't be much more than that. There are also shared standard taxis in the same white orange color. They mostly go along the highways. Prices should be about 0.5 - 1 rial. By public bus The Mwasalat company runs a few lines of public buses which cover the most important sights and the airport.

Old Muscat Mutrah Formerly a fishing village, Mutrah is known primarily for its extensive souq and waterfront corniche. Mutrah harbour is also where the Sultan's royal yacht is docked. Ruwi and Qantab Ruwi is Muscat's primary commercial district, as well as the gateway to Qantab south of the city. Al Ghubrah, Al Khuwair, Al Qurm, and Bawshar As an alternative to the main CBD of Muscat, Mutrah, and Ruwi, there are plenty of places to go to and things to see along the main highway that heads northwest out of the CBD. This main road, the Sultan Qaboos Highway, goes past many areas on its way out to the airport and further still to Seeb, Sohar and eventually the northernmost tip of Oman. Heading along this road you pass the districts of Al Qurm (Qurum), Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Al Khuwair, Bausher, Al-Hail and Seeb. Each one has a number of sights and places to stay. There is also a very long beach road from Al Qurm to Seeb, some 50 km. Situated along this are some of the large international hotel chains but, more importantly, you discover the true beauty of the Oman coast-line: kilometres of beaches, fishermen with drag nets and open space to walk for hours.

Festivals and cultural events Outdoor activities Trekking There is some outstanding trekking in northern Oman, and for a taste there are a couple of easy treks within or very close to Muscat. Diving Mountain biking With many excellent trails nearby, Muscat has a fast-growing mountain bike community. Bike Oman organizes weekly mountain bike excursions on Thursday, most of which begin within a 20-45 min. drive from Muscat. During the summer they organize weekly night time rides, usually on Mondays. Beaches On private beaches (i.e. those attached to hotels) western swimwear is acceptable. On public beaches, however, visitors should be mindful of Omani conservative norms. Women are advised to stick with one-piece suits, and men should wear longer swimming shorts (not speedos); keep shoulders and knees covered unless you are actually on the beach. Women may find a parasol helpful to hide from prying eyes. Beaches with a sign 'Family Beach' are closed to single or bachelor men. Bird watching There are some good areas for avian enthusiasts, within and around the city.

Malls Oman's answer to Dubai Mall Hypermarkets Tailors There are numerous Indian-run tailors. An Italian-style suit typically costs RO 5. Money changers Oman-UAE Exchange Centres - LuLu Hypermarkets, Ghala and Ruwi Global Money Exchange - Ruwi Travelex - Seeb International Airport Purshottam Kanji - Ruwi Mustafa Sultan Exchange - Many outlets throughout Oman

Budget Food is relatively cheap in Muscat, a meal can cost just a couple of rials. For inexpensive Indian food, there are many restaurants catering to Indian guest workers in Al Khuwayr. In Mutrah you can walk down the waterfront in the Corniche area to catch a cool sea breeze, and treat yourself to some sandwiches and Halib (tea with milk) or Sulaimani (black tea) at one of the wayside restaurants. A cup of tea costs about RO 0.100. Ruwi Qurum Al Ghubra Old Muscat Al Khuwayr South Mid-range Hotel restaurants Splurge Grocery stores

Every road, street corner or little collection houses, huts or businesses has a 'Coffee-Shop' – basic but worth a go. Fresh fruit juices are delicious and available from a number of stalls and cafes in Muscat. Expect to pay between RO 0.500-1.500 for these juices depending on type and size. Lounges

Budget Hostels can be found in different areas of the city. In Gubrah, around the Al Maha International Hotel, there are many hostels, many very affordable restaurants, two hypermarkets, the Oman Avenues Mall and the highway with a local bus stop, taxis and shared standard taxis. These hostels in Gubrah have got a good rating on Google Maps and booking.com, mostly due to their friendly owners; if you have high demands regarding cleanliness, they might not be a good choice for you . Guest Houses. There are a number of guest houses (Isteraha in Arabic) spread around Muscat which are quite affordable and acceptable in general. Corniche Area There are five hotels on the Corniche waterfront in Mutrah that all charge RO 15. Al Fanar Hotel, which is very rundown at the end of the waterfront, charges RO 10. Naseem Hotel, opposite the Corniche, charges RO 27 for a twin-bed room (as of Dec 2016). Mid-range Splurge Muscat offers a considerable range of luxury hotels, including those listed below.

It is advisable to drink bottled water while in Muscat. Tap water is generally not safe. In some very simple restaurants the water in the plastic jug on the table tastes like tap water. It's better not to drink it and to order bottled water instead.

Friendi offers 1 GB for 1 week for 1 rial (2026) with the sim card for free. The provider has coverage throughout Muscat, in the other towns and along the main roads of Oman. Ooredoo and Omantel have better coverage in the remote areas of the country. Omantel offers pre-paid Hayyak SIM cards and top-up cards, which can be purchased at mobile phone shops and hypermarkets. Also available are pre-paid Jibreen Cards, good on both mobile and landlines, in denominations of RO 5 and 1.5. A 5-rial card gets you 11 minutes of talk time. As of 2022, Zoom and Google Meet work fine, as does messaging through What'sApp, but video calling in What'sApp and FaceTime are both blocked. The calling card Global One does not work in Muscat. Although the Global One website lists the rates for calls from Oman there are no numbers listed alongside. The nearest Global One help line is in Dubai. Free Wi-Fi is available in several public parks, including Qurm National Park, Naseem Garden, Al Amerat Park, and Wadi Kabir. For access, visitors are routed to an Omantel landing page requesting a mobile number, to which a password will be sent; customers are limited to 1.5 hr/day. Costa Coffee also offers free connection in five locations: Qurm City Centre, Muscat City Centre, MQ, Bareeq al Shatti, and Oasis Mall. Omantel Ibhar hotspots are scattered throughout Muscat, mainly in coffeeshops, restaurants, and shopping malls. Pre-paid Ibhar cards are available at any Omantel counter or at the hotspot location.

Drive west to Nizwa, and then go hiking or camping in the magnificent Hajar Mountains. Explore the fortresses in the area, and visit the UNESCO sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn. Staying in Saiq offers pleasant temperatures from April to October. Drive south for an hour to explore the spectacular Wadi Shab. Along the way check out the Bimmah Sinkhole, and then continue onwards to Sur. Head north to Sohar for some good diving, visit Ibri and then continue onward to the Musandam Peninsula.