atlas•

Omán: qué saber antes del viaje

Lo esencial

  • Regional conflict since early 2026: the UK FCDO warns of a high risk of sudden escalation and possible airspace closures in the Middle East. Check advisories and your airline before travel.
  • Visa-free entry is only 14 days and you must show a return ticket, a hotel booking and travel health insurance at the border.
  • Some common prescription and OTC medicines are illegal in Oman; carry prescriptions and check with the Ministry of Health before travel.
  • Dress modestly in towns and villages: cover shoulders and knees; swimwear only at beaches and pools.
  • Summer (June–September) is extremely hot in Muscat, while Salalah has its cool, rainy khareef season.

Entrada y visados

Citizens of over 100 countries (incl. US, UK, most EU, China, Turkey, Ukraine) can stay up to 14 days visa-free with a return ticket, accommodation proof and health insurance. Russians have 30 days visa-free under a 2025 mutual agreement. Longer stays and other nationalities need an eVisa (tourist 'unsponsored visit visa') via the Royal Oman Police portal; Indians with certain Western visas or GCC residence may qualify for easier entry.

Formularios y permisos en línea

  • Royal Oman Police eVisa ↗ opcional
    Before travel, for stays over 14 days or if not visa-exempt · Visitors staying longer than 14 days or not on the visa-free list

Validez del pasaporte: At least 6 months from arrival.

En la frontera pueden pedir

  • Have a printed return ticket, hotel booking and insurance policy ready for border control.
  • Taxis are unmetered in many places; agree a price first or use the OTaxi app.

Aduana

  • Declare anything that may be prohibited or taxable; customs rules are strict.
  • Some prescription and OTC medicines are banned; carry prescriptions in original packaging.
  • Narcotics, pork products and pornography are prohibited.

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: gov.uk ↗, middleeastbriefing.com ↗, muscatdaily.com ↗, evisa.rop.gov.om ↗

Dinero

Se usan tanto efectivo como tarjetas. Tarjetas sobre todo en ciudades y zonas turísticas.

Redes de pago: Visa, Mastercard, Amex

Apple Pay — funciona en algunos sitios · Google Pay — funciona en algunos sitios

Dónde cambiar dinero

  • Exchange houses in Muscat malls and Muttrah
  • Bank ATMs (Bank Muscat, NBO)

Dónde no cambiar

  • Hotel desks
  • Dynamic currency conversion at terminals

Cajeros: ATMs are common in towns and malls and accept foreign Visa/Mastercard; withdraw cash before heading into rural areas or the desert.

Propinas: Not obligatory; 10% in restaurants if no service charge, small tips for guides and drivers.

  • Rial is pegged to the US dollar (about 0.385 OMR per USD) - one of the world's highest-value currencies.
  • Cards work in hotels, malls and supermarkets in Muscat; carry cash for souqs, small cafes, fuel in remote areas and taxis.
  • Russian-issued Visa/Mastercard do not work abroad; bring USD/EUR cash to exchange or a foreign-issued card.

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: gov.uk ↗

Normas y prohibiciones

Prohibido

  • Drugs, including small quantities; severe penalties.
  • Drinking alcohol in public or driving after any alcohol; alcohol is sold only in licensed hotels, restaurants and shops.
  • Eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight in Ramadan.
  • Flying drones without a permit.
  • Photographing military sites, government buildings, or people (especially women) without permission.
  • Public displays of affection and offensive language or gestures.
  • Wild camping near private property or wadis during flash-flood warnings.
  • Importing or using e-cigarettes or vape products.

Leyes que los viajeros incumplen sin saberlo

  • Same-sex relations and sex outside marriage are illegal.
  • Criticising the Sultan or Islam, including online, is a criminal offence.
  • Off-road driving requires care: getting stuck in sand or wadis is common; travel in pairs.

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: gov.uk ↗, gov.uk ↗

Cultura y ropa

Religión: Islam (mainly Ibadi, plus Sunni and Shia); Oman is known for religious tolerance.

Ropa: Cover shoulders and knees in public; avoid tight or transparent clothing. Women need a headscarf and long sleeves in mosques (Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is open to non-Muslims on weekday mornings).

Etiqueta

  • Greet with the right hand; let women initiate handshakes.
  • Accept coffee (kahwa) and dates when offered.
  • Ask before photographing people.
  • Remove shoes when entering homes and mosques.

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: gov.uk ↗

Clima

Hot desert climate in the north (Muscat shown): warm sunny winters, very hot summers. The mountains (Jebel Akhdar) are cooler. Dhofar (Salalah) gets the monsoon (khareef) from June to September: green, misty and around 25–30°C.

Mes a mes
  • enero: Jan: 25°C / 17°C, pleasant; cool mountain nights
  • febrero: Feb: 26°C / 18°C, pleasant
  • marzo: Mar: 29°C / 21°C, warm; good
  • abril: Apr: 34°C / 25°C, hot
  • mayo: May: 38°C / 29°C, very hot
  • junio: Jun: 40°C / 31°C, extreme heat; khareef starts in Salalah
  • julio: Jul: 38°C / 31°C, extreme heat, humid; Salalah green
  • agosto: Aug: 36°C / 29°C, hot, humid; Salalah khareef
  • septiembre: Sep: 36°C / 28°C, hot; khareef ends
  • octubre: Oct: 35°C / 26°C, hot, easing
  • noviembre: Nov: 30°C / 22°C, warm; season starts
  • diciembre: Dec: 27°C / 19°C, pleasant

Mejor temporada: October–March for Muscat, deserts and mountains; July–August for Salalah's khareef.

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: gov.uk ↗

Qué llevar

  • Type G (UK three-pin) adapter
  • Printed return ticket, hotel booking and insurance policy
  • Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees
  • Headscarf for women visiting mosques
  • Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and plenty of water for hikes
  • Water shoes for wadis

Qué no llevar / prohibido importar

  • Medicines without checking their legal status in Oman
  • CBD and cannabis products
  • Drones without a permit
  • Revealing clothing outside resorts
  • E-cigarettes and vape products

Práctico

Enchufes: Type G, 240V, 50Hz

Agua: Tap water in cities is desalinated and generally safe, but bottled water is recommended, especially outside cities.

Circulación: por la derecha

Móvil y eSIM: Tourist SIMs from Omantel, Ooredoo and Vodafone Oman at the airport; coverage weak in remote deserts and mountains.

Apps: OTaxi, Google Maps, Talabat, ROP eVisa

Internet: Some websites and VoIP calling services may be restricted.

Salud: No vaccinations required (yellow fever certificate only from risk countries). Good hospitals in Muscat. Heatstroke and flash floods in wadis are the main risks.

Seguro: Proof of travel health insurance is required for visa-free entry.

Emergencias: Police, fire, ambulance 9999

Revisado el 29 de octubre de 2026 · Fuentes: gov.uk ↗, gov.uk ↗

Las normas de entrada cambian. Antes del viaje, consulta la web de la embajada o del servicio de inmigración del país.