Oman is a gorgeous country that offers the keen adventurer a fantastic variety of things to see and do. Quiet beaches, vast deserts and desolate mountains are just some of what awaits you in the Jewel of Arabia<\/strong>. If your plans entail experiencing the best of what Oman has to offer, then it\u2019s time to start looking into transport options.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t As there is little to no public transport, driving in Oman is by far the most popular and easiest way of getting around. It\u2019s always important to get your bearings before putting yourself behind the wheel of a car in a foreign country. Basics like knowing what side of the road you will be driving on, whether your drivers licence will be accepted and any other general rules of the road (if they are different) are always useful to know before you go.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Driving in Oman is no different, except you will also need to take a close look at your plans to ensure you are prepared for the adventure to come. Do you have the right vehicle type? Do you know how to get to where you are going without relying on a GPS? Do you know what your tire pressure should be when driving on sand? If the answer is yes, then you are already a few steps ahead. If the answer is no \u2013 it\u2019s simple and there is no need to worry \u2013 I\u2019ve got you covered.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a look at the top 5 things to know before driving in Oman.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you have made the decision to visit Oman<\/strong> and plan to explore outside of Muscat<\/strong>, chances are you will need to hire a car. My #4 top tip for planning a trip<\/a> outlines that looking into this in advance helps you get the right deal and saves you time waiting at the airport. When it comes to Oman, planning in advance also means that you can ensure you get the right type of vehicle for your trip as well.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The easiest place to pick up a car is the new Muscat International Airport<\/strong>. You\u2019ll have all of the international car hire companies available to you as well as some local companies \u2013 and you\u2019ll get a mix of 2WD and 4WD vehicles to choose from. Tackling my Ultimate Oman Road Trip Itinerary<\/a>? Be sure you are walking away with a set of keys belonging to a 4WD. We checked out my favorite car comparison website<\/a> and booked a Mitsubishi Pajero.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t assume because you have a 4WD vehicle, you\u2019ll have free reign to do and go as you please. Getting off the pavement? Be sure to read the fine print of your rental agreement. Your extra adventure may actually be prohibited and you risk voiding your car hire insurance!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If your road trip plans see you venturing into one of Oman\u2019s neighboring countries \u2013 Yemen<\/strong>, Saudi Arabia<\/strong> and\/or United Arab Emirates<\/strong> \u2013 I\u2019d also suggest reading the fine print of your rental agreement. Insurance doesn\u2019t tend to cross the border with you, so an accident across the line could also get you into a bit of a trouble. Check with your hire company if you plan to explore more than just Oman.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t GPS systems are apparently not a massive thing in Oman. We expected to have one in our car and to our surprise, one wasn\u2019t offered to us. The excuse we received was that they aren\u2019t updated enough to warrant keeping them around. Luckily it\u2019s relatively simple navigation around Oman.<\/p>\n The roads are nice (a lot of them brand new) and things were pretty well sign-posted. The signs tend to be in both Arabic and English and anything worth seeing can be identified by the brown tourist-specific signs dotted along the roads<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t I would suggest logging into Google Maps<\/strong> before you leave home or leave the airport to download the legs of your road trip. Doing so in advance allows you to use your phone to navigate your way around the country. There is however one small catch \u2013 the actual step by step voice guided functionality does not work in Oman.<\/p>\n You can put your destination in but don\u2019t expect it to give you voice directions as you go. The blue dot representing your location will be visible as will be the map that you downloaded. Your mission should you choose to accept it? Keep them aligned. You\u2019ll have plenty of signed to guide you so It really isn\u2019t an issue.<\/p>\n One thing I would recommend is paying attention to areas where you need to make a turn or an exit. The interstates are long and sometimes these exits are spread far apart. If you miss your exit you may just end up driving another half hour until the next exit for you to turn around.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t One of the most memorable parts of my trip to Oman was the driving \u2013 particularly when it came to going off-road in places like the Western Hajar Mountains<\/strong><\/a> and through Wadi Bani Awf<\/strong>. Navigating down car-width roads hugging precipitous canyon cliffs was one heck of an adrenaline rush. If you are considering experiencing the same, there are a few thing you should know before you go.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t The type of car you hire will influence where you can\/should drive. The only time you will run into any issues is if you want to take your vehicle into off mountains. For example, driving to Jabal Ahkdar<\/strong> on the Saiq Plateau<\/strong>? You\u2019ll pass a police check point that will turn you around if you are not in a 4WD.<\/p>\n Interested in entering Wadi Bani Awf<\/strong> to check out the town of Balad Sayt<\/strong> or explore Snake Canyon<\/strong>? There isn\u2019t a police check point, but you\u2019ll need a 4WD. Making your way up to Jebel Shams<\/strong> to see Oman\u2019s version of the Grand Canyon<\/strong>? The first 20km of the ascent is paved and the last 10k is windy, dirt paths. We saw 2WDs driving this \u2013 but slowly and in low gear. I\u2019d say take the guessing game out of the equation and just get yourself a 4WD.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Planning on heading to Wahiba Sands<\/strong><\/a>? Driving in the desert can be fun and is one of the top adventures in the area. If you are staying at a desert camp and making the initial drive into the desert yourself, you\u2019ll need to deflate your tires. Lowering the pressure helps expand the surface area of the tire as you drive, improving the traction and helps keep you from getting stuck.<\/p>\n Look to the manufacturers manual to determine the ppi level to reduce tires to. General rule of thumb is 18ppi and no lower than 15ppi. Just don\u2019t forget to pump those tires back up when you are done \u2013 it\u2019s dangerous to drive with deflated tired on paved roads. Gas stations are a dime a dozen in the area \u2013 all of which have free to use (and automatic) air pumps.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Don\u2019t feel comfortable driving in these conditions but want the experience? No stress, park your car and let someone else take you. Desert Camps often can arrange picking you up from a set location and there are plenty of tour outfitter ready to take you on a mountain jeep safari.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Abiding by the driving laws of the country you are road tripping through is a bit of a no brainer. When driving in Oman, it\u2019s even more important to pay attention to the speed limit. It\u2019s very easy to forget about speed limits when you are driving long, straight roads for hours upon hours.<\/p>\n There is no real thinking that is involved and if you are like me, you got lost into a sea of thoughts. Or in the case of Oman, you can get easily distracted by the surrounding natural beauty. Guess what happens? You stop thinking about the speed and next thing you know a bright flash startles you. Yup. You guessed it. That was a speed camera, and you mind friend area leaving Oman with a speeding ticket.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t You will see signs all over the country warning you to abide by the speed limit and that speed is checked by radar devices. I kid you not, there are stretches around the country that have them dispersed ever kilometer. It\u2019s the ones that are hidden that you don\u2019t see that can be problematic.<\/p>\n Our 4WD was (annoyingly) fitted with a device that caused the car to beep if we exceed 120km\/hour. I am pretty sure it\u2019s what helped prevent me from leaving with speeding tickets. There are some pretty harsh consequences of speeding which include hefty fines and even jail time.<\/p>\n Keep your eyes peeled, follow the speed limits and you will be fine. If you have been blitzed but the radar, expect a letter from your car hire company upon your return.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Self-driving in Oman is a fantastic experience, just use your head and you\u2019ll have a great experience. One of the things I can\u2019t recommend enough is to be stocked up with water and snacks. Oman is typically hot and dry \u2013 take care of yourself and stay hydrated. If you find yourself in a scenario where you are stranded then your preparation will be pay off until you see a passerby.<\/p>\n Also keep your eyes peeled for random animals crossing the roads. Over the course of our trip we came across quite a few camels, had to make way for meandering donkeys and dodged quite a few skiddish goats. Just be aware that you can expect these guys to sometimes appear on the main interstates as well. Certainly not where I expect to see wildlife back home.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Rain is rare in Oman, but when it rains it floods. Flash flooding is a problem and tends to be quite destructive. The lower lying areas of Oman, especially those in and around the mountains are the most susceptible. If there is a chance of rain in the forecast, the suggestion is to avoid heading into the mountains, entering Wadis or driving off paved roads.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll notice signage near wadi crossings that help indicate how high the water along the road. Just because you have a 4X4 doesn\u2019t mean it can go everywhere. Water too high? Don\u2019t even think about driving through it.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Driving in Oman offers you the chance to independently see and experience the country in a way that you just can\u2019t do on a hop-on hop-off bus.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you aren\u2019t into driving or feel you aren\u2019t comfortable doing so in this terrain, you will of course have other options. Most tour outfitters in the region offer tours of the country that include private driver that will take care of all the work for you.<\/p>\n It is also common for visitors to base themselves in Muscat<\/strong> and book a variety of organised day trips with their accommodation. The latter means that you spend a lot of time in the car with minimal time at each site \u2013 but it can be done and is a great way of seeing snippets of the country without the driving.<\/p>\n If you are still deciding whether or not driving in Oman is for you, be sure to check out my Ultimate Oman Road Trip Itinerary<\/a> to get a closer look at what there is to see along the way.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Oman is accessible via Muscat International Airport, Salalah Airport and Sohar International Airport. Check out Skyscanner<\/a> and CheapFlights<\/a> (UK Departures Only) to find the best deals on flights to Oman.<\/p>\n As a long-time rewards member, Hotels.com<\/a> is my first stop when exploring accommodation options. Not only do they have great inventory, but you get a free nights stay after every 10th booking.<\/p>\n Compare Oman car hire options at RentalCars.com<\/a>. Driving in Oman is epic, just be sure to check out the 5 things you need to know before driving in Oman<\/a>.<\/p>\n Check your travel insurance coverage. If you need a top up before Oman, check out the latest plans available at World Nomads<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase, I will receive a small affiliate commission. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. My full site disclosure and privacy policy is here<\/a>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.domonthego.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Oman-Roadtrip-Western-Hajar-Mountains-DomOnTheGo-4_New.jpg?resize=1080%2C476&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
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<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nNAVIGATION SYSTEMS IN OMAN<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\nTRAVEL PLANNING ESSENTIALS: OMAN<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Flights<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Accommodation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Car Hire<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Travel Insurance<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nLike this:<\/h3>\n