Oman- UAE travel info
13 days, Jan 09
INTRO OMAN
Kind of travel: me and my
girlfriend Elisa in an independent travel
When: 26th Dec08- 7th Jan 09
Do I need a visa?: no at all and we didn't even pay any entry/ exit tax
How I moved: a domestic flight, long distance buses, minibuses, and we rented a car twice
Freezing or baking?: wonderful weather: ranging from 20-28C. You can swim, though you might want to wear a sweater for the evenings or the air conditioned buses. I wished I hadn't brought just one
Where I slept: Cheap hotels aren't so abundant, and standards aren't worth the price; most of the time you won't have any choice, though. With your own vehicle, free camping it's an opportunity
What I liked: english is known almost everywhere, car renting is affordable (30€/ day) and overall safety is total everywhere at any time. As concern the highlights, the sea turtle egg-laying on the beach in the night it's a breathless experience
What I disliked: finding cheap accommodation can be an issue, the highlights need a private veihcle and the lack of respect of most of the Western tourists in dressing
How much daily: Oman deserves its fame as expensive country, but we made it with 46€/ day (double: 30€, dinner: 5€, car renting 30€/day). You'll hardly spend less.
Dangers/ hassles: Inexistent, unless you don't venture independently in the desert.
What to have: as woman a foulard is a must, while the sunglasses unmissable for anyone
THE TRAVEL
IN OMAN
[The Travel in Arab United Emirates]
The first appreciated welcome in Oman was at the Wajaja crossing point,
having the visa for free, while the second one were the endless palm lined
avenues, run alongside by colourful carpet-like gardens and spotted by
botanical garden-like roundabouts. I don't know if it was due to the 'Gulf
Meeting' held in the capital during those days, but the highway toward
the capital was kept as a movie set.
We paid 25€ for a basic double at the Al- Fanar hotel almost on the
Muscat sea front promenade called 'The Corniche'. The labyrinth-like Suq,
the Fish Market, the Sultan Palace, the Great Mosque…. won't disappoint,
keeping you busy for at least a day.
The following day a 38€ domestic flight took us to Salalah, on the
opposite part of the country bordering with Yemen. The difference was
quite remarkable, in particular in more conservative traditions as the
one of the the few women walking around, strictly wearing their long loose
black dress called Abeyya.
We settled down in the Tourist Hotel (double: 30€/ day) and
the following day we rented a car just for 26€/day to explore the
cost of the Dhofar region. If you are looking for an exotic place, this
is the one you should go: quote remote, palm dotted, dromedaries wandering
around,….
Unfortunately Nov- April is the dry season, so the landscape turns around
desert, while in May- Oct the whole area is amazingly lush green.
A good tarmac road led us to visit our first Wadi, called the Dharbat:
Wadi is the Arabic word for a canyon dug by a river that flows on the
bottom. The contrast between the arid area around and the green of the
palms with the light blue of the waters of the Wadi, make is very scenic.
Of course they give their best in the wet season (May- Oct).
The same day we visited the Khor Sour bay, where we had a bath and the
remote town of Mirbat.
At 19.00 in the evening we jumped on the night bus heading to Muscat crossing
the Omani desert in a 13h night trip. Even if long, it hasn't been that
much tiring, despite the several stops we had by the army for passport
controls. For sure travelling in the darkness we didn't miss anything,
since simply there's anything around for 1000km.
In Muscat we immediately took the bus heading to Sur, but our destination
where the Wahiba (Sharqiya) Sands, a sandy Sahara-like desert (otherwise
the Omani deserts are rocky), that's one of the main highlights of the
country.
Hence after 2h from the capital we were dropped off in a petrol station
in the middle of nothing, but a telephone! We called one of the camping
listed on the Lonely Planet ('Desert Discovery Tours'). A guy came by
jeep to pick up us and, for 2€, brought at the camp settled in the
desert at the feet of the a huge dune. Here for 22€/ each (breakfast
and dinner included), we took a cabin and enjoyed the beauty of the sandy
desert.
We quickly experienced the toughness to walk on the sand and, overall,
how the sands burns at midday.
At the twilight we had our 4WD crazy drove on the sand for 10€ ,
and in the morning a 5 minutes dromedary riding.
In Sur again we rented a car (32€/ day) to reach the 'Directorate
General of natural Reserve' in Ras al- Jinz, where we had perhaps the
most exciting experience: the sea turtle egg- laying on the beach in the
night (read the details)
The day after by car we visited the Wadi Shab (50km from Sur) and we had
a walk along his bottom. The contrast of the light blue water with the
arid desert turned out worthwhile, although reaching the place we got
lost several times and we found ourselves driving on dirty bumpy roads,
as we were on a 4WD. Once again, never drive without a map (a serious
one, I mean, and not that shitty stuff on the lonely planet)
Early in the afternoon we took the bus to Muscat (3h), but before reaching
the capital we were dropped off at Bid Bid, where we found a taxi to Nizwa.
The town itself is surely the nicest of the whole country, being a green
oasis filled of palms and surrounded by the high peaks of the Jebel (mountain)
Akhdar, the whole dominated by the huge Nizwa Fort. The complex of the
well kept fort and of the souq around it, form the old citadel, that's
for sure one of the highlight of the country, while on the other hands,
this makes Nizwa the most tourist place you'll experience in the Sultanate.
Anyway, given it's the only case in Oman, I think even the most misanthropist
traveller can put up with it.
Two hours by bus led us to Muscat and the following morning we left for
the long 6h bus trip to the town of Buraimi to enter on foot the United
Arab Emirates.
[The Travel in Arab United Emirates]
Alby
First of all, Oman surprised me: I expected the country
less developed than I found, in particular in the buses, accommodations,
highways, domestic airline… but meanwhile is quite untouched, despite
the significant quantity of visitors coming mainly from Dubai.
Corruption is non existent, the safety is 100% everywhere at anytime,
and most of the people are English speakers; just these three points will
make your trip much easier than in most parts of the world.
As concern the religion, Oman is more conservative than I expected, especially
in the Dofhar region (Salalah) you'll be amazed by the quantity of small
mosques spread in every corner. For a girl covering your hair it's a great
sign of respect, even if not mandatory.
Moreover I got impressed how the whole country is soaked by the respect
and devotion towards the beloved Sultan Qabus, who in 40 years took Oman
from a 'prehistoric' status to what is today. From the other hand, it's
a little bit worrying to think what Oman'll be once without his leader…
Alby
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Ras al-Jinz (Ras al-Junayz), the easternmost point of the Arabian Peninsula, is an important turtle-nesting site for the endangered green turtle. Over 20, 000 females return annually to the beach where they hatched in order to lay eggs. Every turtle lays around 100 eggs and it takes less than two hours, then she cover the hole and crawls back to the sea.
WHEN
The high season is May- Sept, but in any day of the year you have
good chance to see at least one.
HOW TO VISIT
The area is under government protection and the only way to visit
the site is by booking through the Directorate General of Nature
Reserves (24 602285; fax 24 602283) and joining an escorted tour
at around 9.30pm every evening taking around 2 hours.
The best is to call one or two days in advance to book.
The centre is 40km from the city of Sur and you need your own vehicle,
unless you don't join a group organised by the Sur hotel in Sur.
OUR EXPERIENCE
We settled down at the Sur hotel and asking info about the turtle-nesting,
the manager suggested us to rent a car, he didn't seem in the 'I-organise-your-trip'
mood.
We rented it at the Sur Plaza Hotel for 17 OR/day (34€) and,
confident of our Lonley Planet map (great error!) we left.
We drove for 30min, then the road ended up in the darkness. We turned
the car back, found a local, we asked, we thought to have understood,
we mistook again, and still again, when at the end we found out
a helpful guy who drove us on the right way.
Moral of the story: before leaving, get a decent map!
The Nature Reserves Centre opened in the 2007, in fact I was surprised
to find such modern structure in the middle of nothing.
'Sorry, you haven't booked, for this night it's full-booked'
We were almost fainting…
We really begged them for accepting us, and for God Sake we managed!
However I guess it has been quite an exception. So don't count on
it and book at least one day in advance.
We paid the 6€ fee and in a 10 people group with two guides
we had a 15 min walk to reach the beach. You don't need the flash
lamp since the guides have, and you wouldn't be allowed to use neither.
No flash is permitted, so if you want to take some decent snaps,
bring your tripod.
It didn't take that long that we spotted a turtle laying the eggs:
personally I had the goose bumps seeing the huge animal in such
'intimate' moment shrouded in the silent darkness with the sound
of the sea in the background.
However the best came when, moving away from the turtle laying the
eggs, we almost stamped on two turtle-babies just come out from
another nest and crawling on their way to the sea.
The guide explained that to keep the right direction, they follow
the light of the moon reflected on the sea, in fact with his flash
lamp he could really drive them.
For the turtle- babies to reach the sea climbing the small sand-dunes
of the beach, it's a struggle, the first one of a difficult life,
given that only one or two turtles of the whole nest (around 100
eggs) while survive as adult.
Oman travel tip
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EU citizens'll get a visa at the land borders
with United Arab Emirates (UAE) of Buraimi and Wajaja.
The currency is the Oman Rial (OR) (1€= 0,52OM, 1$= 0,38 OM). US$ seems still to be the most convenient currency to be changed, but also euros are well known.
I had the usual vaccinations: ephatite A, B, typhus and tetanus. Hygienic conditions seemed quite good but I cannot hide my stomach didn't really appreciated Oman juices.
I used Lonely Planet (in Italian 3rd ed, translated from 2nd ed, Sept 2007), as usual it's a good support, although too superficial on the transport details. (see tips below)
GENERAL TIPS
Buses schedule:
Domestic flights:
Renting a car:
Wahiba sands:
Shop opening hours:
Early morning Muezzin call:
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