Muscat surprised me. I expected a mini-Dubai — all glass towers and shopping malls. What I got was an ancient port city with marble mosques, desert camps, turquoise canyons, and some of the most generous people I've met anywhere. But I also made mistakes. Too many. Here's how to avoid my errors.
1. Get your e-visa BEFORE you fly. This seems obvious, but I've met people at Muscat airport who assumed they could get a visa on arrival. Most nationalities can't. Apply at evisa.rop.gov.om — $20 for 10 days, $50 for 30 days. Processing takes 1-3 days. Print the confirmation. Do this a week before travel, not the night before.
2. Book the Grand Mosque visit for your first morning. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is only open to non-Muslims Saturday through Thursday, 8AM-11AM. That's a tight window, and it's the single most impressive sight in Muscat. Don't save it for the end of your trip and risk missing it. Go first thing, go early, and give yourself 1.5 hours.
3. Pack modest clothing — but don't overthink it. Shoulders and knees covered in public. That's the rule. Long pants and a t-shirt work perfectly. At the mosque, women need a headscarf and full-length coverage — free abayas are loaned at the entrance, so you don't need to bring your own. At resort pools and beaches, wear whatever you want.
4. Rent a car. Public transport barely exists. There's no metro, limited buses, and taxis are expensive for longer trips. Car rentals start at OMR 10-15/day ($26-39) and the roads are genuinely excellent — some of the best-maintained highways I've driven anywhere. Drive on the right.
5. Get a 4x4 for wadi trips. I tried to reach Wadi Shab in a sedan. The last few kilometers of gravel track had my rental scraping rocks. Don't make this mistake. If you're visiting any wadi or heading to Wahiba Sands, a 4x4 isn't optional. The daily surcharge is maybe OMR 5-10 more.
6. Uber doesn't work here. Use Marhaba or OTaxi. Ride-hailing exists but it's different from what you're used to. The Marhaba and OTaxi apps work in Muscat. Regular taxis are available but negotiation is expected for longer routes.
7. Eat in Ruwi and Mutrah, not hotel restaurants. Hotel dining in Muscat is pricey — OMR 15-30/meal. Ten minutes away in the Ruwi and Mutrah neighborhoods, Omani and Indian restaurants serve incredible biryani, shuwa (slow-cooked lamb), and grilled meats for OMR 2-5/meal. That's $5-13 for a full, satisfying meal.
The mashkak (grilled meat) at the Turkish restaurant row in Al Khuwair costs about OMR 3 and it's one of the best things I ate in Oman.
8. The Grand Mosque, Mutrah Corniche, and Mutrah Souq are all free. Three of Muscat's best experiences cost nothing. The mosque is free entry (donations welcome). The Corniche is a stunning 3 km waterfront walk. The souq is free to browse — you only spend money if you want frankincense or silver.
9. Frankincense is the souvenir. Hojari grade (the silver/green pieces) is the best quality — OMR 5-15 per bag at Mutrah Souq. Buy a traditional ceramic burner (mabkhara) for OMR 2-5. Total: under OMR 20 for a genuinely unique gift. Bargain gently — Omanis don't appreciate hard haggling.
10. Bring water shoes to Wadi Shab. I didn't. I attempted the swim through the canyon pools in bare feet and sliced my toe open on a submerged rock within five minutes. Water shoes (the neoprene kind with a proper sole) are essential. Also bring a dry bag for your phone and a towel.
11. Check weather before any wadi visit. This is genuinely life-or-death advice. Flash floods kill people in Omani wadis. The water can rise from ankle-deep to chest-deep in minutes during rain — even rain that's falling kilometers upstream where you can't see it. October through March is the highest risk period. If the sky looks threatening upstream, get out.
12. Wadi Shab is a full-day commitment. People underestimate this. The drive from Muscat is 1.5 hours. The boat crossing costs OMR 1 ($2.60). The hike to the pools takes 45 minutes. Then you swim through pools to reach the hidden waterfall cave — another 30-45 minutes. Then you do it all in reverse. That's 6-7 hours minimum. Start early, bring lunch and at least 2 liters of water.
13. Ramadan changes everything — plan accordingly. If you visit during Ramadan, eating, drinking, and smoking in public during daylight hours is illegal. Hotels serve food behind screens. Most restaurants close until sunset. But attending an iftar dinner (the sunset meal) is a genuine cultural privilege. Some hotel restaurants open their iftars to tourists.
14. Omanis are extraordinarily hospitable. I was offered tea three times in one afternoon at the souq — once by a shopkeeper whose store I didn't even enter. Accept the hospitality. It's sincere, not a sales tactic (usually). A simple "shukran" (thank you) goes a long way.
15. Don't photograph people without asking. This is important everywhere, but especially in Oman. Many Omani women prefer not to be photographed, and some men in traditional dress also find it disrespectful. Ask first with a gesture toward your camera and a smile. Most people say yes.
16. Book a desert overnight, not just a day trip. Wahiba Sands day trips feel rushed — 3 hours driving each way for a few hours of dune bashing. The overnight camps (OMR 30-80/person) include dinner under the stars, sleeping in a Bedouin tent, sunrise over the dunes, and a camel ride. The desert sky at night — zero light pollution, the Milky Way sharp as a photograph — is worth the extra night alone.
17. The Omani Rial is one of the strongest currencies in the world. One OMR equals roughly $2.60. This catches people off guard when prices look small but feel big. That OMR 15 dinner? That's $39. That OMR 80 desert camp? $208. Know the conversion before you start spending.
Muscat isn't for everyone. If you want mega-malls, waterparks, and nightclubs, go to Dubai — it's a 45-minute flight away. But if you want a Middle Eastern experience that feels real — ancient souqs, hidden canyons, Bedouin hospitality, and a mosque that makes your jaw drop — Muscat delivers in a way that flashier Gulf cities simply don't. For more details, see our Muscat travel guide.
Just remember the water shoes.
