Holidays in Oman

Deserts that disappear into the horizon. Sandstone cities which are legacies of ancient trading routes. Sun-baked rugged mountains. Welcoming Bedouin culture. Oman is the traditional Arabia you’ve always imagined.

While their neighbours in the United Arab Emirates focus on earning superlatives through their next-century architecture, Oman retains a rich heritage and culture that has rarely wavered over the centuries. Couple this with wild surrounds that never fail to make you gasp, and Oman is a hidden jewel whose breadth is worth exploring on a luxury holiday.

Its refreshingly low-rise capital of Muscat woos you with its crumbling forts, colourful mosques and the chaotic charm of Muttrah Souk. Close by lies the rugged remoteness of the Hajar Mountains, with Jebel Akhdar dubbed Oman’s answer to the Grand Canyon and home to the sandstone city of Nizwa. Bronze Age beehive tombs pock the landscape further down the Hajar Mountains chain, the towering dunes of Wahiba Sands promise a magical desert adventure where you live like a Bedouin and a wild swim through the wadis is something special.

If you want some R&R on a white sandy beach, then the tropical city of Salalah is your answer. Perhaps Oman’s greatest gem, though, is the rocky fjords and sleepy villages of the dramatic Musandam Peninsula, an exclave separated by the UAE. Just make sure you explore beyond your beach and hotel, to discover authentic Arabia.

With craggy mountain ranges, sweeping desert and authentic Middle Eastern cities, Oman is the real Arabia. You can live like a Bedouin in a desert camp in Wahiba Sands, enjoy a traditional slice of Omani life in Muscat or really go off-grid at a beachfront bolthole in the otherworldly Musandam Peninsula. There are so many different places to stay to experience different sides of Oman.

Though Oman is warm year-round, the country’s winter (October to April) offers more comfortable temperatures, with the summer (May to September) delivering scorching weather.

The best time to visit Oman is between October and April where pleasant temperatures average between the mid to high 20s (degrees Celsius) across the country. The exceptions to this are the Musandam Peninsula in the north, where the mercury can dip to around 20°C and the elevation of Jebel Akhdar means it can dip below 20°C. October sees the rewards of the autumn harvest, so if you visit during this time, expect lots of fresh produce like olives, walnuts and pomegranates. January and February are the wettest months of the year in Oman but these usually consist of short bursts of rain. From the end of January through to the end of February, the month-long Muscat Festival celebrates everything about Omani art and culture. Head to the mountains between March and April and you’ll witness the rose gardens which cover Jebel Akhdar’s summit in full bloom – a really pretty sight – a possible nod to its nickname ‘Green Mountain’. Temperatures start to rise, too, in anticipation of the hot season.

From May, temperatures will creep up, peaking in July and August at over 40°C sometimes. May sees another fruit harvest, so there’ll be lots of fresh apricots, peaches, pears and figs, while the heat is bearable unlike the height of summer. From June to August, the heat becomes scorching, so this isn’t the best time to visit Oman. The exception to the rule is in tropical Salalah, where it’s peak monsoon season from June to September. Temperatures there are cooler (around 30°C) and while it’s more humid and wet, the rains transform the city and coastline into a lush paradise.